NOTIFICATION OF NEW SCHOOL MEALS PRICES FROM NOVEMBER 2024
A review of all school meal prices has now been undertaken.
The outcome of this review is that, from Monday 4th November 2024, the minimum standard school meal prices will be as follows:
Over the last couple of years, we have continued to see a minimum 25% increase in meal ingredient costs, and at least an additional 8% increase in labour costs with the latter being mainly due to rises in the living wage. Yet despite these huge inflationary
pressures, FM Catering have continued to minimise their impact by improving our efficiency and maintaining high meal uptake levels.
School meal prices in the Bradford district still remain amongst the lowest in the country and are excellent value for money for a nutritionally balanced 2 course set lunch. As you are no doubt aware, the Universal Infant Free School Meal government funding
rate has recently been frozen at £2.53 again this year adding to the additional pressures catering services are facing. We hope that this funding rate will increase in the coming months to help ease the burden. This minimal 5p paid meal price rise will benefit
schools by:
- Increasing the paid meal income
- Reducing the net cost of the catering service
- Helping to keep down future contract charges / increases to schools
An additional rise in April 2025 may be likely in order to continue keeping pace with inflation and to close the gap even further to the government funding rate which is currently provided to schools. By taking these recommended small staggered approaches
in line with the school menu changes, the burden to families struggling in the current climate will hopefully be minimised.
Please could you inform parents of this increase and include, if possible, details of the Benefits Service (01274 432771/2/3) to help ensure that those who qualify for free meal entitlement will take up that option.
Your school kitchen Chef Manager has been sent an electronic survey via their tablet that needs to be completed by all sites in order to acknowledge you are aware of this pending increase and in turn will communicate it with parents prior to the end of the
current academic term.
If you do require any further information or clarification, please contact Craig Webb, 01274 431411
This price increase will bring all FM Catering schools up to the new minimum standard £2.35 per pupil meal price (£2.15 in Nursery schools). Almost all Primary schools in the district currently charge £2.30 per pupil meal. Those few schools who have their
meal price currently set higher than this can of course follow suit and apply an additional increase to maintain their current margin if they see fit. This can be communicated through the kitchen survey you will be asked to complete.
FM Services will make all necessary system changes, including the updating of ParentPay and debt letter values etc, to reflect the price increases from 4th November.