Catering
Just as children are laying the foundations for a life of learning and rich experience, they are also taking early steps towards a healthy mind and body. This is where food plays an essential role.
Our catering providers bring the fun and excitement of food to our youngest children. Colours, textures and taste are there to be explored and enjoyed. There is always something on the menu for each child to enjoy.
Our dinners are cooked by Mellors Catering Services. They are cooked on site in line with Government food based standards for school lunches. We try to encourage children to make healthy food choices at lunchtime and ensure that meals meet nutritional requirements. Mellors Catering Services is committed to delivering an exciting choice of food to pupils with the help of their nutrition and food development team. They pride themselves on using fresh, locally supplied produce.
Our providers supply nutritious and balanced meals with varying menus which change each term. We strive to provide tasty and nutritious meals whilst impacting the environment as little as possible.
In the event of any disruption to use of the kitchen for hot meals, all children will be provided with grab bag/sandwich options along with sides such as salad bar, pasta, sausage rolls, pizza slices etc. (dependent on availability) and the usual selection of desserts including cakes, yoghurts, ice-cream, and a wide selection of fruit options.
Our kitchens minimise the use of single-use plastics in the storage, preparation and serving of food in line with our Plastic Free Schools Status, which we were awarded in April 2020.
Drinking water is freely available and children are encouraged to bring to school a reusable bottle that can be refilled through the day.
Alongside the work we do to reduce single-use plastics across the business, we also recycle our food waste into green energy through ReFood.
Our menus are available to download below.
Weekly Menus
Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)
You may have heard about Universal Infant Free School Meals. This means that all children attending Rowena Academy in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal, regardless of income or eligibility for benefits. This is funded by the
By receiving universal free school meals you can save up to £400 a year and ensure your child is eating a healthy, balanced meal every day.
This entitlement ends when children progress into Year 3 and move onto Junior School.
School Food Standards
As part of the School Food Plan, a new set of standards for all food served in all schools and academies was launched by the Department for Education. They became mandatory in all maintained schools, academies and free schools from January 2015, and were designed to make it easier for school cooks to create imaginative, flexible and nutritious menus whilst meeting health requirements. The standards apply to food and drinks and apply across the whole school day. Under these requirements we only supply or allow plain water (still or carbonated) and lower fat milk or lactose reduced milk (and milk alternatives where necessary) in school, in order to meet the School Food Standards. You can read more about the standards below.
