At Shoreham Academy we have a cashless electronic payment system for school meals. This enables us to deliver an efficient, fast service as well as providing wholesome and healthy meals at a low cost.
All pupils are issued with a diner swipe card when they start at the Academy. The card should be presented at the point of sale when purchasing items through the diner. Lost cards can be replaced at a cost of £2.00 which can be paid for via Parentpay.
The account can now only be credited by Paypoint Card or credit/debit card on the ParentPay website to top up a diner account and to pay for trips. You can credit the account with any amount although there is a minimum payment of £10 if using ParentPay to top up the diner. A daily spending limit of £7 is automatically programmed into the system. This amount can be decreased for an individual pupil by making a request to the Finance Office. For example, you may choose to credit the account with £20 but ask that no more than £3 be spent in any one day.
Payment by cheque
Cheques can no longer be used to credit diner accounts, they will be accepted only for some educational visits.
Cash
We are no longer accepting cash to credit the diner accounts. Please contact Finance team if you are experiencing any difficulties with the ParentPay site or crediting a diner account.
Payment using ParentPay
To pay by credit or debit card please log on to ParentPay and follow the on screen instructions. If you would like help with making an online payment, please contact the Finance Office. The minimum payment on ParentPay is £10.00.
It is important to remember that payments using ParentPay can take up to 24 hours to arrive in your child's account.
Paypoint Card
If you would like to make payments using a Paypoint Card please contact the Finance Office who will arrange for one to be sent to you. These can be used in any shop or outlet displaying the Paypoint sign.
It is important to remember that payments made on Paypoint cards to pay for trips will need a 'barcode letter' which is available from the Finance Office. Payments can take up to 48 hours to arrive in your child's account.
You can check the balance on your child's account by logging on to the ParentPay website and looking on the right hand side of your homepage. Pupils can also use the pad outside the Diner to check their balance.
Q & A about the cashless system
What is a Cashless System?
At the heart of the cashless system there is a computer controlled by software. This allows the system to recognise each individual pupil, hold individual cash balances, record cash spent and cash received, record where money is spent, on what food, on any specific date and time of day.
How is the system used by pupils?
The pupil will collect food on a tray and take it to a till. They will then place their diner card on a pad. A display will show the server a photo of the pupil. Their name, class and current cash balance will also be displayed as well as any dietary restrictions or spending limits. The selected food items will be entered into the system from an itemised list on the monitor while the amount spent and a new cash balance will show on the display.
How are dietary restrictions applied?
Should the pupil have a specific food allergy, or be a diagnosed diabetic, this medical information can be registered on the system advising the till operator not to allow specific items to be purchased.
Will we be able to have information on how the system is being used?
Reports can be obtained from the system giving comprehensive information on all aspects of use for each individual pupil as well as each day's service. These reports can be for a specific day or between any dates you wish and can be obtained from the Finance Office. Reports can show every item of food purchased, the cost and time of the transaction as well as listing payments made into the account.
What about pupils entitled to free school meals?
The system works exactly the same for all pupils whether they pay or have free school meals. The amount allocated for the free school meal will be entered into the individual pupil's account on a daily basis. This can be spent at lunchtimes only. However, any underspend or missed lunch will not be carried over to the next day.
The pupil can also add extra cash on to his or her balance in any of the usual ways, to enable them to spend more than the cost of a free school meal. Extra cash added in this way can also be used for breakfast or break time snacks as well as at lunchtime. This money will stay in the system until spent.