Beechwood Primary School

School Meals

School Meals – Prepared by Caterlink

Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 (KS1)

From September 2014 the government initiative for universal free school meals for all Foundation and KS1 children began.  All children within these year groups are eligible for a FREE school meal each day.  Should you wish you child to have a school meal, please see information below on how your child can order their meal within class.

A packed lunch is still an option available for your child should you prefer, however we would encourage all parents to take advantage of the free school meal option as this will provide your child with a hot, nutritious meal in the middle of the day to sustain them to the end of the school day.

Please be advised we are a nut and lentil free school.

Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (KS2)

School meals are prepared by Caterlink and cost £2.53 per meal (subject to change).  Payment for meals must be pre-paid by Parent Pay (details will be given separately).

Should your child not have credit on their account, we would contact you to ask payment is made that day.  ONLY IN AN EXTREME EMERGENCY is the school able to loan money for a school meal and this must be repaid the next day.

A school meal menu will be made available to you as soon as we get them for each term.  Each day there will be a choice of menu, main school meal/vegetarian meal and a pudding.  Orders maybe placed via Parent Pay in advance, when children come into the class they can either select their meal or confirm their choice. The menu will be read out each morning and the child can decide which option they would prefer on that day.  A copy of the menu can be found at www.caterlinkltd.co.uk/school/wokingham-borough-council/

Alternatively, children may bring in their own packed lunch.

Please be advised we are a nut and lentil free school.


Lunchbox Guidelines

Packed lunches can include:

  • Sandwiches/ wraps/ pitta bread or a pasta/ rice alternative
  • Healthy snack (e.g. cereal bar (no nuts), carrot sticks)
  • Savoury snack (e.g. sausage roll, cracker biscuits)
  • Minimum of 1 piece of fruit
  • Yogurt
  • 1 packet or crisps
  • 1 small chocolate covered biscuit bar

Packed lunches should not include:

  • Nuts or lentil products
  • Fizzy drinks or energy drinks
  • High sugar drinks or glass bottles
  • Sweets

All food should be inside a packed lunch box labelled clearly with the name and class of your child. If you are giving your child packaged food please make sure they are able to open the packaging or put it in a sandwich bag for them.


The school has a no nut and lentil policy due to allergies within the school please make sure all products are nut free.

* Children should not bring Peanut Butter or Chocolate Spread into school.


If your child is a hot school dinner please can you make sure they are able to use their knife and fork correctly to cut up their food.

Pupil Premium – Free School Meals

Pupil Premium is additional funding provided to schools for supporting pupils to ensure they benefit from the same opportunities as all other children.

Children eligible to attract the pupil premium funding are:

  • Pupils eligible for receipt of Free School Meals (Government means tested)
  • Adopted Children
  • Children under Special Guardianship
  • Children under a Residence Order
  • Looked after children
  • Children of Service Personnel

Schools have the freedom to spend the premium, which is additional to the underlying school budget, in a way they think will best support the raising of attainment for the most vulnerable pupils.

This funding may be used in the following way:

  • Subsidise educational visits
  • Intervention support within the class
  • Subsidise extended school clubs (Breakfast and Handy club and After School Activities)
  • Specialist peripatetic services e.g. music/JAC

Even though Universal Free School Meals began in September 2014, we strongly advise parents/guardians of children who would be eligible for Free School Meals in accordance with Government means testing, to apply for this, as it will provide access to your child for additional funding.  

Please use the following form for us to check your eligibility: FREE SCHOOL MEALS (click or tap to open)