Please be aware we are a nut free school. For more information please visit our Lunchtime Page.

Looking to join The Gordon Children's Academy in September 2026? 

Come along to our Opening Evening on 3rd November at 5pm.
See our school in action during one of our Open Day tours on 5th, 12th, and 19th November. Choose from 9:30-10:30am or 1:30-2:30pm tours.

Contact our office for more information. 

School Meals

At The Gordon Children's Academy, we believe that every pupil should enjoy healthy and nutritious meals to support their learning. 

We partner with a catering specialist called Innovate, a member of Impact Food Group, who offer quality food choice, flexibility and speed at the heart of everything they do. 
Their food is inspired by the best and most fashionable high street concepts, fusing fantastic quality food with the industry's leading quick service style food markets and cafes.

Impact Food Group believes that it's important to treat students with more respect and to help them make more sophisticated decisions about the food they eat. 

Their message focuses on their ability to be more than a school canteen, and continually look at ways to provide restaurant-style school food that's well cooked, presented, and helps to build a better knowledge of food.

Our kitchens will use the best technology to serve students quickly, ensuring they have time to enjoy their meal to keep them ready to learn.

Innovate, make all meals from scratch in our kitchen daily. School lunches have changed enormously over the years and are now really delicious!

If your child has a specific dietary requirement, Impact Food Group will be able prepare meals to meet their needs.

All children from Reception to Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal, however, if you prefer, your child may bring a packed lunch to school. Packed lunches should be healthy and balanced with no more than one small piece of chocolate or cake. No fizzy drinks or sweets packed with e-numbers please.

Finally, we are a nut-free school, meaning that no nut based products should be in packed lunches as we have children with severe allergies. This includes but is not limited to: Nutella/Hazelnut Spread, Peanut Butter, Peanut Chocolate (eg Snickers, Peanut M&Ms), Baklava/Paklava, etc.

Term 1 Menu

Allergens - Week 1 Menu

Allergens - Week 2 Menu

Allergens - Week 3 Menu

American Dinner Menu - 2nd October

American Dinner Allergen Menu - 2nd October

Booking Lunch Through Arbor

At Gordon Children’s Academy, all school lunches are booked and paid for through Arbor. This system makes it simple and secure for families to choose meals in advance and manage payments.

How to book a lunch
1. Log in to the Arbor App or website using your parent account.
2. Select your child’s profile and click on the three lines (which is the main menu).
3. Go to Meals and choose the date.
4. Pick from the menu options available for that day.
5. Confirm your booking.

You can book meals for the week ahead or for the whole term - whichever works best for your family.

Payments
• If your child is entitled to Free School Meals or Universal Infant Free School Meals (EYFS–Year 2), no payment is required, but you still need to book the meal choice.
• For all other children, payment is made directly through Arbor at the time of booking. Our caterer has a no debt policy so you will need to ensure you have money in your account in order to pre-book your child’s meal.

Why pre-book?
• Helps ensure all children gets their preferred meal choice.
• Helps our kitchen staff prepare accurate numbers, reducing waste.
• Gives you control and visibility over what your child will be eating each day.
If you have any difficulties booking lunches, please contact the school office and we will be happy to support you.

Free School Meals

Your child might be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

  • 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

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

Your child might also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both:

  • younger than the compulsory age for starting school
  • in full-time education
     
Infant Free School Meals

Your child is entitled to a school meal free of charge if they’re in:

  • Reception class
  • Year 1
  • Year 2

Even though your child will receive a school meal, if you are receiving any of the benefits listed above you should still apply as your child’s school will also be entitled to extra funding of £1,300 known as Pupil Premium.

 

How to apply for Free School Meal

To make an application for free school meals you must apply online. Paper applications are no longer available.

You will need to provide:

  • your own name and date of birth
  • contact details
  • national insurance number or national asylum seekers number
  • child’s name and date of birth
  • school your child is attending or will attend

Please click on the link below to apply.

Apply for free school meals | Free school meals | Medway Council