We are pleased to inform you that we are one of four Luton schools which are collaborating to radically change and improve the provision of school meals.

In April 2015, the school decided to take over the running and provision of school dinners for the children.  The school has a dedicated team who design appetizing menus, using locally sourced food, where possible.  Vegetarian and Halal meat meals are provided daily and a ‘fun’ lunch is provided on a Friday

Menus for Autumn Winter Menus (2023 – 2024)

CLICK HERE FOR MENUS (Sept – Oct)

CLICK HERE FOR MENUS (Oct – Dec)

CLICK HERE FOR SIMPLE RECIPES TO COOK AT HOME

As of January 2018, we will be changing the way Years 3,4,5 and 6 order their school dinners.  Every morning, children will order their meal using the coloured menu. Children will then be given a coloured sticker and the dinners will be cooked to order. Please discuss the menu with your child, so that making the choice is easy!

The menus have been provided in colour and every day there are three options:

• Red option – this tends to be meat or fish.
• Green option is always vegetarian
• Yellow option is a jacket potato.

Teachers will actively be discouraging children to have jacket potatoes every day, as this does not offer a balanced diet through the week.

If your child has an allergy, we have noted the key allergies on the menu. Where there is an alternative, this has also been noted.

All children in Years Reception, 1 and 2 are entitled to a free school dinner.  Parents will be asked on entry whether they wish their child to have a school dinner.

In Key Stage 2, parents are required to pay for their child’s school dinner.  The cost is set by the school; from 1st September 2019 = £2.10

How do you pay for dinners?

The school accepts:

• Cash
• Cheques – made payable to ‘Downside Primary School’
• Online payments through Tucassi

If you child normally has packed lunch but they would like to have a ‘fun’ lunch on Friday, the dinner must be ordered.

Free School meals can be applied for if you are in receipt of Income Support or Job seekers allowance.  Further details can be found here. If you would like support with an application or would like support checking if you are eligible, please do not hesitate to contact one of the school’s Family workers.

Playtime snacks/fruit.

All children in Reception and Key stage 1 are provided with fruit during the school day. Children in Key Stage 2 may bring in a healthy snack of fruit to eat at break time.

Milk

Children under 5 years are given free milk. During the term after a child’s fifth birthday, you can pay for your child to continue having milk, whilst in Key Stage 1. Order forms are available from the School Office and need to be completed and returned by the last Wednesday of each term.

Water

We encourage all children to drink water during the school day and there are water fountains in various places in the school. School water bottles are available to buy from the school office.

Bringing money into school

Please can we ask that any money sent in to school is posted in the postbox, outside the School Office.  All money needs to be sent in a sealed envelope with your child’s name and class on it along with the reason for the money, ie milk money, trip money or uniform.

Unfortunately, money cannot be accepted if it is not in an envelope.  We would recommend that you send a cheque into school, rather than large amounts of cash.

The school uses Tucassi as an online payment system for parents to pay for:-

• school trips
• After school / breakfast club
• Milk
• Uniform
• School dinners (Key Stage 2 only)

All children who are allocated a place at Downside will be issued with their log in details, once the child has started at the school and an account has been created.

For additional advise / help regarding nutrition for schoolchildren please visit:-

Nutritionist Resource