Aston Lodge Cafe
Our in-house catering service, WPT Cafe, brings fresh, high-quality food to our schools every day, creating a dining experience that students look forward to and enjoy.
Launched for the 2025/26 academic year, this service was developed in response to what students and parents told us they wanted from school meals – better choice, quality and flexibility.
With this in mind, students are now served a varied menu of freshly prepared, homemade meals, alongside plenty of choices to reflect different tastes, dietary needs and cultural preferences.
Every dish is crafted to be both tasty and nutritious, supporting students’ energy and concentration throughout the school day.
Why WPT Cafe Works for Our Schools
A Flexible, Responsive Service
WPT Cafe is built around the needs of our school communities. Because the service is managed directly by us, we can respond quickly to feedback, seasonal changes and individual requirements.
Our menus are regularly updated in response to student feedback and demand, ensuring the offer continues to provide what our students want and enjoy. We take great care to support all dietary needs and special requirements, tailoring meals where needed to ensure every student is catered for safely and appropriately. Working closely with school staff and senior leaders, our catering team ensures a consistent, joined-up approach across each school. Seasonal and themed menus also help to keep mealtimes varied, interesting, and engaging throughout the year.
Value for Money and Investment in Students
Our model allows us to deliver high-quality meals at a fair and sustainable cost, ensuring excellence value for families. It also allows greater reinvestment into the student experience and wider wellbeing initiatives across Wickersley Partnership Trust. This includes support for food education, themed events and subsidy programmes where appropriate.
Skilled, Supported Catering Teams
We have a professional catering team that is fully embedded within our wider Trust community, and we are committed to investing in their continued development and success. Through training programmes in nutrition, food preparation, leadership and customer service, our catering staff are empowered and more able to advance in their careers. This investment means that our team remains highly skilled, motivated and capable of meeting the growing needs of our school communities.
A Shared Commitment
Our Trust is committed to wellbeing, inclusion and excellence. By working closely with our school communities, we are proud to provide a catering service that is flexible, sustainable and focused on what matters most – our students.
Free School Meals
Your child is eligible for Free School Meals if you get one or more of the following benefits:
• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
• Income Support
• Income based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income related Employment Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit as long as you have a yearly household income of less than £16,190 (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) and do not get Working Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit run- on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
How to Apply
If you think you might be eligible for free school meals, submit a claim via RMBC’s website. The information you provide will be used to check if you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit and, if you are on Universal Credit, that your earnings do not exceed the threshold. If you claim Universal Credit, your earnings will be assessed from up to three of your last Universal Credit assessment periods. If you are eligible, RMBC will notify us. Your child will receive free school meals and the school will receive extra funding.
If you need help applying for free school meals, please do not hesitate to get in touch with school and a member of staff will be happy to assist you.
