Welcome to Chef Julia
Firstly, I am delighted to introduce our new Head Chef, Julia Nono. Julia is a very experienced and highly skilled chef, joining us from Yotam Ottolenghi’s restaurant ROVI. Julia will be working alongside ‘Chefs in School’, a charity set up to transform school food. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/20/the-restaurant-chefs-transforming-school-meals-lockdown-coronavirus-challenges
Our Menu
Each day our menu comprises a main course, a side dish, salad and a dessert, with freshly baked bread and home-made soup available too. All diets are catered for, including alternatives for vegetarians and children with allergies or intolerances. Please find attached the school menu, which works on a two week cycle. Having had school meals every day this term, I can vouch for the fact that the food is absolutely delicious, extremely healthy and of the highest quality.
Cost
School meals are provided free of charge for all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (Universal Free School Meals), with the expectation that all children partake. Once children are in Year 3, school meals are available at a cost of £2.75 a day.
Packed lunches
Some children in Key Stage 2 are currently electing to have a packed lunch. If this is the case, it is essential that the packed lunch provided is in line with the school’s Healthy Eating Policy. The school has the right to withdraw certain items such as sweets, chocolate, sugary drinks or packets of crisps, which will be returned to parents at the end of the day. It might interest you to know that less than 2% of packed lunches nationally comply with the National Food Standards.
https://inews.co.uk/news/health/packed-lunches-children-food-standards-school-meals-385058
Please give half a term’s notice if you wish to move from school meals to packed lunches. In exceptional circumstances, we still need two weeks notice if your child wants to stop school meals, otherwise we will unfortunately have to charge you for two weeks.
Support our school
The economics of school meals is such that in order to break even, around 80% of pupils need to be taking school meals. If the percentage falls below this level, the school meals service is subsidised by school budget, using money that would otherwise have been spent on the children’s education – yet another reason to encouraging your child to have school meals!
Food Culture
In keeping with our values at Highgate Primary, we want to create a culture where our children and staff enjoy and appreciate tasty, healthy food in a happy environment.
As a school, we aim to make sure:
Free School Meals
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are eligible for Free Universal School meals paid for by the government.
However if your child is in any year group and you claim certain benefits, your child might be eligible for Free School Meals, please complete the form below and return it to the office, or speak to the office in confidence.
Our Allotment & Kitchen Garden
We are very proud of our allotment which is just a two minute walk from the school. The children love eating their own produce they have planted, nurtured and harvested.
Snacks
Children in Nursery, Reception and Key Stage 1 receive free fruit at morning play. Children in Key Stage 2 are welcome to bring fruit from home. No other snacks are allowed.
Birthdays
Birthdays are always exciting and we love to join in the celebration at school. The best way to celebrate your child’s birthday at school is to donate a favourite book to your child’s class library, signing the inside cover and having it read to the class.
Feedback
We would love to hear your thoughts about the school lunches, the allotment or anything related to food at school. Please use the feedback box in reception or email: communications@highgate-pri.haringey.sch.uk
