School Meals at Liscard Primary School: Infmation Booklet September 2014 Contact us: 0151 638 3910 schooloffice@liscard.wirral.sch.uk Follow us on twitter: @LiscardPrimary 1
Since September 2011, all school meals at Liscard Primary School have been produced in-house ; that is to say, we employ our own catering team who provide a wide selection of delicious, healthy and nutritious meals from locally sourced fresh produce. This booklet has been designed to give you lots of infmation about our school meals, but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Contents Page 3 Our Catering Team 4 School Meals at Liscard 5 Free School Meals 6 Free School Meal Registration Additional Benefits 7 Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) 8-10 Our Menus 11 Theme Days 12 Breakfast Club 2
Our Catering Team provide a high quality service, with lots of choice and actively suppt our children to ensure they enjoy a well-balanced meal. Welcome! My name is Andrea; I am the Catering Manager and I would like to take this opptunity to introduce myself and my team. Andrea Thomson Catering Manager I trained as a chef f two years after leaving school befe wking in various catering establishments including six years as a pastry chef at Cambridge University. I then took a break to bring up my children who are now all teenagers. F the last ten years I have wked in primary schools, the last three years have been here at Liscard. I genuinely love my job and am passionate about providing excellent meals f all children, staff and visits. Our excellent team in the Let Us Eat Café has a wealth of experience; Sheena has wked in schools f the past fourteen years and produces our fabulous cakes and desserts. All staff are committed to wking together to produce a happy, healthy catering service. Sheena Thomas Assistant Cook Since transferring to in-house catering we have totally transfmed the school meal provision at Liscard Primary. We offer an extensive menu to cater f the needs of our children. The menus use fresh, quality regional produce, and where possible, locally sourced quality assured meat and fish from sustainable sources, all delivered daily. Parents and carers are welcome to speak to me about any concerns they might have, to discuss any food allergies, intolerances, dietary special needs. Andrea. Mandy Harold Kitchen Assistant Kelie Pearson Kitchen Assistant Lna Reynolds Kitchen Assistant Ching Wong Kitchen Assistant Joanne Otter Kitchen Assistant Vanessa Green Kitchen Assistant 3
School Meals at Liscard The number of children having a school meal at Liscard Primary has increased significantly in recent years. This is due to both the quality and choice provided as well as the introduction of Universal Infant Free School Meals (see page 7) from September 2014. Following consultation with parents/carers, from September 2014, all children in Key Stage 1 (Reception/Foundation 2, Year 1 and Year 2) will have a school meal provided. This is funded by the government under the Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM) scheme. Children in Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) have the choice between a school meal* bringing in a packed lunch from home. The cost of a school meal is 2 per day; payment should be made at the beginning of the week f the week ahead. Arrangements can be made f children to have school meals every day just on set days each week but we ask that these arrangements are maintained; changes can be made, with advance notice, at the beginning of each new half term. *This may be paid f by parents/carers provided as a Free School Meal (FSM see infmation on pages 5-6). We consider school lunch times to be an imptant part of the day f children s social development and therefe prefer all children to remain in school f their lunch. However, we realise there are always exceptional circumstances; therefe, if necessary, parents/carers are able to collect their child/ren and take them home f lunch. School meals at Liscard mean lots of choices. Children can choose from a hot cold meal, a dessert/pudding, a piece of fruit and a drink. Our menus are shown within this booklet, please see pages 8-10. 4
Free School Meals Some children are entitled to a Free School Meal (FSM). If you receive ANY of the following, you may be able to claim free school meals f your child/ren: Income Suppt, Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance, Guaranteed Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit with a total annual taxable income of less than 16,190 and are NOT receiving Wking Tax Credit, Have successfully obtained asylum status, People who claim Income-related Employment and Suppt Allowance Please claim if you are eligible, even if your child is eligible f a Universal Infant Free School Meal will bring a packed lunch there are other advantages to you and the school (see next page f me infmation). You can obtain an application fm in school online at http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/childrensservices/education-and-learning/schools-and-colleges/infmation-parents-and-carers/free-school-meals Claiming should be straight-fward. However, we realise that some parents/carers may need some suppt. Please do not hesitate to ask to speak to any member of our office team; although all will be me than happy to help answer your questions, we have identified the following individuals should you prefer to ask to speak to them personally and in a quiet area. Jacqui Lamont Receptionist & Attendance Officer Hayley Pearson Receptionist/ Admin Assistant Liane Bresnen Family Suppt Wker Angie Churchill Family Suppt Wker I like my child having a packed lunch, so I don t need to claim even though we are eligible. There are additional benefits to claiming f a free school meal if you are eligible to do so. Please see page 6 f me infmation. I am eligible f Free School Meals but I d rather not claim as I don t want my child to have to stand in a separate queue, use a token to identify them. We are very aware that experiences of parents may influence their decision not to claim f FSM. Please be reassured that all children join the same queue f meals; no system is in place to identify who is on FSM. Infmation regarding those who are eligible f FSM is kept strictly confidential at Liscard Primary School. All children and families are treated in exactly the same way, there is no difference in the meal provided f a child who has a paid school meal FSM it wouldn t be possible as the staff providing those meals do not know who is eligible. 5
