Free school meals
What does a school meal consist of?
Pupils in Primary schools are offered a two course lunch with a choice of main course, supplemented by salads and bread, and which meet the Scottish Nutrient Standards for School Meals. A choice of milk, water or fruit juice is also included. Meals are, in the main, prepared from fresh ingredients by well trained personnel in a food safe environment.
Vegetarian meals are frequently provided as part of the Primary school menu choice. Alternatively, vegetarian menus are available on request from schools or via the link on this website.
Secondary schools operate a cafeteria style service with a wide choice of food options being made available. Implementation of the Scottish Nutrient Standards has seen a major overhaul of the traditional secondary school menu, and there is now an abundance of freshly prepared and tempting food options which are lower in fat, salt and sugar. These include a daily choice of home made meals including vegetarian option, complimentary salad, vegetables and bread with main meals, healthy meal deals, nutritionally improved snack items, healthier drinks options, including freshly squeezed orange juice, reduced confectionary products and a great deli selection.
Most schools also offer a healthy break time service and a pre-order facility. New developments are continually being assessed and introduced to enable the pupils to have access to a safe and welcoming quick service environment.
How much does a school meal cost?
There is a fixed, subsidised charge for a meal in a Primary school which is currently £1.65, whilst in Secondary schools the cost varies according to the individual choice from the menu.
Cashless catering operates in all secondary schools via the National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot Card. Pupils who do not yet have the NEC can obtain a temporary card from the School Cook in Charge. These cards provide secure access to the pupil's account where value is retained on the system and not the card. Value can be added to a pupil's account through coin or note, however cheque payments to any value (payable to Perth & Kinross Council) are preferred, as this negates the need for pupils to carry cash or to have to queue at revaluation machines.
All payments and expenditure can be fully tracked by the pupil on request. Balances can be accessed at the revaluation machines at any time and itemised transactions are on display through customer readers at all till points. Free school meals pupils have value added automatically which can be topped up by the pupil if desired.
For further information please contact:
Catering Support Team
Support Services
Tel: 01738 476341
E-mail: ecscateringsupport@pkc.gov.uk
Who is eligible for Free School Meals?
You can claim free school meals for your child(ren) if you are receiving:
- Income Support (IS)
- Income based Job Seeker's Allowance (IBJSA)
- Child Tax Credit (CTC), but not Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £15,575 (08/09) as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs)
- If you are between 16 and 18 years old and receive any of these benefits in your own right, you can claim free school meals for yourself.
- You may also be eligible if you are an asylum seeker receiving support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
For more information on Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit visit the Inland Revenue Website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/
Can I have my Free School Meals entitlement backdated?
No, entitlement is granted from the date the application is processed by Education & Children's Services Department, but if valid proof of receipt of a qualifying benefit can be presented with your free school meals application to the school, entitlement can start immediately.
How do I apply for Free School Meals?
Further information and application forms [pdf 52KB] are available on this website, from all Perth & Kinross Council schools and:
Education and Children's Services
Perth and Kinross Council
Pullar House
Kinnoull Street
Perth
PH1 5GD
Tel No: 01738 476200
E-mail: mailto:ecsschools@pkc.gov.uk
