Dining Facilities
The college has a self-service dining hall, which is operated by a specialist catering company, The Compass Group, who operate many schools' catering facilities. Our dining hall has a 5 star rating for food hygiene and safety.
The dining hall offers a different main meal option every day and a wide range of school food compliant snacks.
The dining hall serves food at the following times:
- Before school
- Morning break
- Lunch time
The current menus, supplied by The Compass Group, are at the foot of the page.
Paying for food and drink
The dining hall is ‘cashless’; students have a pre-paid account that is debited when they purchase items. At the till, the correct account is accessed either by thumbprint recognition or a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Students must ensure that they have enough credit in their pre-paid account before selecting items to purchase.
Accounts can be pre-paid in three ways:
- Parents and carers can make debit or credit card payments via their ParentPay account. If you have a ParentPay account you can log into it via the following link: https://app.parentpay.com/public/client/security/#/login (link is external).
- Students can use top up machines located in the dining hall and on the ground floor corridor, which accept cash in the form of coins and notes.
- Students can post cheques (made payable to Compass Group Ltd and with the student's name and tutor group written on the back) in a secure box next to the top-up machine in the dining hall. Parents and carers can hand cheques in at reception to be posted into the box on their behalf. The value of the cheque will be credited to the account before the next break or lunch time and the funds will be available to spend immediately after that.
Thumbprint recognition system
The thumbprint recognition system is more secure than using a PIN and we much prefer that students use this method to access their accounts. We need parental consent to scan thumbprints and this is given or declined when parents/carers complete the registration paperwork before students join the school. If your child already attends but you have not yet given consent, you can download a letter with enrolment instructions using the link below.
Free school meals
Students entitled to free school meals are credited with £3 each day that they can spend at morning break or at lunchtime. Students choose their items and then use their thumbprint or PIN at the canteen till. Free School Meal credit is only recognised by the till system and does not show as available credit on the top-up machines.
How to apply for free school meals
Applications can be made through Torbay Council by following the link below. This page includes a simple way to check if you are eligible for free school meals before you apply.
If your child is joining the College for the start of Year 7 and had free school meals in a Torbay primary school, then you do not normally need to apply, the entitlement will follow your child. If you are joining the College from a school outside Torbay, then you will need to apply again.
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/fsm/
Breakfast Club
Breakfast is available for all students from 8 to 8:20 am every day in the dining hall. Places do not need to be booked in advance.
A nutritious breakfast will be available for £1:
Option 1: Yogurt, fresh fruit and half a toasted sandwich (Choice of bacon/cheese/ham)
Option 2: Two slices of toast with spread and jam, rice crispies and fresh fruit
Option 3: Half a toasted sandwich (Choice of bacon/cheese/ham), half a toasted teacake and fresh fruit
Option 4: Toasted teacake, rice crispies and fresh fruit
Option 5: Scrambled or poached egg, baked beans, choice of sausage/veggie sausage/bacon and one slice of toast
Each morning the College will credit £1 to the accounts of students registered for Free School Meals. This additional £1 can only be used for breakfast and will not be carried forward to be used later in the day.