School Lunches
Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help children to stay healthy, feel good, be active and improve their ability to learn and we actively encourage all children to have a meal prepared at school where possible.
Meals Prepared by School
We pride ourselves in serving a high number of quality, nutritious school meals on a daily basis. School meals are cooked fresh, on site, every day. The children have three choices of meal on a daily basis. We have a flexible approach to meals, so the children can have a mixture of packed lunches and school meals over the course of a week, to meet the needs of family life. School meals should be chosen and paid for in advance via our ParentPay system. Please click HERE to access your ParentPay Account. Please contact the school office if you have any trouble accessing the website.
Meals cost £2.75 (from September 2024) for children in Years 3 to 6.
School Meals are FREE for children in Foundation and Key Stage One
Please see below for our lunchtime menu beginning in September 2024
Packed Lunches
We aim to ensure that all packed lunches brought from home and consumed in school (or on educational visits) provide children with healthy and nutritious food that is similar in nutritional value to meals served in school, which is regulated by national standards. Observations show that some contained too much food with high levels of fat, sugar and salt. Furthermore, it was also observed that too few had a portion of fruit and vegetables.
At Drighlington a healthier packed lunch focuses on the four healthier food groups of the eat well plate (see below) and offers advice on how to limit the foods in the purple section. We recognise that some pupils may require special diets that do not allow for the guidance to be followed exactly. Families are urged to be responsible in ensuring packed lunches are as healthy as possible.
Any uneaten food will be sent home to communicate with parents and ensure they know what their child has eaten for lunch.
Water
We encourage all children in school to bring in a water bottle each day. It is crucial that children stay hydrated so that they can concentrate well in lessons and stay focused. We have water fountains in school so that the children can refill their bottles. Please note that we would like our children to develop healthy habits and for this reason it is water only in water bottles – we talk to the children about the difference between water and juice so that they fully understand this rule.
Our preferred method of payment for school dinners is Parent Pay. If you need any assistance setting up a Parent Pay account please contact the office.
Click here for the School Lunch Menu
Click here to see our packed lunch and playtime snack policy
Click here for the latest School Food Standards guidance