We buy in our meals from Queen Anne’s School. Their kitchen is run by Thomas Franks Ltd. who are dedicated to sourcing the best fresh, local, seasonal produce that is organic, free range, fair trade and GM free wherever possible. We have been working with Thomas Franks for nearly ten years and their food and service have both been excellent.
The meals are nutritious, balanced and tasty. The menus are written in collaboration with us, the Head Chef and the Catering Manager of Queen Anne’s School. The three weekly menu is displayed on the notice board at the front door of the school and on our website. It is changed every term due to seasonal changes and availability of produce. The menus are both meat based and vegetarian. Special dietary requirements due to religious, cultural and intolerance factors are catered for.
Both Lunch and Tea are served in our dining room by our lunchtime assistants and After School Carers, having been prepared in Queen Anne's School catering kitchen and brought to us in hot boxes. Our meals are then stored in hot trolleys in our prep kitchen. The food temperature is measured on leaving Queen Anne’s School, and before service, to check that the correct levels are maintained. Cold food is stored in our fridge before service.
Most parents like their child to have a hot lunch in the middle of the school day. However, we do allow children to opt to bring a packed lunch, as we would rather that they ate something, than go hungry. If you opt for packed lunches, these must be in the form of a balanced meal box.
In keeping with the School’s Healthy Schools Gold Award we request that children who bring a packed lunch to school do not bring chocolate bars, biscuits, bags of crisps or similar in their packed lunches. We do not allow nut, or nut based products to be brought to school.
Reading Council Food Inspectors inspected our servery kitchen and dining room in June 2018 and awarded us with a Five Star Food Hygiene Certificate.
We take food intolerances very seriously and do all that we can to protect our children. We are therefore a nut and seed free school. We do not serve or allow children to bring anything to school that may harm another child. Queen Anne’s School kitchen is made aware of any food intolerances that our children may have and complies with the need to keep our children safe at all times.
All infant children have a snack time at around 10 a.m. Please provide a healthy snack for your child – a small piece of fruit is appropriate. Fruit is best pre-prepared in a small sealable container. Favourite snacks are strawberries, carrot sticks and orange segments. Grapes must be cut in half to avoid a choking hazard. The infant children eat their snacks together as part of a sharing time in the classroom, supervised by their teacher. The Juniors have their snack outside in the Quiet Garden at the start of break, supervised by a Teaching Assistant.
Children in Reception and Year 1 are given a drink every morning before break which is a choice of milk or water. Children in Year 2 are offered a cup of water. Water is available throughout the day to all children on request. Children may also bring their own water bottle to school. Children who wish to replenish their cups/bottles may do so at the taps marked ‘drinking water’ at any time. All bottles must be named and taken home to be replenished at the end of the day.
The school runs a ‘healthy living’ themed Tuck Shop every Friday morning at morning break – with the occasional less healthy ‘treat’! Senior children help to run the shop and it is very popular. Permission slips must be filled in by parents allowing their child to visit the tuck shop and advising a maximum weekly spend and any prohibited foods and drinks.
The school keeps a basket of fresh whole fruit for any child who forgets their morning snack. A Teaching Assistant will cut up the fruit for your child.
Lunches, snacks and tuck are charged termly in arrears as an extra. Parents must give half a term’s notice in writing to change their food choices.
