Our school operates a fully cashless catering system. Rather than handling cash at the till, students use a pre-loaded account linked to their identity — making lunch quicker, easier, and more secure for everyone. Money can be added to your child's account online, and any unspent balance is carried over. The system also means there's no risk of lost lunch money, and parents can keep track of what their child is spending.
School lunches
At Charter Bermondsey, we believe that eating well is part of learning well. That's why every student has access to a freshly prepared, nutritious meal every day - from a free breakfast to start the morning right, to a varied lunch served in our cafeteria.
Our Catering Partner: Olive Dining
Olive Dining offers:
· Locally sourced ingredients
· A 3‑week rotating menu with vegetarian, vegan and allergen‑friendly choices
· A wide selection including hot meals,street food, pasta dishes, sandwiches, salads and more
· Theme days celebrating cultural and seasonal events
· A strong commitment to healthy eating and environmental responsibility
Together, we promote a healthy food culture that helps pupils learn, grow and thrive.
Daily Meal Entitlements
At The Charter School Bermondsey
every student is entitled to:
Breakfast
(from 08:15)
Free self-service toast and cereals, with additional paid options available.
Break‑time Fruit and Snacks
Every student receives free fruit each day, with seasonal and sometimes unusual varieties to encourage healthy choices.
Breaktime also offers a range of hot and cold snacks for students who want something extra.
Breaktime also offers a range of hot and cold snacks for students who want something extra.
Nutritious Hot or Cold Lunch
Staff and students dine together in our Cafeteria. Olive Dining provides balanced hot and cold meals, always including meat‑free and Halal options.
Unlimited Drinking Water
Students are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle and topit up regularly using the drinking water taps around the school and in the canteen.
This term's menus
Frequently asked questions
What is Cashless Catering?
How can I pay for school meals?
School meals are paid for in advance through our online payment system. The current cost of a school meal is £2.65 per day. You can top up your child's catering account at any time — we'd recommend setting up a regular payment so there's always a balance available. If you have any questions about making payments or managing your child's account, please contact the school office.
Free School Meals explained
If your child attended a Southwark primary school, they'll have received free meals throughout their primary career — and many students remain eligible at secondary level. It's worth checking, as Free School Meals can save families over £400 a year. Support is applied discreetly: a daily credit is added to your child's digital account, covering the cost of a hot or cold meal. You can also top up the account at any time if you'd like to give them additional choice.
Qualifying benefits
Your child may be eligible if you or your partner receive 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 (where you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit, and gross annual income is no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying)
- Universal Credit (with a household income of less than £7,400 per year after tax, not including benefits)
How to apply
You can check your eligibility quickly online at pps.lgfl.org.uk. Select Southwark as your local authority and The Charter School Bermondsey as the school. If eligible, download your Certificate of Eligibility and email it to admissions@charterbermondsey.org.uk along with your child's name. Alternatively, email us directly with your full name, National Insurance number, date of birth, and your child's name.
If you need any help with the application, please don't hesitate to contact the school office.
