School Meals/Snacks

Free School Meals and Clothing Allowance – please ensure if you are entitled, you claim for free school meals and clothing allowance for your child. By applying for free school meals not only will your child be receiving nutritional benefits but you will also be supporting their school. For every pupil that registers for free school meals, their school will receive funding through the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF). This funding can be used to support a wide range of initiatives and can help those who experience barriers to learning. We strongly encourage all parents who are eligible for free school meals to apply for them. Click on the image below for information on eligibility:

Glaitness School Menu 2022-23

School meals at Glaitness are prepared daily in the school kitchen by a team of catering staff. Pupils eat their lunches in two seatings in the dining hall.

All pupils in P1-5 receive free school meals.  Dinner tickets are collected in class after the pupils come in at 9.30am.  Please write the date, child’s name, class and lunch choice on the back of your child’s ticket each day. If your child is taking a packed lunch from home, please also hand in a ticket, indicating ‘home packed lunch’ on the back.  If it is your last ticket, please also write ‘last ticket’ on the back, and the kitchen staff will be able to send a new book home with your child.

Meals cost £3.00 for P6-P7 pupils and payment should be made directly to the school meals staff between 9.00 and 9.15 every morning. Parents can either give their child money daily or buy a book of ten tickets in advance from the school kitchen staff and give their children daily tickets rather than money. A book costs £30 and parents can come to the school between 9.00 and 9.15am to purchase them or send money with their child. Cheques should be made payable to ‘OIC School Meals’ and a valid cheque guarantee card number must be written on the back. Please ensure daily tickets are identified with your child’s name and class, and their choice of meal for that day. 

The food is very healthy and wholesome and the children can have a great variety in a week. Each day there is home-made soup, a hot main course and sometimes a choice of main courses and a sweet. Alternatively there are sandwiches or baked potatoes with a choice of fillings, and a choice of fruit or yoghurt instead of the sweet. There are always salads. A drink of juice / milk is always provided with the meal. A copy of the menu goes home to each family at the start of the school year and is also posted on the school website on the link below. Vegetarian meals are provided on request, so please let the school know of any special dietary requirements your child has.

Packed Lunch

Some children prefer to take their own packed lunches, and these are also eaten in the dining hall. Children are encouraged to make healthy choices in the packed lunches they bring to school.

Break Time Snacks

A healthy option should always be the first choice when providing your child with a snack at break time eg. Peeled and cut fruit or vegetables, raisins. Salty crisps or chocolate biscuits not only create litter problems but are really not the healthy option. Sweets and fizzy drinks are not permitted to be consumed at any time during the school day. Children should not bring nuts to school due to the allergies of others. Parents/carers are asked not to allow their children to bring these to school. Cans of fizzy drinks and glass bottles should not be brought to school.

Free School Meals

Applications for Free School Meals and Clothing Allowance are made on one form, and should be submitted to Orkney Islands Council for each school year. The eligibility criteria are outlined on the following webpage, where application forms are also available: www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/S/School-Meals-and-Clothing-Allowances.htm. Application forms can also be obtained from the school and Orkney Islands Council (OIC) Customer Services. Applications must be submitted along with supporting documentation as detailed on the form. A new application is required for each school session. For help with filling out the form and more information on school meals and clothing grants please telephone Education, Housing and Leisure on (01856) 873535, or email: education.grants@orkney.gov.uk, or visit in person at OIC Customer Services.