Schools and learning

How much do school meals and milk cost?

School meal prices

The prices below show the standard cost of a school meal, with the current Academic Year's prices (from September 2006 to August 2007) in bold:

Price per meal September 2007 – August 2008:

Nursery - £1.55

Primary (Infant & Junior) - £1.65 ++

First - **

Middle - **

Secondary - £1.79* (suggested price)

Price per meal September 2006 – August 2007:

Nursery - £1.50

Primary (Infant & Junior) - £1.60 ++

First - **

Middle - **

Secondary - £1.79* (suggested price)

Price per meal September 2005 – August 2006:

Nursery - £1.45

Infant - £1.50

First - **

Junior - £1.55

Middle - **

Secondary - £1.70* (suggested price)

Price per meal September 2004 – August 2005:

Nursery - £1.37

Infant - £1.40

First - **

Junior - £1.46

Middle - **

Secondary - £1.60* (suggested price)

*As from April 2000 Secondary schools have been responsible for their own catering budgets and may charge different prices to this.

++ As from September 2006, HCC has simplified its primary meal pricing to one price & one portion size. Infant age children will now receive larger portions than previously.

**These schools will charge according to your child's age group.

Special school pupils are charged at the appropriate age group rate.

School milk prices

School milk is available to children in infant classes and it is also provided in some special schools.

Free milk is given to all nursery pupils within the county and to some children in reception classes. To be eligible for free milk the child must be aged four for the whole term (i.e. they must not turn five years of age before the last day of term).

The standard costs for milk at infant schools / classes are:

September 2007 – August 2008:

Autumn term - £9.80

Spring term - £6.86

Summer term - £13.49

The milk price for summer 08 has be confirmed as £13.49. For those schools that were unable to pass the spring term price increase onto parent/guardians a further £1.47 needs to be added to this price resulting in a revised price of £14.96.

September 2006 – August 2007:

Autumn term - £10.50

Spring term - £8.25

Summer term - £9.10

September 2005 – August 2006:

Autumn term - £10.25

Spring term - £8.35

Summer term - £9.25

September 2004 – August 2005:

Autumn term - £10.37

Spring term - £7.53

Summer term - £9.95

You will need to pay for the milk in advance for the whole term.

Nursery children receive free milk, but if your child's 5th birthday falls during the term, they are treated as 5 years of age for the entire term will therefore not eligible for free milk.

How the milk is subsidised

Mid morning milk is provided at these reduced rates due to an European Community subsidy promoting the health benefits to drinking milk.

If your child goes to a school in Stevenage within the Stevenage Borough Council boundaries, they will fund free milk for all junior age pupils.

European regulations state that only cows' milk can be given (full fat is recommended, rather than semi-skimmed or skimmed milk). Soya milk, goat’s milk or other alternatives cannot be given without removing the EU subsidy, which pays for all school milk.