School and Nursery Meals
At Otterburn Primary School & Nursery, we provide healthy, balanced and nutritious meals for all children from Nursery through to Year 6.
From October 2026, we have introduced one school menu across Nursery and Reception to Year 6. Our menu has been planned to meet the relevant school food and Early Years requirements and guidance, ensuring that meals are appropriate, balanced and nutritious for all of our children.
Our current menu offers a varied range of meals across the week, alongside seasonal vegetables and/or salad. Fresh fruit and yoghurt are available every day as an alternative pudding, and plain bread and fresh drinking water are also available daily. Otterburn Primary School and Nu…
We can cater for vegetarian, vegan and individual dietary requirements. Parents and carers should contact the school office to discuss any allergies or specific dietary needs so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Our latest Nursery to Year 6 menu can be viewed below.
Packed Lunches
We continue to work in partnership with families to ensure packed lunches support children’s health, wellbeing and safety in school. Our approach reflects Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) nutrition guidance and national advice on healthy eating and choking prevention, while recognising that packed lunch guidance is not statutory for primary-aged pupils. With children from Nursery through to Year 6, we take an age-appropriate but consistent approach, aiming to support families rather than police lunchboxes.
Packed lunches should include a balance of:
- A starchy food (such as bread, wraps, pasta or rice)
- A protein source (for example cheese, yoghurt, eggs, beans, hummus, meat or fish)
- Fruit and/or vegetables
- Water or milk to drink
For children in Early Years, please ensure food is prepared safely to reduce choking risks, including cutting grapes and cherry tomatoes lengthways into quarters and avoiding hard-to-chew foods.
Finally, in line with EYFS nutrition guidance and our whole-school approach to healthy eating, birthday cakes or other celebration foods should not be brought into school. We appreciate that this may cause some disappointment. We encourage families to celebrate birthdays in non-food ways and staff will ensure children are acknowledged and celebrated in school.
Reception to Year 2 - Universal Free School Meals
The Government provide free school meals for all Reception and Key Stage 1 Children (Year 1 and Year 2).
Nursery and Years 3/4/5/6
School dinners should be paid for using the online payment system within Parent Pay.
If your child wishes to change to school dinners from a packed lunch or vice versa please give one weeks’ notice.
Eligibility for Free School Meals
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal through Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) without parents needing to apply.
From September 2026, eligibility for benefits-related Free School Meals has been expanded. All children from households receiving Universal Credit are now entitled to a free school meal, regardless of household earnings.
Families receiving Universal Credit are therefore encouraged to apply, including families whose children are already receiving a free meal through Universal Infant Free School Meals.
Children attending our maintained Nursery may also be eligible for Free School Meals where they attend school over the lunchtime period.
Why should I apply?
Registering for benefits-related Free School Meals ensures that your child receives the support to which they are entitled.
Depending on the eligibility criteria your family meets, registering may also provide access to additional support, including the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and may generate additional Pupil Premium funding for the school to support children's learning.
It is particularly important that families with children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 apply if they may be eligible, even though their child already receives a free school meal through UIFSM.
How to apply
All new applications are made online through the Northumberland County Council Citizen Portal. Eligibility will be checked and parents/carers will be notified of the outcome.
If you already receive Free School Meals, you do not need to make another application. Northumberland County Council will automatically recheck existing claims.
The school office is also happy to support families who need help with an application.
Apply for Free School Meals – Northumberland Citizen Portal
For further information about school meals and Free School Meal eligibility, please visit: