At The Portsmouth Academy, we believe that every pupil should enjoy healthy and nutritious meals to support their learning.
We partner with a catering specialist called Innovate, a member of Impact Food Group, who offer quality food choice, flexibility and speed at the heart of everything they do.
Their food is inspired by the best and most fashionable high street concepts, fusing fantastic quality food with the industry's leading quick service style food markets and cafes.
All payments for school meals must be made online with Arbor. Cash payments are not accepted by the school caterers.
If there is bad weather students will be in the sports hall and main hall.
Morning break: 10:45am - 11:05am
Lunch: 13:05-13:40
From September 2025 Free School Meals pupils get a daily allowance of £2.90 per day. If they spend more than this (e.g. have an extra snack at breaktime) any spend over that value will be charged to their Arbor account, and will need to be paid for. If you wish for them to be able to spend over £2.90, you will need to add credit to your Arbor account.
The daily allowance is not carried over, and their balance is topped up to £2.90 every day.
If you are in receipt of one of the benefits above, you will need to apply to Portsmouth City Council (PCC).
You can do this by applying online at https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/ext/schools/school-meals
Once PCC have assessed your child’s eligibility, they will send you a letter with the outcome and will include your child’s status on the weekly list that is sent to the school.
Find the answers to some commonly asked questions about school lunches below. Please contact the school office if you require further assistance.
From September 2025, the free school meal allowance is £2.90.
Students who are entitled to free school meals have two balances running concurrently; a free school meal balance and a cash balance. If a student spends more than their FSM allowance of £2.90 in a day, they will start accruing a cash overdraft. For example, if they spend £3.05 in a single transaction, the entirety of their £2.90 FSM allowance is applied to the purchase and they will have an overdraft of –15p. We recommend that parents monitor their children's account and top it up regularly to cover any overspending.
Meal Deals which include a main meal, snack, and bottle of water cost £2.90. Each student has individual needs but for the majority of students £2.90 to £5.00 a day is sufficient amount for them to spend.
Please contact the school office either by email, info@theportsmouthacademy.org.uk or by phone 0333 360 2200. A member of staff will contact the caterers on your behalf to request that they look into the transaction. Innovate will make the final decision as to whether to issue a refund. The school cannot issue refunds for lunch purchases as all money for lunches are paid directly to Innovate.
For some students, particularly Year 7s, it may be the first time they have had the responsibility of making their own meal choices and may overspend. Please have a discussion with your child regarding your expectations for their spending. Agree with your child when they can make purchases the canteen, for example at lunchtime only. Agree on a set amount of money that your child should spend each day. Discourage them from making purchases for friends. Encourage them to ask for the price of items from canteen staff to track their spending. Provide your child with a drink and/or small snack for break time while they adjust to later lunch times. If overspending continues to be an issue with your child, please contact the school to discuss putting a spending cap on your child’s account.
The caterers have the discretion to refuse service to any student who has an overdraft or insufficient funds in their account to complete their purchase. This includes students in receipt of free school meals. If a child is refused service in the Canteen, we advise them to seek help the Pastoral Hub without delay. They should not wait until the end of lunch.
The school’s caterers operate a cashless system and the school cannot accept cash on their behalf.