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Westdene Primary School & Nursery

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Parent Pay

INTRODUCTION

ParentPay is a secure online payment system that we use to collect payments for the majority of school purchases including dinners, trips, events and clubs.

In an attempt to be a cashless school, we are asking all parents to use this e-payment method to pay the school. You will have a secure online account, activated using a unique set of activation codes (please speak to the School Office for these activation codes).

Please click here for the Activation Guide. More than one child using ParentPay? Click here to Merge Accounts and use just one account (even if they are at different schools).

Making a payment is straightforward and ParentPay holds an electronic record of your payments to view at a later date; no card details are stored in any part of the system and the school does not have access to this information. Once you’ve activated your account you can make online payments straight away.

Parents who are unable to make payments online, or wish to continue paying in cash, can request a PayPoint Card. This will enable you to pay at any store which displays the PayPoint sign. Please be aware that payments made via PayPoint can take up to three days to be credited to pupil accounts. Please inform the school if you require a PayPoint Card.

SCHOOL MEALS

Meals cost £2.20 per day or £11.00 per week. You can choose to pay weekly, monthly, per term or per year but you must have funds on account before a meal is taken.

We do ask that your account is kept in credit at all times as we are unable to provide meals without payment.

If you are entitled to free school meals then we do still encourage you to log in and activate your account. This will enable you to top up the account for drinks if required and also let you view what your child has chosen to eat each day.

What do I need to do now?
ParentPay activation details are available from the school office. If you would rather use the PayPoint method of payment then you must contact the office to request a PayPoint card (and a “barcode” letter as an interim measure).
What does Parent Pay involve?

Pupils do not pay for school meals, trips, swimming lessons, music clubs, etc. with cash. ParentPay is an online system which allows parents to pay for these school items online using a credit and/or debit card or to pay cash at local stores through the PayPoint network.

All pupils at Westdene School have a ParentPay account. We ask parents to activate these individual online pupil accounts by visiting www.parentpay.com and use the unique username and password provided by the school.
How are school meals paid for?

When a pupil collects a hot school meal, the charge is automatically added to their individual account.

Please credit your child’s account with funds for hot school meals in advance of a meal being taken using a debit or credit card, or by requesting a PayPoint card to facilitate paying cash at local PayPoint network stores.

Please contact the school if you need your child’s account activation details.
How much money should I put on my account?
It is up to you to choose how much money to put on the account but we would recommend a minimum of £11.00 to cover 5 days of school meals. Please also be aware that if you child buys a drink you will need enough money on your account to cover this additional cost. You can set a reminder on your account to send you an alert either via a text message or email to remind you that your balance is low. If there is no money on your account, we will contact you via text or email to ask that you add money to your account. The school is unable to continue to provide meals without payment.
What happens if my child has no money in their account?
Your child can still have a school meal. This MUST be paid back in full the next day either by adding funds to your ParentPay account or by taking cash to a PayPoint outlet (with accompanying letter or PayPoint card).
My child is entitled to a free meal, how does it work?
The free meal allowance will be automatically credited to your child’s account each lunch time. You do not need to do anything. The allowance will not carry over to the next day if it is not used. We would encourage you to still activate your ParentPay account to view what meal your child has chosen and to see what meal choices there are for future dates. Using this system means that free meal entitled pupils are not identifiable at all within the dining hall. If you think you may be entitled and would like to claim visit https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/children-and-education/schools/free-school-meals - the application is very quick and simple or call 01273 293 497.
Can I use my Childcare Vouchers to pay for dinner money?
If you are a working parent, your employer may offer childcare solutions – including childcare vouchers - which qualify for Income Tax and National Insurance exemptions (either in part or completely) providing certain conditions are met. Please refer to the HMRC website for further information: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/ir115.pdf. We can only accept childcare vouchers for payment of our Extended Services After School Club and Breakfast Club. The school cannot accept childcare vouchers in payment for any other school item or event including but not limited to trips and dinner money.
What if I want to continue to pay in cash at school?
Unfortunately we will not be offering the facilities to accept cash (unless there are exceptional circumstances and this has been prearranged with the school). If you do not have access to your online account, please request a PayPoint letter and cash can be put on to your child’s account at any PayPoint outlet. The nearest PayPoint stores to school are Mace (36 Eldred Avenue), Co-Op (21-23 Old London Road, Patcham), Spar (Mill Road) and Wilmington Convenience (4 Wilmington Parade).
What if I cannot access a computer to use ParentPay?
We are committed towards a completely cashless system. We would encourage you to visit your local library or internet café. You can also set up the PayPoint payment system as described above. If parents elect not to use ParentPay, we would ask that you provide a packed lunch.
Do I need separate accounts for each child at the school?
No. On the home page there is an Add a Child tab. Enter the username & password for the child you wish to add, click search and then click on Add child to your account.
What do I do if I have forgotten/lost my activation username/password?
You can request replacement details from the school office.
What does my child do if they want a school dinner?
Firstly we ask that you let your child know if they are to have a school dinner that day (and any other day). If a child does not have a packed lunch but is unsure if they are having a school dinner, we will contact you.

Your child will choose their meal at registration each morning. At lunchtime, they will collect their meal and proceed to the dining hall till. At this point, the till operator will select your child’s name and will also be able to see their photo. Teachers and Midday Supervisors will be on hand to help them with this process. A meal will then be logged against your child’s account and you will be able to view this later in the day. Your balance on ParentPay will decrease by £2.20 in payment for the meal. If your child also buys a 30p or 60p drink this will reduce your balance on account further. If there is no money on your account, we will contact you the next day to ask that you add money to the account. The school is unable to continue to provide meals without payment.
What does my child need to bring in to School if they want a school dinner?
Nothing. They will just need to say their name at the till and the till operator will check their photo and record what meal they took.
Does my child have to have a school dinner every day?
No. If you provide a packed lunch, your child will not have a meal recorded against your account and your balance remains unaffected. You can choose each morning to either provide a packed lunch or have a school dinner. We do however ask that if you do choose to have a school meal that you have money on your ParentPay account to pay for it.
Can I check what my child is eating at school?
Yes. You can see what he or she is buying through the ParentPay system. We would encourage you to check your account regularly to confirm the balance and to see what they are eating and what drinks they are buying.

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