Pupils at Preston Street eat lunch at school from Mondays to Thursdays. Children may either bring a packed lunch, or order a school meal. You must order school meals in advance (see below).
Pupils are also asked to bring a snack to eat during morning break, and a water bottle.
Pupils do not eat lunch at school on Fridays due to the earlier finishing time. However, it is possible to order a school meal for your child on a Friday should you wish to do so (see below).
School Meals
School meals are provided by the City of Edinburgh Council and served at school by Council catering staff. The catering service is committed to providing nutritionally balanced meals. You can find out more about the school meals which are served at Preston Street via the following link: Lunch menus for schools – The City of Edinburgh Council
Dietary requirements
Meals are available which meet various dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian). None of the meat used in school is certified Halal. If your child requires a Halal diet please order the vegetarian option. If your child has any specific allergies, or a dietary requirement, you should first consult the following link: Primary school lunch menus with nutrition and allergen information – The City of Edinburgh Council
If you have further questions or concerns having consulted the above link, please get in touch with the school office. Please note however that meals are prepared by the Council’s catering service and not by school staff.
Cost of school meals
In Scotland, school meals are currently free of charge for all pupils in P1-5. If your child is in P6 or P7, you currently require to pay for the cost of meals, unless you are eligible for a school grant (see below).
Ordering school meals
You can only order school meals for your child using the ParentPay system. If you do not have access to ParentPay please get in touch with the school office.
Meals must be ordered no later than Wednesday evening for the following week.
Please note:
- If you have missed the deadline, your child will not receive a school meal. You must provide a packed lunch instead.
- Even if your child is eligible for free meals, you must still order via ParentPay.
School Grants
School Grants are available to families who are on a low income. To check if you are eligible, please visit Free school meals, milk and school clothing grants – The City of Edinburgh Council
School Grants entitle families to:
- Free school meals for children in P6 and above;
- Payments to cover the cost of lunches during school holidays;
- Free daily milk;
- A grant to cover the cost of school clothing.
School Grants are sometimes informally described as ‘free school meals’. However as you can see from the above list, they entitle families to a range of other financial support. Accordingly even if your child is in P1-5 and already gets free meals, we encourage you to apply for a School Grant.
Packed Lunches
If your child brings a packed lunch, please ensure that it is healthy and balanced. We discourage the consumption of sweets, fizzy drinks and large packets / multipacks of crisps, confectionery and similar items. PLEASE DO NOT USE GLASS PACKED LUNCH BOXES.
Milk
You may order milk for your child should you wish to do so. This is provided to pupils on a daily basis, at morning break. Orders can be made via your ParentPay account.
If you are eligible for a School Grant (see above), your child will automatically be provided with school milk free of charge.