Canteen, Trips and Free School Meals

School Canteen

Our school canteen, run by Innovate as part of IFG from September 2026, offers a range of healthy and tasty meals every day.

  • Fresh hot and cold meals are prepared daily
  • Vegetarian and allergy-aware options are available
  • Students can choose from a variety of balanced meals and snacks
  • Main meals cost £2.85

We work hard to make lunchtime welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable for all students.

Paying for School Meals with SCOPAY

All food purchases are made through SCOPAY. Please make sure your child’s lunch account has enough money to cover their purchases.

You can set up low-balance alerts by:

  • Logging in to the SCOPAY website or app
  • Selecting Alerts
  • Choosing Configure Alerts
  • Turning on email notifications
  • Setting the balance amount that will trigger an alert
  • Saving your changes

Helpful guides:

SCOPAY Parent Guide – Alerts

SCOPAY Parent Guide – Making Payments

SCOPAY Parent Guide – Managing Your Account

Support with the Cost of School Trips

We believe that every student should have the opportunity to take part in trips, visits and enrichment activities.

Financial support may be available for families who need help with the cost of:

  • Curriculum trips
  • Educational visits
  • Enrichment activities

Support is considered individually, and priority is usually given to students who receive Targeted Free School Meals (Income-Related FSM) or where there is a demonstrated financial need.

If you are worried about the cost of a trip, please contact the school in confidence. The earlier you speak to us, the more support we may be able to offer.

Free School Meals

Free School Meals help ensure that students receive a healthy meal each day and can also provide access to additional support.

Changes from September 2026

From 1 September 2026, there are two types of Free School Meals:

Expanded Free School Meals

  • Available to all children in households receiving Universal Credit
  • There is no longer an earnings threshold for Universal Credit claims

Targeted Free School Meals (Income-Related FSM)

  • Available to families who meet specific income and benefit criteria
  • These students also qualify for Pupil Premium funding, which provides additional support in school

From September 2026, support with music tuition, educational trips and uniform grants will only be available to students who qualify for Targeted FSM (Income-Related FSM) and Pupil Premium funding.

Why apply?

Even if your child already receives free meals, it is important to check whether they qualify for Targeted FSM.  From September, support with music tuition, educational trips and uniform grants will only be available to students who qualify for Targeted FSM (Income-Related FSM) and Pupil Premium funding.

Registering can help your child access:

  • Free, nutritious school meals
  • Support with educational trips
  • Music tuition assistance
  • Uniform grants
  • Additional enrichment opportunities
  • Other pastoral and financial support

It also helps the school receive additional funding through the Pupil Premium, which supports eligible students in their learning and wellbeing.

How to Apply

Applications are made through South Gloucestershire Council and are quick and confidential.

Apply for Free School Meals

If your circumstances have changed, or you receive Universal Credit and have not applied before, we encourage you to check your eligibility.

Need Help?

If you would like support with an application or would prefer to discuss your circumstances confidentially, please contact:

JCAfinance@clf.uk

We will also be running drop-in sessions during September 2026 to help parents and carers complete applications and answer any questions.  We are committed to ensuring that no student is disadvantaged because of their financial circumstances. If you need support with food, trips, uniform, or any other aspect of school life, please contact us. We are here to help.

Contact Us

John Cabot Academy
Woodside Road
Kingswood
Bristol
BS15 8BD
Contact Us
John Cabot Academy is proud to be part of the Cabot Learning Federation. 
Registered Company: Cabot Learning Federation
Company No: 06207590