School Lunches

Our school meals are provided by the catering company Aspens.

Aspens Information

• Pupils in Reception, Years 1 & 2 receive meals free of charge under the Universal Infant Free School Meal Scheme.
• For full time Nursery pupils and Year 3 onwards, school meals cost £2.53 per meal. From the 22nd April 2025, school meals will cost £2.58. 
• Packed lunch can be brought in for any child at any age if they do not wish to have a school meal.
• Those pupils in Year 3 onwards who are entitled to Free School Meals under Pupil Premium eligibility do not have to pay for meals. We will be writing to all our Pupil Premium eligible pupils as we start the new term to confirm your eligibility.
• School dinners are booked in advance using ParentPay. The cut-off is 5pm on a Thursday for the following week.
• Please pay weekly in advance using Parentpay.
• New pupils will be given their ParentPay login as soon as possible into the new term, and once you have logged in you will be able to clear your balance and pay for meals in advance.
• If you need help with logging in to ParentPay after you have received your activation codes please speak to the school office.

Hardwick Primary School Meal Facts: Nut-free Vegetarian Options School Food Standards Compliant Delicious & Nutritious Integral to our School Experience, Ethos & Values

It is our ambition to ensure that every Hardwick Primary student leaves our school with not only the practical skills to look after themselves, make great food choices and understand the importance of food in their lives – but also be passionate about good food and have the ability and understanding of how to eat well no matter what their budget is.

We strongly encourage all pupils to have a cooked meal, particularly in Key Stage 1, as research shows that packed lunches are not as nutritionally balanced as cooked lunches. 

"Only one per cent of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food."

www.gov.uk/government/news/improving-school-food

Please see the 'Healthy School' page for the Hardwick Primary School guidance for a healthy packed lunch for your child.