The provider of lunches at Hawley is Caterlink. Healthy and nutritious meals are prepared and served with ethically sourced meat and fish, and locally and regionally sourced fruit and vegetables. All meals are freshly cooked daily, by our school cook, Gladys, who is skilled in catering for a range of dietary needs.
Cost of School Meals
All children in Reception to Year 6 can get school meals for free. These are funded for by the government under the Universal Infant and London Free School Meals schemes.
For children in Nursery the school meals cost is £2.97 daily, payable on Arbor, UNLESS you have applied and been confirmed by Camden as eligible for benefits based Early Years Free School Meals.
Who should apply for Free School Meals
Everyone eligible should apply, regardless of school year. This includes children in Nursery who meet the eligibility criteria. Although all children in Reception to Year 6 receive free school meals, applying for benefits-based Free School Meals helps the school identify children who may qualify for additional funding and support.
When a child qualifies for Targeted Free School Meals, the school may receive additional funding called Pupil Premium. This funding helps us support the learning and development of children who need it most. Therefore, even if your child is in Reception to Year 6 and already receives free meals, you should still apply if you are eligible.
What is the Eligibility criteria for Free School Meals?
From September 2026, all children in households receiving Universal Credit are eligible for Free School Meals, regardless of household earnings. You only need to apply once, although eligibility is subject to regular checks to confirm that your circumstances still meet the criteria.
Applications must be made in the name of the person who is receiving the benefit via this link: https://www.camden.gov.uk/free-school-meals
There are two categories of benefits-based Free School Meals:
- Targeted Free School Meals: If your household receives Universal Credit and your annual household earnings are £7,400 or less (after tax and not including benefits), your child may qualify for Targeted Free School Meals. This can also qualify the school for Pupil Premium funding.
- Expanded Free School Meals: If your household receives Universal Credit and your annual household earnings are above £7,400, your child is still eligible for free school meals, but this does not, by itself, qualify the school for Pupil Premium funding.
Children may also be eligible if their parent or guardian receives one of the following:
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Certain other qualifying support, including for families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), subject to the relevant eligibility criteria
If you have any questions or are unable to apply online, please download the form or come into the school office and we can give you a paper copy.