All pupils up to the age of seven (reception to year 2) are entitled to a daily school meal free of charge. The charge for pupils in years 3 to 6 is £2.40 per meal. However, your child may still be entitled to a free school meal.
Primary schools
Caterlink is our contractor to provide school dinners that are healthy and contain good quality ingredients, and provide meals for all but five of our primary schools. Primary and special schools in Merton offer a choice of hot lunchtime meals, cooked fresh on site.
All food and meal choices served meet the government guidelines for school meals. Specific details on school meals and the food standards are available on the School Food Plan website. Caterlink have also committed to reduce the levels of sugar in school meals which will put Merton schools in a good position to meet targets in the recently published National Obesity Strategy.
Details of each school's menu can be obtained from the school directly and are often available on school websites but can also be found on the Caterlink's website Caterlink - London Borough of Merton.
Secondary schools
The catering service in Merton's maintained secondary schools is provided by a number of different caterers. Harrison Catering Services provides the catering service as part of a contract for three secondary schools (Raynes Park, Ricards Lodge and Rutlish,). Chartwells provide school meals at Harris Morden, Merton and Wimbledon. Ursuline and Wimbledon College deliver their catering service through their own kitchen staff teams.
The majority of the secondary school kitchens have been refurbished and refitted, and all the schools offer a cafeteria style service with a choice of main meals, sandwiches, snacks and desserts. Sodexo are complying with the recently introduced requirements of Natasha's Law for pre-packed food supplied to schools.
The cost of a standard school meal at our community secondary schools varies from school to school depending on contractual arrangements but each will have a range of meal choices on the menu priced at this level and available to those eligible for free school meals. Additionally, a range of individual food items, for example, sandwiches, baguettes, boxed salads, baked potatoes, pizza slices, are available to purchase at a lower cost. A dessert dish comes with the standard meal, but other choices in the dessert range are also available to buy. Drinking water is always freely available for the pupils and other drinks such as juices, healthy shakes and bottled water can be purchased.
Options for special religious, dietary or cultural needs are always available. The standard menu and meal choices served meet the government guidelines for school meals - see School Food Plan website for further details.