The Healthy Food and Drink Team are launching a new electronic school meal return. All schools will need to complete the new return which replaces our current ‘Client Sheet’ which some of you may be familiar with.
The data requested will be used as part of a statutory requirement for the National Indicator 52. Within the return you will be asked questions regarding both free and paid meal take up.
You will need to ensure you complete this return on a monthly basis, by the 7th day of the following month.
The School Meal Return will benefit your school in a variety of different ways:
- Audit: your return will be referenced against your caterers’ invoices to ensure consistency.
- School Lunch Grant: your return will ensure your school provides evidence of an increase in free and paid meals to ensure you receive the maximum School Lunch Grant.
- Free School Meal Funding Allocation: the free school meal take up information provided on your school meal return for the 1st Thursday in November (6th November) will be used along with the January Census to calculate your allocation for free school meal funding for the following financial year.
- Free School Meal Contingency Fund: your return will highlight any increases in Free School Meals over 10% which will allow your school to access a contingency fund to pay for the additional meals.
As you can see, the new School Meals Return is an important factor to help your school get access to additional funding and to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
If you are a primary, secondary, infants, junior or middle you will need to complete the following online School Meal Return:
If you are a special school you will need to complete the following online School Meal Return:
NB: You must ensure your school meal returns are submitted by the 7th day of the following month.
If you are not sure or need further information please contact the Healthy Food and Drink Team using the contact details on the right hand side of the page.