Free School Meals/Catering

At the heart of our school is the kitchen and dining hall which serves a wide range of hot and cold food at morning break and lunchtime. 

We are happy to adapt the food items we sell for those students who have dietary requirements whenever possible. Allergen information can be found on all of our products and advertised menus.

Due to our methods of food production, we cannot guarantee a totally ‘free-from’ environment. Should you have any specific allergen or food sensitivity concerns, please email contact@pmsc.school.

The school uses a cashless catering system and does not accept cash. A polite reminder to have your cashless account in credit and your card ready for payment at the till-point. To top up your child’s card visit Parent Pay.

If you need to order a replacement cashless card or amend your child’s daily spending limit (set at £4.00) you need to complete a form - link to cashless card replacement form.

Should you have a question about cashless catering, please email contact@pmsc.school.

Link to this week's menu.

Free School Meals

We want to make sure that we are providing your child with the best education and support we can. Healthy school food has obvious benefits and can help pupils establish healthy habits for life. Healthy school food can also help to improve students’ readiness to learn.

We operate a cashless catering system at Philip Morant so free school meals are anonymous at the till.

Families who receive certain benefits may be eligible for free school meals. A list of the current eligibility requirements is available on the government free school meals website

I think I might be eligible, how do I apply?

We use Online Free School Meals to process applications on our behalf, even if you’re not certain if you are eligible you may still apply. Visit www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/ofsm-east to apply.

If you need help with your application, please contact our Student Services team on 01206 545222.

What are the benefits of claiming free school meals?

School meals are a good way to ensure that your child eats well at lunchtime, and they can also save you time and money. Claiming free school meals also helps the school. We get extra funding, known as the ‘pupil premium’, for every eligible pupil who is registered. Your child may then become eligible for assistance with paying for items such as resources and trips.

The more eligible pupils that are registered for free school meals, the more funding the school receives. Registering does not mean your child has to take up free school meals if they don’t want to. You should still register for free school meals even if:

• You would rather your child had a different meal, such as a packed lunch
• Your child is in Sigma Sixth and goes out for lunch

Supermarket Vouchers

We are advised by Essex County Council that the supermarket vouchers issued during school holidays have now permanently ended. Help and guidance on alternative support available can be found on the Essex County Council Cost of Living pages.

How long can I claim Free School Meals for?

Eligibility rules for free school meals are changing at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. More families will become eligible for free school meals under the new criteria which removes the limit on Universal Credit payments. At the same time protection for free school meals statuses, which has been in place since 2018, is ending. Some families whose circumstances have changed during the period of protection will find their free school meal status ends. We will update families with more detailed information when it becomes available to us.