School Meals & Menu

Independent Catering https://www.independentcatering.co.uk/primary-schools provide our school dinners. For more than 20 years Independent Catering has been at the forefront of providing fresh food to schools and colleges. The company was founded with a vision of creating a service based on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The company, with their team of passionate skilled chefs, now provides a service to over 60 schools in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

They are justifiably proud to have been credited by the Soil Association for food standards, and awarded their Food for Life accreditation at all of their schools, which underpins their commitment to fresh, seasonal and locally grown ingredients. Their commitment to using the best food that Kent and the UK can offer lies at the heart of their approach.

Their core values ensure that their customers (pupils and school staff) receive healthy balanced, and innovative menus served with a smile by their wonderful dedicated team of catering staff.

Their approach is simple! Great food prepared on site and fantastic value for money for parents and carers. The long term partnerships they have with their schools are testimony to their food and service ethos.

Free School Meals

From September 2026, eligibility for free school meals is being expanded.

Under the Government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which became law in April 2026, all children whose families receive Universal Credit will be entitled to a free school meal. This change means that many more families will now qualify.

Types of Free School Meal Entitlement

There are now two categories of benefits-based free school meals:

Targeted Free School Meals (FSM)

This category applies to pupils whose families receive Universal Credit and have annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. In addition to free school meals, eligible pupils may also qualify for other educational benefits, including:

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme
Extended rights to school travel assistance

Expanded Free School Meals (FSM)

This new category applies to pupils whose families receive Universal Credit but have annual household earnings above £7,400. Eligible pupils will receive free school meals but will not qualify for the additional benefits associated with Targeted FSM.

Applying for Free School Meals

All applications for free school meals must be made through Kent County Council (KCC).

KCC is responsible for checking eligibility and processing applications. If your application is successful, KCC will notify the school directly.

For further information or to apply, please visit: Free School Meals – Kent County Council

Do You Need to Reapply?

Previously, children who qualified for free school meals had their entitlement protected, meaning they could continue to receive free school meals even if their family’s circumstances changed.

If you have already successfully applied for free school meals through Kent County Council, you do not need to reapply.

Annual Eligibility Checks

Kent County Council carries out annual eligibility checks for all pupils receiving free school meals. These checks confirm whether families continue to meet the relevant eligibility criteria.

We participate in the Key Stage 1 fruit and veg initiative, which provides a piece of fruit or vegetable for every child from Reception to Year 2. Children in Key Stage 2 are allowed to bring in healthy snacks for break time, such as fruit or vegetables or a piece of cheese. Crisps, chocolates, biscuits and sweets are not allowed.