Food

At Charles Read Academy, providing nutritious, tasty meals for our students is a top priority. We have partnered with Innovate (Impact Food Group), a trusted catering provider, as part of the David Ross Education Trust’s Healthy Lifestyles programme to deliver a whole-school approach to healthy eating.

Our Food Philosophy

Our catering service is designed around five core principles to promote your child’s health and enjoyment of food:

• Fuel for Learning & Life: We serve freshly prepared meals daily that exceed the national School Food Standards, supporting energy and concentration throughout the school day.
• Whole School Food Culture: We encourage students to explore diverse, balanced food choices and foster positive attitudes towards healthy eating.
• Exceptional & Inclusive Dining: Our dining spaces are welcoming and inclusive, offering a family-style atmosphere where students and staff eat together, free from stigma.
• Sustainable Sourcing: Meals are made using fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients where possible, aiming to reduce food waste and environmental impact.
• Dining Room as an Information Hub: We connect food with learning by providing visual displays and information in the dining room to support food education.

Meal Payments and Menus

Parents and carers need to top up their child's school meal account by logging into their MCAS account and paying online. Students can then pay for their meals in the school dining room, using their biometric fingerprint attached to their school meal account. For confidence the system does not store the child's fingerprint, but a serious of identifiable numbers. Please do not send your child into s

The school operates a family dining experience where we actively encourage students to sit down in the dining room and eat meals together. We offer 2 hot meal choices, a vegetarian/vegan choice, a salad bar and a cold deli option all at the once Price Point.

Our current menu can be found on this page below.

Menus will be updated each term to provide variety and extra choice.

There is a separate grab-and-go food offer at 'Brunch' Time, with various price points.

 We are proud that all our food sold in our school dining rooms adheres to the new School Food Standards to be launched to all schools in the UK by the Government in September 2027.

Pricing

• All Paid meals for children are priced at £2.90 per meal including a pudding.

Free School Meals (FSM)

Families who receive certain income-related benefits may be eligible for Free School Meals. FSM eligibility has been extended from September 2026 to include those families receiving Universal Credit.

Why You Should Apply for FSM If Eligible

Even if your child doesn't intend on eating in our dining room, it is important to apply for Benefit-Related FSM if you qualify. This helps both your family and the school by unlocking additional funding to improve resources and support for your child’s education.

How to Apply

Applying is quick and confidential. To check your eligibility and apply, please visit Apply for free school meals - GOV.UK or contact the school office for assistance.

Allergy and Dietary Information

The school has a robust allergen/food intolerance procedure. If your son or daughter has challenges with allergens, it is very important you speak to the school office about this. You may be required to provide medical evidence to ensure that the meal prepared is 100% safe.

Menus & Documents

• DRET Halal Non-Halal Hot Deli Menu BOH download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineDRET Halal Non-Halal Hot Deli Menu BOH
• DRET Halal Cold Deli Menu BOH download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineDRET Halal Cold Deli Menu BOH
• DRET Halal Restaurant Menu download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineDRET Halal Restaurant Menu