School Meals
School meals are made daily, by our own catering team in our own kitchens. We are keen that all children should have a hot school meal and therefore work hard to ensure they are tasty and appeal to our pupils as well as being healthy. We are very proud of the quality of our school meals, pupils tell us they enjoy the dining experience with us as the food is delicious and pupils get to sit with their friends and teachers. Menus are available in advance from school, please see the menu on this website, to enable both children and parents to see what is on offer and make appropriate choices. There is an excellent selection of Vegetarian and Meat meals, fresh fruit and vegetables are also always available. The School Council regularly meets with the Cook to discuss menus and help inform decisions about the foods pupils enjoy. All meals meet the national nutrition regulations for schools. In addition all Primary School children (Reception - Year 6) are receiving free school meals for the 2025-2026 school year. If your child has a food allergy please do come and talk to us as we would like, wherever possible, to accommodate this and enable your child to access our delicious school meals.
Packed Lunches
We encourage all children to have a hot school meal every day as it is a healthy option. We find that even the fussiest eaters will eat a school meal when sitting in the Ark amongst friends and teachers. However if you would like to provide a packed lunch for your child please ensure it is brought into school in a named lunch box. We are a NUT FREE school as we have several children who suffer from severe nut allergies. This means that we do not allow anyone to bring products containing nuts into school, this includes peanut butter, Nutella and many cereal bars. Castle Hill is a healthy school and packed lunches should not contain sweets, chocolates, crisps, sweet or fizzy drinks. We provide unlimited access to water during lunchtimes, if drinks are brought in from home they should be in a resealable container.
How do I pay for school meals?
School meals are now ordered 2 weeks in advance and paid for online. Please go to the ParentPay website. Parent Pay Website
What if my child has a food allergy?
If your child has a food allergy please do come and talk to us as we would like, wherever possible, to accommodate this and enable your child to access our delicious school meals.
How do I apply for Free School Meals?
All Primary School children (Reception - Year 6) are receiving free school meals for the 2025-2026 school year. If your child is in in our Preschool/Nursery you may be able to claim for free school meals if you are in receipt of some benefits, by completing the funding form. The local authority will then notify you but you must still select your meal choice on ParentPay.