School meals

Taylor Shaw - 3 Week Autumn Menu

How to apply for free school meals

To find out if you're eligible, and apply for Free School Meals, please fill out our application form here. If you are unable to complete this form online, please contact our main reception who can send you a physical copy in the post for you to fill out and return. Once we have received your application, it can take up to 2 weeks to receive confirmation. If your application is successful, you will be notified and your child's Free School Meal allowance will be allocated to their Cashless Catering Account.

The current Government granted allowance for FSM is £2.50 per day. If you do not want your child to spend over this allowance per day, let us know and we can arrange a cap on their account.

‍Students who are suspended from school for 2 of more days -We can only offer a food collection service and no voucher provision for food for suspensions of 1 day or more.

‍Students who are permanently excluded - Lift Tendring are only responsible for the first five days of a permanent exclusion. After these five days, Essex County Council becomes responsible for both providing suitable education and ensuring FSM provision after the first 5 days of permanent exclusion.

If your application is successful our academy will also receive extra funding from the government in the form of Pupil Premium, which can be used to support teaching and learning.

Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools for pupils who have been registered as being entitled to Free School Meals (FSM) at any point in the last 6 years. Schools receive this funding to support their eligible pupils and narrow the attainment gap between them and their peers.

Other Pupil Premiums are available to the school if parents or guardians meet CRITERIA 2 as set out in our FSM application form.
Further information about how the school spends its Pupil Premium can be found here. For our Pupil Premium policy, please see here.

Who is eligible for free school meals

To be eligible for free school meals, you must receive one of the following benefits:

· Income Support

· Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

· Child Tax Credit (not Working Tax Credit) with an annual income below £16,190

· Pension Guarantee Credit · Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)

· Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

· Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying)

· Universal Credit with a household income of £7,400 or less (after tax and excluding benefits)

Bringing a packed lunch

Pupils are welcome to bring a packed lunch from home. We encourage healthy choices, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and wholegrain foods, to support their learning and wellbeing throughout the day.

Being aware of allergies

If your child has any dietary requirements or allergies, please inform the school so we can make suitable arrangements. Please be aware of allergies of other pupils and follow and guidance you get from school about what food can be brought in from home.

Taylor Shaw Catering Provider Information

The school’s catering service is provided by Taylor Shaw, caterer of choice for thousands of secondary school students across the UK. We believe lunch is an integral part of the school day.

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When students sit down with friends, they cement elationships, enhance social skills, and replenish both their body and mind. Our menus are exciting, nutritious, and appealing, served in a supportive environment designed to educate students about how they can make healthy choices to support their wellbeing and improve their ability to focus. Our freshly prepared menus meet the Government’s School Food Standards and meet the bronze Food for Life
standards.

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View/Download Menus and Pricelists Here!
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Great Value Meal Deal - Please see our Meal Deal poster for the price and inclusions. Click here for 2 Item Deal Poster, Click here for 3 Item Deal Poster.

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Healthy Eating Promotion - Eatuitive is our wellness initiative designed to help students make informed food choices that support healthier, more fulfilling lives. It provides engaging information and video content created by Registered Dietitians, ensuring students receive accurate, trustworthy advice, avoiding reliance on misleading information often found on social media.
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Theme Days - Keep an eye out for our regular Theme Days and Global Kitchen Pop-Ups, featuring exciting flavours from around
the world.

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Allergen Management - At Taylor Shaw, all our colleagues are trained and up to date with allergen procedures and will provide accurate allergen information to your child. If your child has allergies, we would ask that they speak to our server for information so that they can be provided with the information they need to make an informed and safe choice.
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Eating a School Lunch is Better for Your Child
Did you know only 2% of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food? Five reasons school lunches are better;
1. They save time & money
2. They’re nutritionally better than a packed lunch
3. They promote a varied diet & encourages new tastes
4. They support inclusivity, dining with friends
5. They help academic attainment by being linked to improved concentration
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On Universal Credit? - You’ll qualify for Free School Meals If you receive Universal Credit, your child will be eligible for Free School Meals from September 2026. The income cap has been lifted, but you still need to apply through your local authority.
1. Save around £480+ per child each year
2. Healthy, nutritious meals every school day
3. Schools may receive additional funding to support your child
4. You may also qualify if you receive: Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Guaranteed element of Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190), Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit Children who receive these benefits directly (instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get Free School Meals. Find further information and how to apply on your local authority’s website.
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Taylor Shaw’s Website Address:
https://taylorshaw.com/
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