We want every child to enjoy a healthy, nutritious lunch as part of their school day. The catering team at Archbishop Holgate’s, led by Mrs Calvert, pride themselves on providing an excellent, well rounded menu for all our students. By engaging with students and staff for their feedback they have produced menus that are homemade and use fresh ingredients that taste as good as they look. The menus which run on a three weekly cycle, a sample is below, encapsulate food and cultures from around the world whilst also including more traditional dishes to ensure a variety at all times.

Our ‘in-house’ catering operation enables our students to have a wider choice and influence on what goes onto their plate. It also allows us to source local, fresh produce from mainly small businesses to help develop ties to the local community and support local businesses.

Autumn/Winter 2026 Sample Menu

Archbishop Holgate’s School operates a cashless catering system (ParentPay). This system allows the school to provide an efficient, faster and ultimately better quality of service. The system incorporates the latest technology and eliminates the need for students to carry cash throughout the day. It is also biometric so there is no need for students to carry a card as the system will recognise the thumb of your child at the revaluation pay-points and at the tills.

Any amount of money can be paid into a student’s account and any money spent on food and drink will be deducted on a daily basis. There are two payment options available to you – online payments via the ParentPay tab on the website or coin/note payments at the revaluation pay-points (of which there are two in School). A daily ‘spend limit’ of five pounds will be programmed into the system. This can be increased or decreased for an individual student by making a written request to the Finance Department at AHS.

Current legislation requires us to operate an ‘Opt In’ policy and therefore we require you to complete a Biometric Opt-in Form; this is found on our application forms. If you choose not to have your child registered on the Biometric System a 4 digit PIN Code will be allocated. Please note that PIN Codes do not have the same level of security and it will be your child’s responsibility to remember the code and keep it secure at all times.

Prices from September 2026

Students are welcome to bring a packed lunch from home if they prefer. Please make sure packed lunches are brought in an appropriate lunch box or bag. We encourage packed lunches to include a variety of healthy foods to help students stay fuelled and focused throughout the school day.

For healthy packed lunch ideas and tips, visit NHS Healthier Families – Healthier Lunchboxes.

The health, safety, and wellbeing of our students are our top priorities. We are a fully inclusive school and warmly welcome students with a wide range of medical needs, including allergies. Allergies can be triggered by many different foods – most commonly milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, fish, and gluten – as well as non-food items like insect stings or latex.

Following guidance from the Department for Education, Allergy UK, and Anaphylaxis UK, we do not operate a blanket ban on any single ingredient. Experts advise that total bans are unenforceable, can overlook other critical allergens, and create a false sense of security.

Instead, we practice a rigorous whole-school allergy awareness approach to keep all children safe.

Visit our Allergy Awareness page for more information on our allergy procedures and support arrangements.

Families in receipt of certain benefits may qualify for free school meals. Our schools have a quick and easy way to check whether you are entitled to claim free school meals. All we need is your name, date of birth and National Insurance Number (or Asylum support reference number) in order to perform the eligibility check.

How does it work?

When we process your application, we will check your child’s eligibility for free school meals with information held by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education. This quick online check means we can often confirm eligibility immediately.

About free school meals

• We treat all claims in confidence and schools provide the same meals to all children regardless of free school meal status.
• Your child does not have to have a meal every day, you can still provide them with a packed lunch as and when you like.
• We will transfer your child’s entitlement if they move to another school, so you won’t need to go through the process again.
• It will not affect any other benefits you are claiming.
• Once you have registered, the system will perform a routine check and automatically update your eligibility if your circumstances change.

Making the most of free school meals

At Archbishop Holgate’s School, we are committed to ensuring that students who are eligible for free school meals make the most of the excellent food provided by our in-house Catering Team. Students receive a daily allowance of £3.20, which can be used to purchase one item at break time and a full hot meal with a dessert or drink at lunchtime.

Using free school meals is completely discreet and is not identifiable to other students. We encourage all eligible students and families to make full use of this provision throughout the school day. Our menus operate on a three-week cycle and are available to view on the school website.

We also recommend that students bring a reusable water bottle to school. There are a number of hydration stations around the school where students can refill their bottles throughout the day.