Pay for school meals Read the latest primary school menu Contact us about school meals
We are committed to providing healthy, nutritious, good value meal options to pupils in our primary and secondary schools.
All of our menus comply with the Scottish Government's Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 and with Healthy eating in schools - guidance 2020.
Parent Club - all about school meals
Free School Meals Update
From January 2022, Primary1 - 5 pupils are entitled to a free school meal. Parents do not have to register for this; all pupils will receive this meal automatically.
If your child is in Primary 1-5 and attending Ulva Primary or Iona Primary, please contact the Head Teacher to discuss the local arrangements, as no lunch is currently provided.
Children attending an early year’s setting for 1140 hours of childcare may also be entitled to a free meal, please contact your child’s nursery or early years unit for information.
Primary school meals
Our Primary school lunch offer is a two course menu with a choice of main meal, and will be either a starter and a main course, or a main course and a dessert. The menu runs on a four week cycle, so that there is plenty of choice for pupils.
The current cost for a Primary school meal is £2.30.
Where there is a choice, pupils can choose to have either a starter and main course or a main course and dessert. If the school is making any menu substitutions, they will let you know in advance wherever possible. A two course meal is £2.30. Water and milk are available as part of the 2 course meal for primary pupils.
You can have a look at our current primary school lunch menu here.
Secondary school meals
Across our Secondary schools, pupils can opt for a two course set meal, which costs £2.40. In addition to this, Secondary schools offer a range of hot and cold snacks and meal deals at lunch time. A selection of hot and cold items are also available at mid-morning interval.
Menus are designed specifically for each individual Secondary School, and may be available on the school’s website. A copy of the menu can be obtained from the school.
Secondary meals can be pre-ordered, to minimise queuing at lunchtime.
Allergens and special dietary requirements
The allergy information for our school menus in each school kitchen or by contacting us at catering@argyll-bute.gov.uk. You can find out the allergens contained in every dish. These are all available from the primary school lunch menu page.
A vegetarian meal option is available every day, and many dishes can be altered to accommodate other special diets where this is required.
If your child has a food allergy, please contact the school office in the first instance so that any necessary arrangements can be put in place.
Where possible, other non-medical special diets may be accommodated: please contact the Food and Nutrition Officer for more information.
Free school meals
To find out if you qualify for free school meals, you can check the eligibility criteria on our website, or contact the relevant school (during term time). You can apply for free school meals using this on line free school meals application.
Paying for school meals
Primary school meals can be paid for by cash or cheque at most schools, and many schools now offer the option to pay online. Please contact the school office for further information. If your school is offering online payments, you can pay for school meals here.
Secondary schools - A cashless payment system is available in the following schools, which allows you to pay for you child's meals in advance on our website:
- Lochgilphead Joint Campus
- Tarbert Academy
- Tobermory Primary & High School
- Rothesay Academy
- Dunoon Grammar School
- Campbeltown Grammar School
- Hermitage Academy
- Oban High School
- Islay High School
Parents can add money to their child’s account by paying in cash, cheque or via the website.
Staff training, standards and environmental health
All Catering staff receive regular training in food hygiene, and each staff member holds an Elementary Food Hygiene Certificate. Staff are also trained in nutrition and allergy awareness.
All of our kitchens follow HACCP guidelines and comply with Environmental Health guidance.
We operate our service to a high Quality Management standard, and the service holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Contact us
We always welcome comments on our menus, and on the service we provide. If you would like to get in touch with us, please complete the online form.
Work with us
If you are interested in working for the Catering Service, you can browse the vacant jobs currently available on the myjobscotland website.