Freshly prepared food, plenty of choice and a thoughtful approach to nutrition are an important part of every day at Duke of Kent School.

We know that good food matters. It gives children the energy they need to learn, play sport, concentrate and enjoy a busy school day, while helping them develop positive habits and an understanding of healthy, balanced eating.

Our catering is provided by Holroyd Howe, with meals freshly prepared on site by our dedicated kitchen team. From breakfast through to lunch, snacks and evening tea, pupils have access to varied, nutritious food throughout the day.

View this term's menu attached at the bottom of this page. 

Food & Nutrition at a Glance

• Freshly prepared on site by our dedicated catering team (Holroyd Howe)
• Breakfast, lunch, snacks and evening tea available throughout the school day
• A wide daily choice, including hot meals, plant-based dishes, pasta, jacket potatoes and salad
• Menus reviewed by a qualified nutritionist to support balanced eating
• Age-appropriate menus for Early Years and Pre-prep pupils
• Flexible portion sizes, so pupils can choose what is right for them
• All staff allergy-aware trained, with additional specialist training for the catering team
• RSPCA assured milk and eggs, Red Tractor assured meat and MSC certified fish
• Pupil feedback helps shape menus throughout the year

 

Freshly prepared, with plenty of choice

Food at Duke of Kent is made using fresh and seasonal produce.

We care about where our food comes from too. All our milk and eggs are RSPCA Assured, our meat is Red Tractor assured, and our fish is MSC certified.

From freshly baked bread and soups to vibrant salads and freshly made desserts, our menus are designed to offer both variety and balance. Each day, pupils can choose from a selection of dishes, including hot meals, plant-based options, pasta, jacket potatoes and a well-stocked salad bar.

The variety changes throughout the week, encouraging pupils to try different flavours and ingredients. A typical menu might include roast chicken, homemade meatballs, vegetable curry, tacos, stir-fry or freshly made pizza, alongside vegetables, salads and desserts. Often the menu includes freshly baked Wildfarmed bread, freshly made vegetable soups, freshly made yoghurt and a daily baked potato bar.

Nutrition for a busy school day

Menus are created each term by the on-site chef, drawing on feedback from pupils and staff.

They are then reviewed by Holroyd Howe's Regional Culinary Lead and a qualified nutritionist to ensure they provide a balanced diet and support children through active and varied school days.

Our youngest pupils have their own age-appropriate menu, designed specifically for the nutritional needs of Early Years and Pre-prep children, while Prep and Senior pupils enjoy a broader range of choices.

Children can also choose the portion that is right for them. Small, medium and larger plates are available – particularly useful on days when pupils may have taken part in lots of sport or simply need a little more.

 

Listening to our pupils

We want children to enjoy their food and to feel that their views matter.

Feedback cards are available so pupils can tell the catering team what they enjoy and what they would like to see changed. Their suggestions genuinely influence the provision: the introduction of different portion sizes, for example, came directly from pupil feedback.

Food also becomes part of the wider life of the School, with menus celebrating occasions such as Chinese New Year, St George's Day and St Patrick's Day. Pupils can also enjoy events including the Summer BBQ and the popular smoothie bike, where pedal power is used to blend their own smoothie!

Allergy aware across the whole School

Keeping pupils with allergies safe is taken extremely seriously.

Every member of staff at Duke of Kent School undertakes allergy-awareness training, while members of the catering team receive additional specialist training. The kitchen also has a designated Allergy Champion who undertakes further training.

Allergens within each day's food are identified and checked multiple times. Pupils with known allergies are recognised by both teaching and catering staff and use a different coloured tray when collecting their meals. Kitchen staff also check with pupils about allergies before serving them.

Parents of children with allergies or other dietary requirements are encouraged to speak to the school so that individual needs can be understood and supported.

More than simply a meal

Our aim is not only to provide children with high-quality food, but to help them develop a positive relationship with eating and an understanding of the choices that help them feel and perform at their best.

Nutrition and healthy living are reinforced across school life, including through Science, PE and PSHE, while our purpose-built Cookery Studio gives pupils the opportunity to take that understanding even further by learning how to prepare and cook food for themselves.

We love creating fresh, nutritious food that pupils are excited to eat. At Duke of Kent School, the pupils are exceptionally polite and engaged, and we really value their feedback when developing our menus. It's a privilege to be part of such a vibrant school community. 

Chris Bicknell, Regional Culinary Lead, Holroyd Howe

See attachments below for:

Our Menus for the Autumn Term 2026

School Food Policy 2026-2027