Healthy, inviting food.
Lunch time as a key part of the day
Our lunches are provided by The Lunchtime Company. They provide healthy and tasty meals each day. They give careful thought to our ongoing menu to take account of seasonal produce to provide delicious lunches. There is a choice of hot and cold food, including hot meat and vegetarian dishes, as well as a comprehensive salad bar. There is also a choice of dessert dishes, including fresh fruit. Provision is made for vegetarians and those children who require a special diet. Southwark currently provides healthy meals free of charge to all school-age children.
Explore our menus
Useful information
Free School Meals
Separately to this, those parents/carers whose children would qualify for Free School Meals under the Government’s existing offer should also continue to apply for free school meals as before. To do so you will need to be in receipt of one of the below benefits:
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Support under part IV of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit with no working tax credit and have an income not exceeding £16,190
- Working Tax Credit Run on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – with net earned income of no more than £7,400
Your child will receive a free dinner from September 2023-July 2024 regardless, however if you are eligible to apply for Free School Meals under the Government’s existing offer, there are other additional benefits to the school worth £1,300 per year. That’s extra money to spend on enrichment activities, teacher development, and targeted support for the children that need it most. We also operate food vouchers during the holiday for Free School Meal recipients.
If you think the above applies to you, please complete an application to ensure that the school, and the children continue to receive additional funding by clicking here.
Food Allergies / Intolerances
If your child has a food allergy or intolerance, you will need to complete a Health Declaration Form which is available from the school office.
Packed Lunch
Children may bring a packed lunch, which should be in a suitable container. In the interest of safety we do not allow cans, glass bottles or 'glass type' vacuum flasks.
Please ensure that you do not give your child packed lunches that contain nuts, particularly peanuts, in any form, e.g. peanut butter.
Charges
Southwark currently provides healthy meals free of charge to all school-age children.
Nursery pupils are required to pay for meals and this can be done in in a variety of ways via a system called ParentPay. You will be given an account which you can pay into via PayPoint systems in newsagents, online, or at school by cash or card.
Some nursery families, in receipt of benefits, may be entitled to free school meals and the school will support these families to receive Government funded free meals.
If you think your child may now be eligible for Free School Meals you can check your eligibility for free school meals quickly by visiting https://pps.lgfl.org.uk. A Certificate of Eligibility is available through the website for any child eligible for a free school meal.
Follow The below simple instructions:
- Click – Check My Eligibility
- Click – Proceed, create a new Account
- Click – Drop down box Local Authority – Insert – Southwark
- Click – Drop down box School – Insert – CHOOSE SCHOOL Charles Dickens School
- Read Terms – Before you can use the Free School Meals Eligibility Checker, you need to read and accept the Privacy Notice.
- Input your Details: You must complete all of the boxes – Paying particular attention to those in the green area, which indicates information that is matched against DWP/HMRC data
- Click Submit – If you are eligible you will be able to download a certificate and email to office@charlesdickens.southwark.sch.uk along with your child/children name/s
