Lunchtime runs from 12.15pm to 1.30pm.  Children from the same class sit at the same lunch table, under supervision, whether they have a school meal or bring a packed lunch from home.

The school provides water for all pupils at lunchtime; however, children should also bring in their own personal water bottles every day (no other liquids, such as fruit juice or squash, should be included) – which need to be labelled with their name and class.

School Meals

Our school meals are provided by the Greenshaw Learning Trust via Park Hill Junior School. School meals are free for all Infant aged children - (Reception to Year 2).   The menu is rotated every 2 weeks and the current menu can be downloaded and viewed using the links below:

Download our Autumn term menu 2026 here. 

Any enquiries or feedback regarding the menu should be made directly to the Greenshaw Learning Trust - you can send an email to enquiries@parkhill-inf.croydon.sch.uk and we will send this onto the Greenshaw Trust. 

You must ensure that staff at our school are kept up to date with any allergy or dietary requirements that your child has. If your child has developed a new allergy or dietary requirement that is not listed on their original application form, please contact our school office as soon as possible on 020 8680 0747 or email enquiries@parkhill-inf.croydon.sch.uk 

Please read our Pupil Allergy Policy available here.

The school meals meet the mandatory requirements of the School Food Standards 2015. The menus are nutritionally analysed to ensure they meet and in most cases exceed The School Food Standards with Halal Suitable and Vegan options available. Therefore, these meals should not be subsidised with food from home, including condiments such as Tomato Sauce or Mayonnaise. You are welcome to provide your child with a packed lunch from home every day, or on days where the school dinner is not to their taste.

 

Free School Meals

 

Important update to Free School Meals eligibility from September 2026

 

Following the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, the Government has expanded FSM eligibility to ensure more children can access a free, nutritious meal during the school day.

Please see the changes to the Free School Meals (FSM) eligibility criteria, starting from the new academic year in September 2026.

 

Transitional protections for FSMs have been in effect since 1 April 2018. This has meant that pupils becoming eligible for free meals under the benefits-based criteria have retained their entitlement, even if their household circumstances have changed.

 

Transitional protections apply until the end of the 2025/2026 academic year. From the start of the 2026/2027 academic year, households must meet the Free School Meal eligibility criteria to continue to receive this provision. The Holiday Activity and Food Programme is also available to families in receipt of Targeted FSM.

 

All pupils in Reception, Years One and Two are entitled to Universal Infant Free School Meals. This will continue into the next school year from September 2026. However, some families are also eligible for “Free School Meals” and we would like to encourage you to find out if this applies to your family.

 

What is changing?

 

From September 2026, your child will be entitled to Free School Meals if you receive Universal Credit, regardless of your household income.

 

There are now two categories:

 

1. Targeted FSM:

All pupils in households receiving Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less, alongside other eligible groups set out in the Department for Education guidance, will be entitled to a free school meal, vouchers for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme and the Pupil Premium Grant.

 

2. Universal Credit Eligibility Expanded FSM:

All pupils in households receiving Universal Credit with annual earnings above £7,400 will be entitled to a free school meal. These children will not be eligible for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme or the Pupil Premium Grant.

What do I need to do?

If we already have your details, we will run a re-check of your eligibility and write to you if there are any changes to your eligibility.

If you are not currently claiming but believe you are eligible, please check with the school office so that we can complete an eligibility check for you.

If you have any questions, please contact us and we will endeavour to help.

You can find out more information here - https://www.croydon.gov.uk/education/schools-new/free-school-meals

To apply for Free School Meals, please contact the school office and complete a form. We treat all information you give us confidentially; it is shared only on a ‘need-to-know’ basis and we ensure all children are treated fairly when letters are sent out requesting payments to the school. We do not publish identifying details of children registered for FSM.

School Packed Lunch

Packed lunches can be ordered on days where children are attending school visits and order forms will be provided by the school office prior to school visit dates with a deadline for orders to be returned. 

 

Home Packed Lunch

Your child may bring into school a packed lunch from home.  

 

Nuts and peanuts can cause allergic reactions, which are sometimes severe. Please ensure that packed lunches do not contain any nuts or nut products, such as peanut butter and Nutella/ chocolate spread. We are a nut-free school.

 

Please prepare all food so that it is ready for your child to eat (peel oranges for example) and please ensure that the food container is clearly marked with both your child’s and their class teacher’s name. 

 

Packed lunches should aim to include:

 

• Some starchy foods such as bread (sliced bread, pitta bread, wraps, bagels), pasta, potatoes, couscous; choose wholegrain where possible

 

• 1 portion of fruit and 1 portion of vegetables or salad

 

• Dairy food such as cheese or yoghurt (plain or fruit)

 

• Meat, fish, or another source of protein such as eggs, beans and pulses, hummus, falafel

 

• Oily fish once every 3 weeks e.g. sardines or salmon

 

Please ensure that you keep the school updated of any changes to your child’s dietary requirements.

 

Please note that all children will automatically be given a hot lunch unless they bring a packed lunch from home on the day, or the office has previously received a school packed lunch request.