Here at Liden Academy we prepare delicious, nourishing hot and cold meals here in our own kitchen, for both breakfast and dinner.
For those attending breakfast club, we provide a range of options for children to choose from. Orders are taken from the children upon arrival so that their food can be freshly prepared.
All of our dinners meet the school meals healthy eating standards to ensure that that children have healthy diets. We take a balanced approach to child nutrition – that’s why you will find chips and traditional school puddings on our menu, as well as healthy items. A vegetarian option is offered every day as well as a filled jacket potato as an alternative choice. All allergens are noted as a number against all relevant items listed on the meal booking system MyChildAtSchool – eg Pork Sausage (14,2) depicting sulphur and gluten – please see the table to the right for all our allergen codes.
A salad bar will be available to children to help themselves, along with some condiments as follows: (children with allergies will be supervised)
– Sweetcorn, pasta twirls (containing gluten), tomatoes, cucumber, pepper sticks, raisins.
– Tomato Ketchup (2), Mayonnaise (4) and Garlic Mayonnaise (4)
We have a 4 week menu which rotates throughout the academic year. Items on the menu also indicate any associated allergens in line with the Food Standards Agency.
The school Christmas Dinner will take place in December and the menu will be different to that publicised on the rotational calendar and MCAS for this day. Further information will be available nearer the time. There may also be a number themed meal days which will be communicated when dates have been decided.
We are continually looking for ways to improve the service we offer and would welcome any comments or suggestions that you have regarding our school meal service. Please email them to [email protected] .
Food Hygiene Rating
Our kitchen and catering facilities are regularly inspected by the Food Standards Agency. Following the last unannounced inspection in January 2022 we were awarded a 5* rating.
Booking of School Meals
All meals are booked through MyChildAtSchool (MCAS). If you’re not already registered, or experience difficulty accessing or booking meals through MCAS, please contact the school office, [email protected] who will be able to assist you, and/or provide you with your personalised login details as necessary.
Please note that even if your child is entitled to free school meals, you will still need to book your meals on the MCAS system in order for a meal to be prepared for your child. The cut-off time for booking meals is the Wednesday evening prior to the week the meal is required. Meals can be booked in advance as far as possible, however, if you try ordering meals after the cut-off date for the following week, you will find that the meals are locked and can no longer be booked. Please ensure that, where meals have not been booked, that you provide a packed lunch for your child.
You are able to cancel any meal bookings you have made in advance yourself on MCAS, providing the cut-off has not passed for that week. If the cut-off has passed, and there are exceptional reasons why you need to cancel a meal, you must contact the school office in writing at least the day before the meal is due. Unfortunately, cancellations after this time are not possible. Should your child be reported off sick, their meal will automatically be cancelled.
School Meal Costs
All children in Reception, Y1 and Y2 are entitled to a free school meal. For all children in all other years, including nursery there is a charge of £2.45 for children in Y3 to Y6 and £1.70 for nursery age children. These charges will increase from September 2025 to: £2.60 for children in Y3 to Y6 and £1.90 for nursery age children.
Free School Meals
You may be entitled to free school meals if you are in receipt of certain benefits. These include:-
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get).
Even if your child is in KS1, please apply as the school receives additional funding (Pupil Premium Grant) for every child entitled to income related free school meals. See the FSM Campaign flyer below for further information.
You can also apply online through the link below.
Snack
Bumble Bees, Reception, Y1 and Y2 receive daily fruit from the government scheme – there is no need to send in anything else.
Ducks, Ducklings – Please refer click below to see ‘The Nursery Day’ page which shows a list of suitable snacks
Year 3 to 6 – Please bring in a piece of fruit or a cereal bar only. No sweets, chocolate, crisps or nuts.
Please note: We are a “nut-free” school
Milk
Milk is provided free of charge to all children under 5. Children over 5 can sign up to the CoolMilk scheme where the parent will pay just £15 per term to get their children milk every day. You can sign up by clicking on this link. Milk is offered free to all children who receive free school meals. Please ask at the school office for details.