Cashless Catering

Our School operates on a cashless catering system, find out more in our guide below on how it works within our school.

We also offer Online Payments for our Secondary Phase!

What is cashless catering?

The Cashless Catering system is a software application on the secure school network which sets up individual student accounts, holds individual cash balances, records cash spent and received and recording where money is spent, on what food, on any specific date or time of day.

What are the benefits of a cashless school?

Remove the free school meals stigma - Each pupil's account is entirely confidential and all pupils use the same payment method during meal times at the till.
Reduces cash in school - Cash in schools can be a problem regardless of the quantity. A cashless system allows staff to monitor payments and view historic purchases, reducing the amount of lost change and outside-the-gate spending on unhealthy foods.
Quick and efficient lunch service - The lunchtime rush can be stressful, with only 30-60 minutes to feed hundreds of hungry pupils. Cashless catering speeds up the lunchtime queues by using quicker identification methods and pre-collecting payments.

How are students recognised by the system?

Your child will be issued with a 4 digit pin code which will allow them to top up at the revaluation machine, check current balances and buy food at the point of sale points in the bistro or restaurant.

How is it then used to obtain a school meal?

Your child needs to simply enter their pin code at the till in the canteen; a display will show the server your child’s name, class, photo and current cash balance held on the system. The selected food items will be entered into the system from an itemised keyboard while the amount spent and the new cash balance will show on the display.

What about students entitled to free school meals?

The system works exactly the same for all students whether they pay or have a free school meal. All students have their own account to use in exactly the same way. The amount allocated for the free school meal will be entered on the system daily and can be used at any service breakfast, break or lunch. If your child underspends or misses their meal this will be identified but will not be added to the next day’s balance.

Your child may add extra credit on his or her balance in the system using the revaluation station or by payments online, to enable a greater daily spend on their meal, than allocated by their free school meal allowance of £2:30.

There will be no more ‘free meals’ tickets given out in forms during morning registration.

How is money entered onto the system?

Online payments is recommended as a quick, easy and convenient way for you to pay and this can be made through our online payment portal.

Online payments are synchronised to the cashless catering system every 5 minutes.

Coins or notes – We have a cash revaluation terminal located in our Primary Reception, and by the Canteen in our Secondary Phase. The units accept £20 – £10 – £5 notes and £2, £1, 50p, 20p & 10p coins.

Please note 1p -2p -5p coins cannot be used.

How does the revaluation station work?

Firstly enter your own 4 digit pin code number and this displays your name and current cash balance held on the system.

To top up an account you need to insert cash coins or notes into the slot. The cash balance will show on the display.

You can locate the reval units near Main Reception, Student Services and the Purple Wing.

Have you forgotten your child's PIN code?

Reset PIN Code

You can also use Online Payments

Alternatively, you can also sign up to Online Payments to pay for school dinners, snacks & school trips.

Online Payments

Cashless Catering