Snack Provision (Early Learning and Childcare only)
There are no charges for the 5 sessions of early learning and childcare education provided each week for eligible children. At present there is a small charge of 30p daily for snack. Healthy food choices are promoted.
School Meals
It is the Authority’s policy to provide meals and facilities for the consumption of packed lunches in all schools where these are required. In addition, as part of Scottish Government legislation that came into force in January 2015 free school meals are available to all pupils in P1-P3. Please see below for details of free school meals for pupils from P4 and beyond.
At Lochnell Primary we encourage healthy eating. Our school tuck shop has healthy options which are sold at reasonable prices.
School lunches are planned so that children can choose a well-balanced meal and a good selection of bread, vegetables, fresh fruit, fruit juice and milk are available daily.
However, some pupils prefer a packed lunch. We believe a well-balanced packed lunch with a tasty alternative to chocolate biscuits and sweets is very important, although one small treat per day does no harm! Dates, raisins, sultanas, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes and seasonal fruit could provide healthy alternatives. Unflavoured milk and water are the ideal drinks for teeth and a pure fruit drink or mineral water is better than drinks with high sugar content.
Sandwiches often form a major part of a packed lunch. Fillings for sandwiches should be chosen with care because the packed lunch will be stored in a warm classroom for a number of hours. It is therefore advisable to use a cool bag and ice pack and choose fillings that are less likely to be affected, e.g. cheese and tomato, salad, egg and tomato. An alternative to sandwiches could be cooked pasta with a variety of fruit or vegetables and a suitable dressing. Occasionally a piece of quiche or pizza could be included.
The school aims to encourage children to enjoy food which is both attractive to them and nutritionally sound, whether this is a school meal, a packed lunch or a snack. We would appreciate your support in achieving this aim.
Free School Meals
Free school meals are available to all pupils in P1-P3. However, free school meals are also available to pupils from P4 and beyond whose parents or carers receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- Job Seeker’s Allowance (Income Based)
- Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related)
- Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit (income should not exceed £16,105)
- Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit (income should not exceed £6,420)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Universal Credit (monthly take home pay must be under £610)
Entitlement to Free School Meals for pupils from P4 and beyond is assessed as part of the application process for Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit and you should complete an application form which is available at your local benefit enquiry office or by telephoning 01369 708548 or freephone 0800 252056 (mobiles may be charged). Pupils aged between 16 and 18 years who receive any of the above benefits in their own right also qualify.
A free school lunch will also be available to children who attend nursery and receive their free early learning and childcare over lunchtime if parents receive one of the benefits listed above.
However, if you are not eligible for these benefits there is a separate application process available and you should contact any of the telephone numbers above for details.
Please see www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/education-and-learning/free-school-meals for more information on Free School Meals.
Please note that the above eligibility criteria is correct at time of publishing (August 2018) and that this may be subject to change by the start of August 2019. The link above will contain the most up-to-date information.
Special Dietary Requirements
Special medical diets may be provided on production of a diet sheet from a doctor or hospital.