Chartwells
We are proud to work with Chartwells Schools for your children’s school dinners. Chartwells believe that the key to fuelling young minds comes from understanding both what they need and what they enjoy, which is why they develop nutritious and delicious food that pupils love, alongside helping to ensure a healthy body and mind. Their passionate chefs work closely with us to ensure every child receives a nutritionally balanced meal at school, perfectly suited to meet their needs and dietary requirements.
They create menus that are delicious, seasonal and healthy, using carefully selected ingredients, helping to reduce waste and build a more sustainable world for our future generations.
Chartwells Schools dedicates time and resources to education surrounding mental and physical wellbeing, including nutrition and food habits, to encourage our pupils to engage with, learn, and enjoy food while developing crucial social skills. Chartwells’ Food Super Heroes make food education fun, whatever the age, and their tasty theme days encourage children to make the most of their school meal.
To find out more about Chartwells, visit their website or contact the school catering team.
Medical Diets
We know that feeding children with food allergies or intolerance can cause a lot of anxiety for both parents and schools. That’s why Chartwells have implemented a market-leading allergens process, and make sure every step is taken to ensure that our students can enjoy school meals safely with their friends.
More information on their medical diet process can be found here.
(Email address is chartwells.medicaldiets@compass-group.co.uk)
From September 2022 school meals cost £2.25 per day (£11.25 per week)
Meals are prepared and cooked on the premises and offer a choice from 3 main courses and 3 desserts per day. Each meal is developed to ensure the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables is available while avoiding confectionery and artificially-sweetened drinks, with limits on the fat, salt and sugar content in each meal.
Although technically employed by the school meals contractor, Chartwells, our school lunch staff are a key part of our school team. Mrs Harrison is the Unit Manager, whilst Mrs Spender provides assistance.
We have 6 Lunchtime Supervisors – Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Brown, Mrs Flatman, Mr Wilson, Mrs Wilson and Miss McGrath.
From September 2014 if your child or children attends an infant school or infant classes from reception to Year 2 then school meals will be free to them. The success of the Free School Meal pilot in Durham has influenced a Government policy decision to make funds available to ensure that all infant children can access a free school meal.
Paid School Meals
To ensure sufficient school lunches are provided and to avoid confusion meal payments should be paid in full on the first day of each week, which is usually Monday. Payments for school lunches are paid via Parent Pay, if you do not have an account set-up please contact Mrs. Gilyeat or Mrs. Emmerson.
It is essential that parent’s notify the school office of any changes to their child’s normal lunch time arrangements.
Free School Meals
The regulations for Free School Meals are changing on the 1st April 2018. If you claim any of the following benefits you may be eligible to claim a Free School Meal:
- Universal Credit with an earnings threshold that does not exceed £7,400
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax
- Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by HMRC that does not exceed £16,190
- Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit run-on (the payment someone receives for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Though some children prefer to bring in a ‘packed lunch’, it is important that all those entitled to a free school meal are registered.
Please note: It is the parents/carers responsibility to inform school if there are changes to your claim.
Special Dietary Needs
Any request for a special or modified diet to be provided for a child must be made in writing by the parent/guardian. This should contain as much detail as possible, including contact details.
If the diet is medically related e.g. allergy, diabetic, low fat etc. the request must be verified by the child’s General Practitioner or Hospital Dietician.
The provision of a nut allergy diet will also require further correspondence, which will be sent out from the School Meals Section. This includes a letter of authorisation for parents to complete and return and a letter to the Head Teacher.
N.B.
A medically related diet will not be provided until written confirmation from the GP or Dietician is received.
If the diet is non medical e.g. religious the request does not require authorisation from a GP or Dietician but must still go through the special diet procedures.
Vegetarian requests do not need to be processed as a special diet as a vegetarian choice is always available.
Once school has received the request from parents/guardians/carers it will be forwarded to:
School Meals Section
Corporate Services
Room 2/70,
County Hall
Durham
DH1 5UL
School Meals Section will forward the details to schools Catering Contractor who will liaise with the school, the catering team and parents to ensure that the correct diet is put in place.
If your child moves to another school any special diet information should be forwarded on to the new school as well as informing the school meals section at County Hall at the above address.
School Lunch Menu
The lunch menus are now to view or download by selecting the links below:
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