School Meals - Eaton Bank Academy

Parent Pay

We operate a cashless catering facility in conjunction with ParentPay. This helps us to keep dinner queues to a minimum, reduces the need for students to carry cash, and enables parents to see what their children are eating.

A link to the ParentPay website can be found here.

Usernames and Passwords are issued to parents in advance of the Year 6 induction days and copies can be obtained from the school office by emailing postpoint@eatonbank.org.

Once logged on, to add credit to your account just click on ‘Pay for Items’ on the left of your screen under the heading ‘I want to…’ and then around the right of your screen, click on ‘add to basket.’ Enter the amount of credit you wish to add and click ‘add to basket’ again. All of the rest of the process should be self explanatory.

Cashless Payment FAQ

What is a Cashless System?

A Cashless Catering System allows parents to top-up their children’s school meal accounts electronically and children to pay using only a finger a thumbprint thanks to biometric technology.

What is Biometric?

Biometric is simply a method of identifying an individual person.  The system using an algorithm based scan, which reads between 50 and 130 points on the finger/thumb.  It is not a fingerprint and is of use only in the cashless system.

How does a Biometric System work?

The information of a student or staff member, who has been biometrically registered, is stored on a secure Biometric Controller within the school, which only our provider, Nationwide Retail Systems Ltd, can access.  Once an account is credited the student or staff member places their finger/thumb on the sales terminal, which looks up their account details and allows them to purchase items.

How does my child register on the Biometric System?

There is an opportunity to register at the Year 6 Parents’ Evening and on Day 2 of your child’s two-day induction in June.  Your child will be required to place their finger/thumb on a Biometric sensor twice to obtain a matching template, which only takes a few seconds.  If you have chosen to ‘Opt Out’ of this procedure, your child will be presented with a 4 digit PIN Code.

(NB September 2022 to current – We are currently using the PIN procedure rather than thumb reader)

What methods of payment can be used to credit an account?

Funds can be credited to the account by way of any of the following methods.  Once an account has been credited the monies cannot be withdrawn and must be spent on the school meal/break services.

On-Line Payments
On-line payments can be made via Parentpay. Login details are issued to each parent via the school office in advance of the Year 6 induction.

PayPoint
If you tell us that you would like to use Paypoint (just email postpoint@eatonbank.org or call the main school number) you will be issued with a PayPoint card, which can be used to top up your child’s account at your local PayPoint stores. Payments via PayPoint will take up to 48 hours to be credited to the appropriate account.

How can I check the credit on an account?

You can check the balance on your account at any time by using the ParentPay website. Pupils can also check their balance by their finger/thumb on to the revaluation machine or by entering a 4 digit PIN Code.  The current balance will then be displayed.

Can I change the daily ‘Spend Limit’?

Yes – The daily ‘Spend Limit’ has a default of £5 but this may be changed by written request to the school office.

What happens if my child’s account is not in credit?

How do ‘free meal’ entitlements work?

All free meal entitlements are entered on to the system by the school. Information about free school meals as passed on automatically from primary schools.  The Cashless Catering System will, on a daily basis, automatically allocate the appropriate account with the free meal amounts.  Students with Free Meal Entitlements remain anonymous at all times as all account types are accessed in the exact same manner regardless as to whether paid for or not.  NB.  Any monies not spent from the daily free meal allocation will not be carried over to the next day.

Can anyone else use my child’s account?

No – Due to the extensive security on Biometric templates no-one will be able to access your child’s account.  As a secondary precaution a photo image is allocated to each student.  If your child is using a 4 digit PIN Code, which someone obtains and attempts to use, the photograph shown on the sales terminal will alert the operator of a fraudulent sale taking place.

My child has an allergy, how will this be monitored?

All allergy records registered with the school will be entered on to the Cashless System.  When students attempt to purchase an item, which has ingredients that they are allergic to, the system will alert the operator and prevent them from selling the chosen item.

Can I dictate my child’s dietary requirements?

The system will allow you to register any items that your child is not allowed due to dietary needs or religious beliefs.  Any such items must be confirmed in writing by the parent/carer to the school office.

Can I use the system to pay for school trips as well?

Yes this is our standard method to pay for school trips.