Dear Parent/Carer
Free School Meals Offer – January 2025
We are extremely excited to announce developments and expansion of our Free School Meal offer, which will commence in January at the start of Module 3.
Cucina, part of Impact Food Group, works closely with Leigh Academies Trust and Leigh Academy Halley in offering a high-quality catering provision to all students and staff. We are committed to providing delicious, nutritionally rich food: fresh, local, sustainably sourced, big in flavour and rich in variety so that students have the energy, health and eating habits to get the most out of their learning at the Academy.
We really appreciate how valued our catering offer is by our students. The Cucina Team are esteemed and respected members of our Academy community. We have two lovely eating areas at the Academy, which are very popular and well-used by students, whether they wish to purchase food or bring a packed lunch.
With the aim of increasing the healthy choices available to our Free School Meal-eligible students, Cucina and Leigh Academies Trust have carried out a review of the menu on offer, in line with government guidelines and the school food plan.
From January 2025, the new free school meal allowance entitles pupils to purchase one of our new available meal deals. This allowance can be used at breaks or lunchtime. This meal deal is also available to purchase for all students who are not in receipt of Free School Meals.
Other food items can be purchased, however additional costs, exceeding the allowance will be charged to the pupil’s ParentPay account.
We also wanted to remind families that they can apply for Free School Meals for their child, irrespective of their Year group, if they are in receipt of one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you are 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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
By receiving Free School Meals, your child will not only have access to a varied menu of excellent free food every day, provided through Cucina Catering, but the Academy also receives an additional payment from the Government as part of the Pupil Premium fund. These funds are used to support and enhance the learning experiences of students at the Academy.
The festive break provides a great time to apply for free school meals, through the GOV.UK website. Here, you will need to create an account or log in to your previously registered account. The link to this login can also be found at the top of the Parent Portal page. It is here where you can provide proof of the receipt of the listed benefits, so that your child can receive a Free School Meal.
Should you have any questions regarding how to apply for a Free School Meal, please contact your child’s respective Small School, who will be happy to help.
Yours sincerely
Ben Russell | Principal