We have a team of dedicated cooks with 90% of our meals made from scratch onsite daily. We believe that a healthy, balanced diet can have a huge impact on a pupil’s well-being, engagement and performance.
Our menus are changed on a rolling three-week basis unless there are special events. The school menu is published on the school notice board outside each classroom. Please see the links below for a sample menu. In the Trinity term we aim to eat outside once a week when the weather allows.
Where possible we use local suppliers and ethically source our produce. Our fish is all British and MSC so we can be sure that what we eat has come from a certified sustainable fishery.
Our meat is welfare standard and comes from Small Bones Butchers in Farnham.
We use free-range eggs and Great Hookley Farm in Elstead to supply all our dairy produce. Great Hookley Farm has been operating for over 50 years as an independent, family-run business distributing dairy produce across Surrey and Hampshire.
Fresh bread is supplied by Liphook Bakery. Fruit is available at all times and comes from our local fruit and veg man Steve in Alton.
meal times
morning break
Water, fruit and a healthy snack are provided for the children during the morning activities. Water is available throughout the day and children are encouraged to drink water in school.
Children in Reception, Nursery and Pre-Nursery will also be given a snack in the late afternoon.
lUNCH
Meals are taken in the Dining Hall. Reception children join children in Years 1 and 2 and eat together with lunches served ‘family style’ by a member of staff. Years 3-8 follow in later with lunch served refrectory style. Top years are also offered salad as an optional choice.
Years 3 and 4 eat lunch in the school Dining Hall where a cafeteria system operates. Children can choose where to sit; however, to help Year 3 adapt to the system they go to lunch 10 minutes early and sit at designated tables during the Michaelmas Term.
Years 5-8 eat lunch in the school Dining Hall where a cafeteria system operates. A register of attendance is taken for children in Years 3 to 8.
Low Tea is served to all pupils in Years 5- 8 who are staying in school for Prep. It is similar to morning break and includes sandwiches, biscuits, cake and fruit.
EYFS AND PRE-PREP SAMPLE MENU PREP SAMPLE MENU
Dietary Issues
Any specific dietary issues should be directed in writing to the School Nurse.
Allergies
Amesbury is a ‘Nut Free Zone’ by aspiration and expectation. We do not want anyone to bring onto the school estate any products containing nuts and we have a number of control measures in place to minimise risk. However, whilst the school does all that it reasonably can be expected to do in order to minimise risk, it cannot guarantee that all risks can be eliminated.
Birthdays
We will provide a birthday treat for pupils if their birthday falls on a school day. This is to ensure that a child’s special day can still be celebrated whilst ensuring that effective controls are in place.
Head of Kitchen
Alison Barrett has been at Amesbury since 2014, a 12 month maternity cover post became a part time job share and then a full time role.
Prior to joining Amesbury 30+ years working in catering has seen her gain experience in hotels, restaurants, event catering, a school for the children of forces personnel in Northern Germany as well as several very enjoyable years teaching cookery at The Old Rectory Cookery School in Bentley.
One of her children has food intolerances so the issues around special diets are something that holds a special interest for Alison. Outside of school she enjoys experimenting with new recipes, eating with friends and family, and hula hooping exercise classes to help work off all the extra calories.
