School Meals
School Meals
Due to Covid-19 restrictions we are currently only able to offer a limited menu for school meals with one hot and one cold choice available each day (vegetarian alternatives available). Please go through the menu below with your child so they can make a choice they will eat.
We are shortening our lunchtimes to 45 minutes so that each year group can be staggered to avoid different year group bubbles having close contact with each other. Packed lunches, and cold school dinners will be eaten in classrooms to reduce numbers in the dining hall. Hot meals will be eaten in the dining hall, pupils will be spaced out so that they are not sitting directly facing each other. Classes will be socially distanced from other classes and lunch tables will be cleaned after each class has vacated them.
Packed lunches can be sent in from home. These can be in a reusable lunchbox or bag. Please ensure this is cleaned regularly.

School meals are free for Early Years and KS1 but KS2 will need to pay using Parentmail. If you think you qualify for free school meals then please make an application through Suffolk County Council using this link:
https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families-and-learning/schools/school-meals-uniforms-and-tr

School Dinners
Gusford use Caterlink to provide school dinners to pupils. Current prices are £2.30 for a meal,
35p for a fruit juice and 55p for a milkshake.
A cashless cafeteria system is used and payment can be made either by ‘Parentmail’ or by cash
using the machine located in the front entrance of the school. Each child is provided with a PIN
number which has to be entered into the machine. Parents can pay a week, month or a term in
advance.
Pupils have a choice of a hot meal or Pick and Mix. The Pick and Mix selection will consist of a
wrap/sandwich or roll with a selection of fruit and vegetables such as cucumber/carrot sticks,
grapes, apples slices etc and dessert. Menus are updated on a termly basis and available in the
school office if needed.
Packed Lunch
Provision is made for children to bring their own packed lunch. Water and beakers are provided.
Children who bring their own food may also purchase drinks from the dining room if money is
on their dinner account. Children are not permitted (for safety reasons) to bring tins, glass
bottles or fizzy drinks. As the school has ‘Healthy Schools’ status we encourage parents to
provide a healthy packed lunch for their child and therefore avoid large quantities of chocolate
biscuits, etc. as this does affect some children’s behaviour in the afternoon. Bars of chocolate
and sweets are not allowed for packed lunch.
Nuts in Packed Lunches
I am sure that many parents are aware that some children suffer extreme allergic reaction to
nuts. This can result in death, if airways are blocked as a result of swelling in the throat. As we
have some children who suffer from this reaction, we request all parents not to put items
containing nuts into their child’s packed lunches (eg. Peanut butter sandwiches, bags of
peanuts or mixed nuts).
Break Time Snacks
As part of our approach to health education the school has adopted a healthy eating policy.
Children are only allowed to bring in fresh fruit to eat during morning break time. This must be
stored separately from packed lunch, as children are not allowed to access their packed lunch
box during break time.
Universal Free School Meals & Free School Meals for Years 3-6
Since the introduction in 2014 of the Government’s Universal Free School Meals initiative, all
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children have been entitled to a free meal at lunchtime.
However, if you are in receipt of any of the below you may be eligible to receive Free School
Meals for children in Years 3 to 6 and be able to receive additional help with reduced fees for
clubs and support with school uniform and purchasing other necessary equipment for all
children regardless of their year group.
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an
annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax
Credit
Universal Credit
It is therefore very beneficial to officially register for Free School Meals/Pupil Premium
regardless of which year your child is in. If parents register for Free School Meals for their child,
the school is able to claim Pupil Premium which helps us to provide additional support for them. It is really important that parents who meet the criteria (detailed below) register for Free School
Meals and thereby Pupil Premium, to help our school secure this additional funding.
If after having read the criteria above you feel you are eligible, please follow the following online
link or complete the form which is available in the school office:
https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/children-families- and-learning/schools/school- meals-uniforms- and-
trips/apply-for- free-school- meals/,
Please also see our Pupil Premium School Policy for more details.