School Meals
We are really lucky to have a kitchen on site where all school meals are cooked freshly each day.
The cost of meals is £2.50 per day, £12.50 per week. There are always options within the menu and pupils have the opportunity to add salad to their choice.
School dinners should be paid for weekly via our safe online payment system called Parent Pay. If you have any issues with accessing your account then please let the office know.
Free school meals are provided for the children of parents who qualify and those children in Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Details of how to apply may be acquired from the School Office, or you can click the link to apply online: www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals. It must be stressed that all information is confidential.
Our catering providers are Whole School Meals: https://wholeschoolmeals.co.uk/
More information and Frequently Asked Questions
The vouchers can be provided for either use in Asda or Tesco and should only be used to buy food and other essential items. Asda vouchers can be used online, or instore and Tesco vouchers can only be used instore, however the vouchers cannot be used in both stores.
To enable the vouchers to be sent out electronically, the council has appointed a third-party provider to distribute the vouchers, and the school has been asked to provide your contact details so that vouchers can be emailed to you the between 30 November 2020 and 9 December 2020, from the following email address: free.school.meals.kent.county.council@notifications.service.gov.uk The school will provide the following information to the third-party provider: parents first and last names, email address, phone number and supermarket choice. Can you please check that the school has your most up to date contract details and your preferred supermarket choice: Asda or Tesco. If your contact details are not correct, then the vouchers may not reach you in time for Christmas or an appropriate supermarket may be selected on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
1 Why is my child’s school asking for my information?
You are being asked for information to make sure you can get the help that Kent County Council (KCC) has put in place for families who have children in Kent schools who already receive Free School Meals based on their family income.
2 What help is available for my child?
To help over the school holiday at Christmas, KCC is supplying a supermarket voucher to the value of £15 per week, for a maximum of two weeks, for every eligible child that receives free school meals in Kent schools based on their family income. The voucher is for food and other essential items only.
3 Can I choose which supermarket voucher to get?
The vouchers available are from Tesco or Asda only. Asda vouchers can be used online or instore. Tesco vouchers can only be used instore including at Tesco Metro and Tesco Express. Please make sure you tell us which one you would prefer.
4. How will I receive the voucher?
A voucher code will be sent to you by email from free.school.meals.kent.county.council@notifications.service.gov.uk
Please note this address cannot accept incoming emails. Some accounts may send the email to your junk folder, so do check this folder for your voucher. If purchasing in store, you should take the code with you to pay for your groceries. Tesco vouchers also have a challenge code, so you should make sure you have this with you too. If purchasing online, you will need to enter the Asda code by clicking on the “Add Gift Card” button in the Order Summary section of the checkout.
5. Can I use the vouchers online?
Asda vouchers can be used online or instore. Tesco vouchers can only be used instore including at Tesco Metro and Tesco Express. The vouchers are for food and other essential items.
6. Can I exchange the vouchers for cash
No. The vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash.
7. When will I receive my vouchers?
Vouchers will be sent out in the week beginning Monday 30 November from free.school.meals.kent.county.council@notifications.service.gov.uk . Please note this address cannot accept incoming emails. Some email accounts may send the email to your junk folder, so do check this folder for your voucher. Not all vouchers will be sent on the first day. If your children are at more than one school, it is likely you will receive your vouchers on different days. It will take a number of days for everybody to receive all of their vouchers. If you have not received your vouchers by Wednesday 9 December, please do contact your school in the first instance.
8. What will my child’s school do with my information?
The school will pass your information to KCC’s fulfilment agency who will use the information you give to send out the supermarket voucher. A privacy notice explains how the data will be used and then once used, destroyed. You can read the privacy notice here www.kent.gov.uk/foodvoucherprivacy
9. Who can I talk to if I think there is a mistake or if I don’t receive my voucher?
If you haven’t received your voucher by Wednesday 9 December, please do check your junk folder for our email in the first instance. If you think there is a mistake with the information about you or your household, or the voucher is not received, speak to your child’s school to check that all of your information is correct.
10. What if there isn’t a Tesco or Asda near me?
The vouchers are valid in any Asda or Tesco store including those in Kent or any surrounding counties. Asda vouchers can be used online or in any of the 13 stores in Kent. There are over 50 Tesco outlets in Kent including Tesco Metro and Tesco Express. If you are still unable to use an Asda or Tesco voucher, please alert your school in order that we can put an alternative offer in place.
11. My child lives in Kent but goes to school in another authority area, what help will I get?
Each local authority is making arrangements for the children that go to school in their area. In some areas you will need to apply for the help that is offered. If you live in Kent and your child goes to school elsewhere, we recommend that you talk to your child’s school in the first instance and they will be able to tell you what arrangements are in place.
12. Who decides who is eligible for Free School Meals?
The government decides who is eligible for free school meals. You can find out about who is eligible and how to apply here https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
13. Who is paying for the supermarket vouchers?
The government has given Kent County Council a grant to help residents over the winter period. The cost of the vouchers is being met from this grant.
Packed Lunches
We expect pupils to have a healthy and balanced packed lunch. This is as much about forming good habits as it is about having a healthy meal.
Almost 1 in 5 children are overweight or obese when they start primary school, rising to 1 in 3 when they start secondary school. By 2020 it’s estimated half of all children will be overweight or obese. Obese children are much more likely to be obese adults, causing significant health risks as well as low self-esteem and body image.
The capacity for the healthcare system to support children and families is increasingly challenging. Please help us to help your children and families.
At Mundella we encourage pupils to get into healthy habits. As well as ensuring that fruit and bagels are available every morning for all pupils, we actively expect packed lunches to be healthy and balanced.
Our "Five Star Lunch Box" should consist of -
Where possible; either as part of the filling for a sandwich or a vegetable option, protein should be included within the meal.
Pupils will have ample opportunity to eat and drink other items therefore we thank you for ensuring that packed lunches fit this model.
We do not expect to see pupils eating high sugar or salt products before school and would prefer sweets and treats to remain off the school premises at the end of the day.
Please pop in if you have any questions.
Check out this website for further information to support your choices.
