Extension to the Entitlement of Free School Meals

From 5 January 2015, all Primary 1 to Primary 3 children will no longer have to pay for school meals – that’s potentially a saving of £375 per child!

There are no forms to fill out for this age group as the provision becomes an automatic entitlement. With 3 main meal menu choices to choose from* each day including salads, fresh bread, drink and choice of dessert (or starter) the demand for school meals is expected to rise.

*Meal choices are made by the children before class starts – we use photographs of meals to help the younger children decide. You may want to advise your children by referring to the printed menu issued or by accessing the online support materials (see below). Changes to meal choice are not available once ordered. 

Planning has been under way since January 2014 to ensure all schools can provide the required volume of meals. Staffing arrangements with our meal providers Tayside Contracts and schools have been supported to help ensure a positive dining experience continues to be provided.

Parents who have a child/children with a food allergy or dietary needs are encouraged to complete a medically prescribed diet request form available from the school meals web page or from the school. Please note this form has to be supported by either a doctor or dietician and must be received by Education and Children’s Services a minimum of two weeks prior to commencement of meals. Some parents choose to help children self-manage their allergies by referring to Tayside Contracts interactive menu. This interactive feature shows all current meal recipes and ingredients, along with allergy information and can be found at:

www.tayside-contracts.co.uk/school-catering.cfm  

Posters with allergy information pertaining to the current menu are also available in the school.

For more information surrounding school meals including menus, dietary request form (and nut/peanut allergy disclaimer) and meal photographs, parents should visit: www.pkc.gov.uk/schoolmeals

 Our lunchtime staff endeavour to:

• Provide a safe, caring and accessible place, order and the promotion of well-being
• Manage dining room organisation that provides a natural flow for the service – queuing, tray pick up, food, cutlery, bread/drink/salad bar as appropriate as well as the clearing of dishes
• Support children to help ensure they get the meal they ordered

• Promote positive behaviour through respect & good manners thereby developing social and life skills
• Interact with children to promote eating in an unhurried, social and enjoyable way
• Encourage the less adventurous to try different foods and also to monitor pupil choices and waste
• Assist pupils as appropriate to cut up food & teach the basics of using cutlery

Childcare and Family Information Directories

New versions of local Childcare and Family Information Directories are now available to download from www.pkc.gov.uk/families.  Documents have been produced for five areas:- Blairgowrie and Strathmore; Crieff and Strathearn; Kinross; Highland Perthshire and Perth and Surrounding Areas. 

Each directory includes details of a wide range of services, groups and organisations in the local area that we hope will be of interest to families and to professionals working with parents, carers and children. 

If you know of any other services which it would be useful to include or come across anything in the directories that is inaccurate then please let us know.  Documents will be updated no less than once annually and entries are kept up to date on the national website www.scottishfamilies.gov.uk.

This set of directories complements the information available in the Perth & Kinross Childcare and Family Information Directory which was published in March 2013.  Copies of this area wide document are being distributed to families through Bookbug packs and Family Information Points and are available on request from the Childcare Strategy Team Tel 01738 472350 E-mail childcare@pkc.gov.uk.