School Meals
At Oakthorpe, we serve hot and cold food as part of a balanced and nutritious meal, every day.
Your child may have a hot or cold school lunch or, if they prefer, bring their own packed lunch. We have our own large school kitchen and our catering company cooks fresh food on-site and delivers a wide selection of school meals, catering for a range of dietary preferences and needs. All of our meat is halal. Our catering company (Taylor Shaw) will work with families whose children have special dietary needs.
Please book a meal using Parent Pay.
Watch this video to learn how to do this: Parent Pay Meal Booking
Mayor of London Universal Free School Meals 2023 to 2025
Mayor of London Universal Free School Meals 2023 to 2025
Following an announcement made by the Mayor of London, from September 2023, all primary school children in state-funded schools in London will automatically get free school meals for the 2024-2025 academic years. This could save families around £440 per child across the year. For more information, visit Mayor of London - Free School Meals
Free School Meal Funding (Changing sept 2026)
Primary school children will automatically get their free school meal whether their parent or carer gets a qualifying benefit or not, but it’s very important that families on benefits still complete an application form for free school meals. This supports us in ensuring that the school receives additional funding.
To be eligible for free school meals (additional funding for the school to support your child), the parent or carer must receive one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month)
- Child Tax Credit only (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual gross income of no more than £16,190.
- Working Tax Credit is a disqualifying benefit regardless of your household income – this means that you would not be entitled to free school meals while in receipt of Working Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
Children who get any of the above benefits directly, instead of through a parent or carer, can also apply for free school meals. Please contact the office and ask to speak to Mrs Sesto, who will be able to support you to make an application.
CHANGES FROM SEPTEMBER 2026:
Current protections ending
Protections were put in place to support families during the rollout of Universal Credit. They allowed children to keep free school meals even if a family's income changed.
These protections will end at the end of the 2025 to 2026 school year (July 2026).
What is changing from September 2026
Children will be checked against 2 categories:
| Targeted Free School Meals | Expanded Free School Meals |
If you meet the current eligibility criteria:
|
If you receive Universal Credit, regardless of income:
|
If your circumstances have changed since your last application please email freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk or contact the office for a copy of the Free School Meals form.
Packed Lunches
Please remember we are a Nut Free School.
Healthy Packed Lunch ideas can be found here