At Mandeville, our kitchen is all about creating delicious, high quality meals inspired by flavours from around the world. Every day, the smell of freshly baked focaccia fills the dining hall, delighting students who eagerly tuck into this favourite alongside our colourful, balanced lunches. Dishes like Jerk chicken with Jollof rice are always a hit, bringing bold tastes and excitement to mealtimes.

Our menus are thoughtfully designed and updated each term to reflect seasonal produce and fresh ideas. Executive Chef Sergio Vitale leads this process with creativity and passion, supported by Chef Hodan, who helps bring each dish to life in the kitchen. Together, they meet regularly with the School Council to share new ideas, listen to feedback, and ensure the menu is both nutritious and appealing to the children.

Creating a warm, joyful atmosphere in the dining hall is just as important as the food itself. Teachers volunteer their time to sit with students, encouraging them to try new flavours, share meals with friends, and enjoy lunchtime as a fun, social experience. By combining tasty, wholesome food with a welcoming and lively environment, we aim to make every mealtime at Mandeville Primary a highlight of the day.

Our school lunch menus change with the seasons. You can find our latest menus uploaded as PDFs at the bottom of this page.  All meat served at school is halal.

Children also have regular cooking sessions The Hackney School of Food (which is based on our site) where our children learn about food and nutrition, take part in age-appropriate cooking lessons in the specially designed teaching kitchen and learn about where food comes from and how it is grown, picking and using fruits, vegetables and herbs grown in the School of Food's extensive garden, orchard and vegetable beds. You can find out more about the School of Food here.

You can find the LEAP School Food policy at the bottom of this page.

No Packed Lunches

At LEAP we have a No Packed Lunch policy. A copy of the letter sent to parents & carers explaining our rationale for this can be found below. 

Free School Meals

Since September 2023, all children have been receiving Universal Free School Meals, regardless of parental income or benefits, thanks to the Mayor of London's decision to offer Free School Meals to all London primary school-aged children. However, we still need you to register for free meals if you receive benefits and are eligible to receive FSM from Hackney Council, as Mandeville’s funding allocation is directly linked to the number of families registered with Hackney for Free School Meals. There are also other benefits to Mandeville families who are registered for Free School Meals – see leaflet below.

You can find more information about Free School Meals eligibility here:

https://education.hackney.gov.uk/content/apply-free-school-meals

To apply for Free School Meals you will need to first register. Please follow the link above, scroll down the page and click on the Apply For Free School Meals button.