Blackwood School is very proud of its catering facilities that have had a full renovation internally this summer.  Hopefully, over the next year we will see the buildings extended to provide a much larger facility, providing up to 600 seats at any time.

Caerphilly County Catering are the providers of school meals at Blackwood Comprehensive School and serve a wide variety of food, based upon a cafeteria system, at reasonable prices.

Pupils can choose from individual items, Meal of the Day which includes two courses, Meal Deals which offer a baguette or Pasta King or the International Selection of the Day, water and a piece of fruit.  There are three main areas where pupils are able to purchase food – the large canteen, the healthy eating canteen and the “serving hatch” in the covered area between the two canteens.  All food served follows the Welsh Government “Appetite for Life” publication which became a statutory requirement for all food served in Welsh Schools from September 2012.  Information regarding the Appetite for Life and each term’s menus can be found on the internet using the following link:

 

https://www.myschoollunch.co.uk/caerphilly/en/parents

 

The canteens operate a cashless catering system.  Parents are encouraged to register their child to use the biometric system (fingerprint) to undertake their canteen transactions rather than having to carry their individual canteen cards.  In addition, parents are able to use ‘UPayChilli’ an online payment system, to credit their child’s account.  There is a facility in school where pupils can add cash onto their account.

Pupils receiving free school meals will have their account credited automatically with the free school meal allowance each day (currently £2.05 per day).  This system alleviates any embarrassment pupils may feel about receiving school meals.  Pupils are still able to top up the card to supplement the free meal allowance.  If you have any queries regarding free meals please visit the website below or telephone the school for further information.

 

www.myschoollunch.co.uk/caerphilly/en/parents/free_school_meals

 

The main canteen is open at break and lunchtime.  The focus of the food at break time is snacks/baguettes and drinks.

At lunchtime both the main and the small canteen are open both offering a wide variety of food.  The emphasis of food in the small canteen is healthy with items such as bowls of salad, lasagne, jacket potatoes and filled baguettes.  The large canteen offers ‘Meal of the Day’, Pasta dishes, hot paninis, pizza.  The menus are rotated on a three weekly basis.

 

The canteens also provide facilities for those pupils who bring a packed lunch.

Pupils, who wish to go home for lunch, will be issued a lunch pass, upon receipt of a written letter from their parent/carer.  Having a lunch pass does not entitle pupils to use the local shops or facilities.

There is access to chilled drinking water in the large canteen and in the main block.  Pupils are encouraged to bring their own water bottles to use and refill as and when needed.