Frequently Asked Questions
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Why couldn't my child get the school meal he/she wanted near the end of the meal service?
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How often does the School Meals Menu change?
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How do you ensure that the food used on the School Meals Service is to a high standard?
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My child is starting a school with a Cashless School Meals System. How will he/she get a card?
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How do the School Meals Service meet the Government's Nutritional Guidelines?
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My child goes to a primary school, how does the school meals choice menus work?
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How do I apply for a job with the School Meals Service?
1.Why couldn't my child get the school meal he/she wanted near the end of the meal service?
The School Meals Service try to keep a choice of foods right through to the end of service each day. However, it is not always possible to gauge accurately what each child will choose but there will always be a hot meal available for every child to the end of service.
Most schools do operate a Pupil Rota System to ensure that different groups of pupils attend the first service on a regular basis.
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2. How often does the School Meals Menu change?
In secondary schools, the Catering Unit Manager develops the menus and it is changed daily.
Primary schools work from a standard menu which runs on a three week cycle. However, this menu is monitored, assessed and changed to suit local tastes.
Other changes to the school meals menus could occur to incorporate winter and summer seasons and food deliveries/suppliers.
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3. How do you ensure that the food used on the School Meals Service is to a high standard?
Food quality and food safety are extremely important to the School Meals Service.
Food is required to meet strict specification standards and is bought from proven local suppliers whose premises we inspect. Any food not up to standard id rejected at the kitchen.
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4. My child is starting a school with a Cashless School Meals System. How will he/she get a card?
If the school knows that your child is going to be a pupil in September, a card will have been prepared automatically. They are normally handed out on the first day of term by a Tutor.
If your child does not receive his/her card after the first day, please contact the school and ask for the School Meals Unit Manager.
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5. How do the School Meals Service meet the Government's Nutritional Guidelines?
The School Meals Service creates the menus to ensure that each food group is correctly offered every day. They also offer a choice of salad, vegetables, bread, potatoes, fresh fruit, yoghurt and milk daily.
All the School Meals menus are checked and approved by a Consultant Dietician.
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6. My child goes to a primary school, how does the school meals choice menus work?
The School Meals Service offer three main courses plus a vegetarian option and a sandwich selection each day. There are two choices of puddings plus fresh fruit and yoghurt.
We try to cater for local tastes and have a larger amount of more popular foods available. We also keep a record of what choices are left at the end of each day to help in menu planning.
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7. How do I apply for a job with the School Meals Service?
You can ring a School Meals Area Supervisor who will advise you on the current vacancies in the school kitchens and take your details. If there are no vacancies in your area, they will keep your details on file and contact you when a suitable vacancy occurs.
The Area Supervisors are:
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Margaret Young for Central and East Gateshead on 0191 433 5515.
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Susan Scott for West Gateshead on 0191 433 5516.
Full training is given to all employees including Customer Care and Food Safety.
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