Our Menus
We operate a four week rolling Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer menu, which have been devised with the help of a state registered nutritionist and offer a good variety of dishes. All the dishes on these menus are made on site by Julie and her team. This includes all sauces, none of which are bought in pre-made. The current breakfast, lunch and supper menus can be viewed on the Food Section of the School’s web site, enabling parents to check what their children are eating each day. Vegetarian options are always available.
School Breakfasts
We are proud of the wholesome breakfast we provide. There is always a choice of cereals, porridge, yoghurt, toast and fresh fruit. In addition a hot breakfast option is available each day. Please see the current breakfast menu on our web site for details of these. A daily homemade smoothie, semi-skimmed milk, variety of fruit juices and water are always available to drink.
School lunches
Lunch consists of tried and tested ‘family favourites’ e.g. lasagne, cottage pie, pastry topped savoury pies, fish cakes, crumbles, traditional desserts etc, complimented by other dishes such as stir fries, mousakka, mild curries, tagines etc to broaden the pupils’ tastes. Younger children are given milder versions of spicier dishes. Nursery generally eat the same as the rest of the school, but the catering staff may occasionally change the dish to something simpler, for example with the sauce separate or without spices. Please see the current lunch menu on our web site for more details.
School Supper
Each evening our Boarders have the choice of a substansial hot meal, made on site by Julie and her team. Please see the current supper menu on our web site for more details of these. In addition home-made soup, bread, a salad bar and variety of fresh fruit is always available. We try to balance the lunch/ supper menu so that in any day there will be a ‘real favourite’.
Dining environment
The atmosphere in our dining hall is relaxed and meal times are pleasant social occasions. Pupils are encouraged to ‘try everything’ and enjoy a wide variety of foods. Conversation is encouraged and polite table manners are expected. Children take it in turns to clear away dishes and wipe down tables after each meal.
Break-time snack for Pre-prep and nursery pupils
The morning snack menu at 10.10am includes foods such as oat or rice cakes, cheese cubes, vegetable sticks, dried fruit, rich tea biscuit with milk or water to drink. The afternoon snack at approximately 2.20pm consists of fresh fruit with water to drink. Although compulsory in all schools for only Reception and Nursery classes (as part of EYFS - The ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’) we have rolled such snacks out to all Pre-Prep children. Water is available to drink throughout the day.
Break-time Snacks and Drinks for Prep School pupils
Morning at 11.15am
The consists of the choice of a biscuit and/or piece of fruit, with water or milk to drink. Pupils help themselves from a supervised table in ‘The Quad’. In the winter a hot drink, such as tea, hot chocolate or warm squash may also be served.
Tea at 3.45pm
Served in ‘The Quad’ from a supervised table, this consists of sandwiches made from ‘half and half’ bread (half wholemeal/half white) and /or a home-made biscuit or cake, plus a choice of fruit from the fruit basket. Water and squash are available to drink. We have also stared to include sandwiches made from wholemeal bread at tea-time and will be graduallyincreasing the percentage of this.
Packed Lunches (away matches/outings)
We have recently revamped our packed lunches. The basic packed lunch now consists of a baguette, cut in half with each half filled with a different simple filling such as cheese or ham; a piece of Fair Trade organic flapjack; a small bag of sultanas/raisins; a banana; small carton of orange juice and a bottle of water. To offer more variety a choice of other items that can be included will be available shortly.
Match Teas
In the summer these consist of sandwiches and home-made cake. Since September the Autumn/Winter match teas consist of a ‘pupils favourite’ hot meal, such as lasagne, cottage pie, baked potatoes. These are served on a rota basis.
Tuck
The range and frequency of tuck is being reviewed and we are considering widening the choice to include healthier options. Supervised tuck for Boarders will continue to be permitted, outside the normal school day. A working group of the Head of Boarding, SNAG member/s, Catering Manager and pupils will be established and a proposal submitted to the SNAG/Headmaster of how Tuck can be improved.
Water/ Drinks
• Water is available throughout the school day at various water dispensers (situated in the lobby by Hargreaves Hall, the Sports Hall foyer and the Common Room) and at all meal and break times. At meal times jugs of water are available on each table.
• Semi-skimmed milk is available at breakfast and morning break.
• Drinks at breakfast also include a home-made smoothie, semi-skimmed milk and variety of fruit juices.
• Squash is available at afternoon break and supper.
• Other drinks served at school include hot chocolate, tea and warm squash (when the weather is cold).
Food Allergens
Allergies and special diets are catered for, although changes required are now minimal because we build in as many requirements as possible into our standard menu.