Oxford Spires Academy has three catering facilities for pupils to purchase and consume food and drink. The Willows Cafe, The Dining Hall and the Grab’n’Go. Our menus rotate on a three week cycle. As Oxford Spires Academy has 2 breaktime services main meal options will be available at both services, and the selection of the remaining items will be spread between Conference Hall and Grab and Go areas over both service breaks.

Biometrics School Recognition System

We work a cashless catering system using a biometric recognition system. There are many advantages to using this system to cover all these aspects of school life. You will be able to pay for your child’s lunches using an online payment engine. For those without internet access an alternative will be available and there will also be cash loaders to allow pupils to top up their accounts with cash during the course of the day.

The system works by using several points on a person’s thumb to create a unique numerical code. It is the numerical code which is security stored and not the image of the prints on the person’s thumb. It is impossible to create a diagram of the points on the thumb from the numerical code.

The manufacturers of the system take data protection extremely seriously, and are happy to meet parents to explain how data is protected.
The data is securely stored and destroyed when your child leaves the school or when you instruct us to do so.

Our preferred method of payment for catering will be online via ParentPay. However, for those unable to make payment by this method, cash payments for catering will also be possible via cash loaders located in the Willows Café and The Conference Hall. Pupils will also be able to check their balance here.
Pupils benefiting from free school meals have their biometric account automatically credited for easy use.

As a cashless school all payments and contributions towards school activities will be requested via Parent Pay. Your parent pay account will enable you to make payments and contributions towards school activities, replacement equipment and also top up your child’s catering account.

Free School Meals

Free school meals funding and Pupil Premium funding is a government grant that supports students within schools. The money goes directly to support the education of students who are allocated this grant at Oxford Spires Academy.

Your child may be entitled to free school meals if someone in your household receives one or more of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit (including the ‘run-on’)

Parents and carers should submit an application to check their child's eligibility for Free School Meals for the 2026/27 academic year. Pupils confirmed as eligible will receive Free School Meals for the full 2026/27 academic year. A further eligibility check will be required annually. To see if your child is eligible, please submit the form below or from our website: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/gfy9BtkRFv