Change of catering contractor for 2025-26

We will be moving to a new catering service provider for the new academic year.  The new provider is Caterlink and they already work in a number of local schools.  Further communications will be posted via Arbor as the academic year draws to a close but for the rest of Term 3 we would request that parents and guardians check their balances on Arbor and only add funds sufficient for the rest of the term.

If you have any questions or concerns about the meal provision or Arbor payments, please contact enquiries@howdenschool.net in the first instance. 

Cashless Catering

We operate a cashless catering system here at Howden School.  Parents/carers are able to upload funds via the Arbor App or Webpage and these are allocated to their child’s account.  The majority of students use their biometric fingerprint to purchase items from their account, but for those who opt out of this are provided with a number pin to enter at the tills.  Arbor log on information for parents/carers is sent out from the school to the resident parent, if you require these to be resent or have not received them, then please contact the school.

Is your child eligible for Free School Meals?

We encourage parents and carers to apply for free school meals as we know that this both saves parents money and encourages students to eat healthy food. 

Some parents may be reluctant to apply because they are concerned about any stigma attached to students receiving free school meals. However, because this system is automatic, students are not personally identified as receiving a free school meal and as such anonymity is ensured.

To check on your child’s eligibility for free school meals and/or apply please go to http://www2.eastriding.gov.uk/learning/schools-colleges-and-academies/school-meals/free-school-meals/