School Meals
A healthy and balanced diet is important for learning, and we offer a range of nutritious school meals to keep our students fuelled for the day.
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A healthy and balanced diet is important for learning, and we offer a range of nutritious school meals to keep our students fuelled for the day.
Now that the national roll out of Universal Credit has completed, transitional protection FSM eligibility has stopped for any new applications made on or after 1 April 2025.
Important note: those that were eligible prior to this date are protected to end of the phase of education i.e. primary phase to end of Year 6 and secondary phase to end of Year 11, or end of year 13 if the school has a sixth form.
Those applications that are made on after 1 April 2025 will be checked for eligibility and this will be reviewed at regular intervals of circa 90 days. There will be information on our application portal informing the parents of this when they make an application.
Parents will need to make applications for year 3 onwards and at the point of transfer from primary to secondary school (and also if starting at a school sixth form). This must be done from 1 August in the relevant year and ideally before 1 September to ensure the lists are up to date and correct. Parents should check the eligibility criteria before they apply to avoid unnecessary applications.
Overview of Pupil Premium
The Pupil Premium grant is allocated to schools to work with pupils who have been registered for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 FSM’), Looked After Children, children adopted from care or who have left care, and children of service personnel (known as ‘Ever 5 service). The funding is not ring-fenced per student and can be used for initiatives that include, but are not limited to, pupil premium students. The funding is available for students in Year 7 to 11.
· £935 for each Ever 6 FSM pupil
· £2,300 for each Looked After Child (LAC)
· £2,300 for each Post Looked After Care Child
· £300 for each Ever 5 Service Pupil
To be eligible for free school meals, you must receive one of the following benefits:
· Income Support
· Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
· Child Tax Credit (not Working Tax Credit) with an annual income below £16,190
· Pension Guarantee Credit · Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)
· Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
· Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying)
· Universal Credit with a household income of £7,400 or less (after tax and excluding benefits)
We operate a cashless catering system, where students use a swipe card to pay for meals. Funds can be added via ParentPay, our online payment platform. To avoid payment delays, we recommend using the standard card payment method rather than the one-click bank transfer, which can take up to 10 days to process. Follow these steps to top up your child’s balance:
1. Log in to ParentPay.
2. Select your child’s name and click ‘Pay for Meals’.
3. Enter the amount and add to your basket.
4. Click the trolley icon and proceed to checkout.
5. Choose ‘Other Payment Method’ and enter your card details.
6. Click ‘Review Payment’ and then ‘Pay Now’.
7. Check your email for confirmation from platform@parentpay.com.
Pupils are welcome to bring a packed lunch from home. We encourage healthy choices, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and wholegrain foods, to support their learning and wellbeing throughout the day.
If your child has any dietary requirements or allergies, please inform the school so we can make suitable arrangements. Please be aware of allergies of other pupils and follow and guidance you get from school about what food can be brought in from home.
Principal: Katie Scarnell MA (Cantab)
Chair of Academy Council: Tony McKenna
Please send all enquiries to the Principal's Executive Assistant, Mrs S Wheeler, using the details below or directly via email (swheeler@liftgreensward.org). Please also contact Mrs Wheeler if you would like paper copies of any school information.
Address: Lift Greensward, Greensward Lane, Hockley, Essex SS5 5HG
Telephone Number: 01702 202571
Email Address: contactus@liftgreensward.org
Timing of the school day: 8.25am - 2.55pm
Office opening hours: 8.00am to 4.00pm (3.30pm on Fridays)
Every effort will be made to reply to telephone calls or emails as soon as is feasibly possible, but we would ask parents to bear in mind that members of staff may have a full day's teaching timetable and therefore will endeavour to respond within two working days during normal school hours. Some staff who work part time may not access emails until they are in school.
If you would like to see a member of staff, please phone our Main Reception in advance to make an appointment. If you do not have an appointment you will not be seen unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Concerns about individual subjects should be referred to the subject teacher in the first instance. More general concerns should be referred to your child’s form tutor in the first instance. Our SEN Co-ordinators are Mr M Aitken and Mrs K Turner. Please see communication flowchart here.
You may contact Lift Schools, using the details below:
Lift Schools, 1 EdCity Walk, EdCity, London, W12 7TF, www.liftschools.org
Contacting us about your child
Email Guidance
Since much of the communication between the school and parents/carers is now conducted by email, the school has produced the guidance here.
Code of Conduct for Visitors Policy
Please click here to read our policy.
We expect all communication between visitors and the school to be conducted in a polite and respectful manner.