This meal has been given to a child whose parent/carer has paid 2 per day per child. This meal has been given to a child who is entitled to a Free School Meal. See bottom of page f answers. Free School Meal Registration Additional Benefits of claiming Schools receive funding from the government f every child that is has been registered f Free School Meals (FSM) at any time in the last six years. This additional funding is called Pupil Premium and is used to suppt children s learning. Without this funding we would not be able to employ all the staff who help suppt your children s learning. Our very high results show that what we are doing to suppt learning is wking very well see School Data on our website f me infmation. Pupil Premium is also used to suppt families who are currently eligible f FSM in the following ways: Healthy & nutritious two course meal & drink Free Breakfast Club Half price trips and events Half price guitar/violin lessons f children in Years 5 & 6 Unifm vouchers Pupil premium allows us to provide the following at Liscard Primary School: Small teaching groups Suppt and Intervention Groups Subsidised pre & after school clubs Booster groups 1-1 suppt Apps & Web-based programmes f use in school and at home Family Suppt Wkers f families & individual children Basic Skills Key Stage 2 class New computers & ipads New reading books Additional staff in all year groups Instrument lessons in Years 5 & 6 Spot the Difference Answer there are no differences between a paid meal and a FSM! 6
Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) This is slightly different and in addition to the existing Free School Meals provision please see pages 5-6 f further infmation. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) is a new scheme that may affect your child/ren from September 2014. The government decided that from this date, all pupils in Foundation 2, Year 1 and Year 2 should be able to have a free school meal at lunchtime. This offer does not depend on your household income whether you receive any benefits every child in these year groups is eligible to take up the offer. The government has decided to fund free school lunches f all pupils in this age group, following the Department f Education s recent review of school food. In a trial, it was found that pupils who ate a high quality school lunch achieved better academically than those who did not. They were also me likely to eat healthier foods such as vegetables at lunchtime instead of less healthy foods such as crisps. Having school lunches helps children develop the confidence to make appropriate menu choices and tastes f different foods. The government also says that the introduction of UIFSM in the pilot areas found that: Pupils were found to be on average two months ahead of their peers elsewhere Around 2% me children reached target levels in maths and English at Key Stage 1 Academic improvements were most marked among children from less affluent families There was a 23% increase in the number of children eating vegetables at lunch and an 18% drop in those eating crisps F some pupils, health benefits were associated with having a balanced meal; benefits included me energy, concentration and alertness, and improved complexion In the pilot areas, there was a levelling effect, as the scheme ensured equal access to a healthy and good quality meal regardless of socio-economic differences between pupils. Parents in the trial appreciated saving the cost of school lunches (currently 2 per child per day at Liscard Primary that s 380 per child per year!) and not having to spend time preparing packed lunches saving them approximately 190 hours per year! When asked, the majity of parents/carers indicated that they intend to take up the offer of a UIFSM f their child/ren. This is now an expectation of all those in the eligible year groups at Liscard Primary School. 7
Our School Lunch Menu is offered over a three week cycle there is always plenty to choose from and special diets will always be catered f. Week 1 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Freshly Made Pizza Bar Choose from: Cheese & Tomato Pepperoni Ham & Pineapple Served with potato wedges Lasagne Minced beef cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs, then layered between lasagne sheets and topped with a Béchamel sauce and baked in the oven until golden. Served with garlic bread Sausage & Mash Sausages served with a fluffy mashed potato and gravy Roast Turkey Dinner Home roast turkey breast served with stuffing, roast potatoes and gravy Battered Cod Fillet of cod cooked in a golden batter and served with chips Served with Sweetcn Broccoli Carrots Beans Carrots & Green Beans Beans Mushy Peas Jacket Potato Freshly baked and topped with a filling of your choice from the deli bar Deli Bar available every day Design your own sandwich: first choose your bread wraps, batch sliced bread, then choose your filling. A selection of the following will be available every day ham, a selection of cheese, tuna, various marinated chicken, turkey, roast beef, egg and finally finish with a choice of salad carrot sticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, sweetcn, coleslaw, beetroot, peppers, pasta salads, rice salads and cous cous (a selection will be available daily) Grab Bag available every day Quickly select your own lunch: collect a bag and fill it with your choices. A selection of pre-made sandwiches, salad pots, desserts and drinks will be available every day. Fruit Crumble & Custard Fruit Jelly & cream And f Dessert Melting Moments Rice Pudding & Jam Shtbread Toffee Crunch Ice Cream Pots, Yoghurts, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Pots Cheese & Crackers are available everyday as an alternative to the daily dessert. Drink a selection of the following drinks will be available daily Apple juice, pure ange juice, chocolate milkshake, strawberry milkshake, milk, flavoured water, pineapple juice 8
Week 2 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday All Day Brunch Bacon Veggie Sausage Bacon vegetarian sausage served with scrambled eggs, baked beans, tomatoes & crusty bread Hot Chicken Fajitas served with seasoned potato wedges Pasta Bolognese Minced beef cooked with tomatoes, onions, bay leaves and stock. Served with garlic bread Roast Pk & Apple Sauce Home roasted leg of pk served with apple sauce, roast potatoes and gravy Fish Fingers Strips of cod cooked in golden breadcrumbs and served with chips Served with Sautéed Mushrooms Sweetcn and/ Salad Broccoli and/ Salad Carrots & Green Beans Peas and/ Baked Beans Jacket Potato Freshly baked and topped with a filling of your choice from the deli bar Deli Bar available every day Design your own sandwich: first choose your bread wraps, batch sliced bread, then choose your filling. A selection of the following will be available every day ham, a selection of cheese, tuna, various marinated chicken, turkey, roast beef, egg and finally finish with a choice of salad carrot sticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, sweetcn, coleslaw, beetroot, peppers, pasta salads, rice salads and cous cous (a selection will be available daily) Grab Bag available every day Quickly select your own lunch: collect a bag and fill it with your choices. A selection of pre-made sandwiches, salad pots, desserts and drinks will be available every day. Fruit Crumble & Custard Raspberry Muffins And f Dessert Iced Fingers Rice Pudding & Jam Mousse Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Sauce Ice Cream Pots, Yoghurts, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Pots Cheese & Crackers are available everyday as an alternative to the daily dessert. Drink a selection of the following drinks will be available daily Apple juice, pure ange juice, chocolate milkshake, strawberry milkshake, milk, flavoured water, pineapple juice 9
Week 3 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Creamy Chicken Curry Fresh chicken & vegetables served in a freshly made creamy curry served on a bed of rice with Naan bread Beefburger Served in a bun with homemade crispy potatoes Pasta Bolognese Minced beef cooked with tomatoes, onions, bay leaves and stock. Served with garlic bread Roast Beef Dinner Home roast topside of beef served with Ykshire pudding, roast potatoes and gravy Fish Cakes Salmon Choose from breaded fish cakes a baked salmon fillet served with chips Served with Broccoli Sweetcn Broccoli Carrot & Swede Peas and/ Baked Beans Jacket Potato Freshly baked and topped with a filling of your choice from the deli bar Deli Bar available every day Design your own sandwich: first choose your bread wraps, batch sliced bread, then choose your filling. A selection of the following will be available every day ham, a selection of cheese, tuna, various marinated chicken, turkey, roast beef, egg and finally finish with a choice of salad carrot sticks, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, sweetcn, coleslaw, beetroot, peppers, pasta salads, rice salads and cous cous (a selection will be available daily) Grab Bag available every day Quickly select your own lunch: collect a bag and fill it with your choices. A selection of pre-made sandwiches, salad pots, desserts and drinks will be available every day. And f Dessert Fruit Crumble & Custard Flapjack & Custard Homemade Chocolate Cookies Rice Pudding & Jam Gingerbread Man Iced Sponge Ice Cream Pots, Yoghurts, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Pots Cheese & Crackers are available everyday as an alternative to the daily dessert. Drink a selection of the following drinks will be available daily Apple juice, pure ange juice, chocolate milkshake, strawberry milkshake, milk, flavoured water, pineapple juice 10
School Meal Theme Days take place on a regular basis, are advertised around school and on the school website. They are always very popular with both children and staff! Each follows a recognised national/international theme see the examples below. There are lots me photos on the website! January February Chinese New Year Pancake Day pancakes served with a choice of lemon, sugar, chocolate sauce fruit Valentine s Day heart themed desserts March Comic Relief red nose cakes Easter special Fish & Chips, chocolate egg nests and cakes April St Geges Day special Bangers & Mash, England flag cakes May Summer Picnic sausage rolls, sandwiches, crisps, ice cream cones June July September October November December Barbeque Day hot dogs, barbeque chicken drumsticks, salad, coleslaw, hot fruit skewers with toffee sauce Wimbledon Finals strawberries and cream American Day Cowboy Pie with fries, Blueberry Muffins Halloween mild Chilli & rice with ttilla chips, spooky cakes Bonfire Night hot dogs, sparkle cakes Christmas Dinner 11
Breakfast Club is open every day, starting at 8:30am and is growing in popularity every week! It costs just 50p each day those children who are registered f Free School Meals (FSM) can attend free of charge. Children in all year groups are welcome to attend although the cost is not covered by eligibility f the Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM). There is always a choice of cereal Cnflakes Rice Krispies toast and fruit are also provided along with a choice of drink Milk, Orange Apple Juice, Water. Alternatives such as Crumpets are also served on occasions. Parents/carers have repted that this is a great addition to what we provide at Liscard Primary School and excellent value f money. It gives them a little me time in the mning; they are able to drop their children off at school f 8:30am meaning they avoid the busier times and have no breakfast dishes to deal with at what is frequently a hectic time of the day. The children enjoy sharing breakfast time with their friends in a happy and relaxed environment. FOOD ALLERGIES & INTOLERANCES Both children and parents are encouraged to speak to our staff about any food allergies and intolerances. 12