School Catering

The UCL Academy restaurant service is run by abm Catering Solutions, an independent fresh-food catering contractor founded in 1983. abm Catering Solutions delivers a high-quality service that includes the best in fantastic and innovative food. They source their ingredients through a community of responsible local suppliers, farmers, and growers.

 

Current Menu

Our menu rotates on a 3-weekly cycle to include new and exciting recipes. The menu will always include meat, vegetarian, halal, and non-halal options. Please click on the menu and scroll down.

Cashless Payments

The academy uses the cashless system ParentPay, which should be used to pay for school dinners. For more information, please click here

Free School Meals

Evidence shows that consuming a healthy breakfast and lunch can make a child more alert in the learning environment, benefitting from increased concentration, memory and learning abilities. All students are welcome to attend our Breakfast Club, where we offer a choice of cereal, toast or porridge free of charge to all students. Breakfast is served Monday-Friday from 8-8.20am to ensure that students are ready to go to Registration at 8.25am.

Students at The UCL Academy are entitled to free school meals if you as a parent or carer receive any of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working  Tax Credit
• Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals. If you do not qualify for most benefits (also known as having ‘no recourse to public funds’), your child may still be eligible for free school meals. Ask the school or local authority whether they’re eligible.

From April 2018, the criteria used to determine eligibility has been updated to reflect the rollout of Universal Credit payments. The result is that pupils who were eligible on 1 April 2018, or who became eligible since then, continue to receive free meals, even if their household is no longer eligible under the benefits/low-earnings criteria, up until March 2025 and then until the end of their phase of education.

Free School Meal applications should be made online using this link: https://accountforms.camden.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals/

If you are unable to use the online system, please download and complete the following form, returning it to the address shown at the top of the form: free school meals application form

How will I know the outcome of my application?

Once your application is received by Camden Council, your details will be checked via the Eligibility Checking Service and you will be advised by letter whether or not your claim has been successful. Confirmation of eligibility will also be sent to the academy.

Allergies and Dietary Requirements

If your child has any specific food allergies and/or dietary requirements, we have a range of food to meet their needs.

Allergens Policy

Please click here to read our caterers (abm catering ltd) Allergens Policy.

We urge all pupils with an allergy to speak to our members of staff who will have the allergen information available and they will be able to advise the pupils on which dishes are safe for them to consume (just as you would on the high street).

Our caterer must provide information about the following allergens in the food they provide at the academy: