Westvale Park Primary Academy
Lunch Times
At Westvale Park, we operate a family dining service where children are served at the table by staff rather than queueing for food. In the younger year groups, members of staff sit and eat alongside the children, helping to develop good table manners and encouraging positive conversation. Staff also support children to try a range of foods and to eat well. At the end of the meal, children independently scrape their own plates when directed by an adult, fostering responsibility and good routines.
Payment for School Meals – Nursery and KS2
Payment for school meals in Nursery and KS2 must be made in advance by adding credit to Arbor before selecting lunches. As your child takes a meal, the charge will be deducted from the balance. We ask that lunches are selected at least a week in advance so the kitchen can order accurately. If you prefer, you may book meals for the whole term in advance
Packed Lunches
For children bringing packed lunches, we ask that you are mindful of nut allergies and ensure that your child’s lunch is healthy and balanced. As children having a hot school meal are provided with a dessert, it is acceptable for a packed lunch to include a small treat. If your child is having a packed lunch, please ensure this is selected on Arbor so that you are not charged for a school meal.
Aspens Catering Services
The catering service at Westvale Park is provided by Aspens Services. Aspens Services, a market leading contract catering company specialising in school food. We only work in the education sector, so we know what our customers want. Mixing this knowledge with an understanding of what’s hot in the food world sparks creativity and excitement in our chefs. Our kitchens provide delicious home-cooked food each day and cater for individual dietary requirements. We make sure that our Food Festival menus are packed with comfort dishes and, at the same time, we help pupils to take their first steps with new tastes to explore.
Menu:
The school menu rotates on a three-week basis and refreshes for the Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer seasons.
How school meals can support your child’s diet:
All children need a nutritious, balanced meal to grow and meet their full potential. School meals need to be compliant with the School Food Standards. These were created to help children develop healthy eating habits and ensure that they get the energy and nutrition they need throughout the whole school day. Therefore, parents should be able to trust that the school’s menu has been developed based on scientific nutrition research. Click on the link to find out more about the Government's School Meals Food Standards:
Free school meals:
Every Key Stage One pupil is entitled to a free school meal, under a Government programme called Universal Infant Free School Meals. There is no need for you to apply for this, it will save you time and money every day on making packed lunches, and in our experience, pupils who take up their school meals become more adventurous and open to trying new foods.
Free School Meals are available to Key Stage Two pupils whose families receive:
● Universal Credit and your household income after tax is less than £7,400 per year (not including any benefits you get)
● Child Tax Credit, as long as you are not getting Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of less than £16,190
● Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
● Income Support
● Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
● The guaranteed part of Pension Credit
● Asylum seeker support.
● It is also available to looked-after children, pupils who have been adopted and those whose parents are currently serving as military personnel.
Please request the relevant form from the school office or scan/click to find out more or click here:
Special Diets:
Special diets are an integral part of our catering provision, whether as a result of an ethical or religious belief or a food intolerance or allergy. To register any special diets as a requirement, please complete and return the special diets form to the school as soon as possible.
Our Planet:
We work closely with our clients and suppliers to be as environmentally friendly as we can. By making lots of small changes, we can make a big difference. We care about the future and continue to focus on responsible sourcing, using seasonal produce, increasing our focus on plant-based recipes, making our menus more sustainable, keeping waste to a minimum and reusing and recycling to reduce the impact we have.
Aspens Special Diets and Allergy Form
Aspens Information QR Code
Aspens Autumn/Winter Menu (from Term 2)
Aspens Summer Menu 2025