School meals and ParentPay

Biometric system

The school meals system is controlled by Live Register biometric technology and provides a cashless environment for meals within the school.  Each student will have their thumbprint taken (if permission has been given) and they will use their thumbprint to buy food in the canteen at break and lunch times.  Students who opt out of the biometric option will receive a pin number.

The advantages of the system to you the parent/carer are as follows:

• Convenience of paying for school meals online

• Discourages the misuse of school dinner money through spending in shops outside the school grounds

• Alleviates many of the associated problems with the use of cash in schools. i.e: loss, theft and bullying 

• Healthy eating is encouraged 

• Queuing times are reduced through increased speed of service 

• Detailed reports are available to you to see exactly what your child has bought each day

• Having control of their own accounts teaches students important life skills 

• A more efficient delivery of service helps the caterer to provide wholesome, healthy and enjoyable school meals at a low cost

Where we use students biometric data as part of an automated biometric recognition system (for example, students use fingerprints to receive school dinners instead of paying with cash, we comply with the requirements of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and are GDPR compliant.  Please see the Privacy Notice on our website (Data Protection Policy is available on our website).

Parents/carers and students have the right to choose not to use the school’s biometric system(s). We will provide alternative means of accessing the relevant services for those students. For example, students can pay for school dinners via a pin code at each transaction if they wish.

Parents/carers and students can object to participation in the school’s biometric recognition system(s), or withdraw consent, at any time, and we will make sure that any relevant data already captured is deleted.

As required by law, if a student refuses to participate in, or continue to participate in, the processing of their biometric data, we will not process that data irrespective of any consent given by the students’ parent(s)/carer(s).

If you wish your child to use the biometric system, you must consent via the Arbor Parent Portal.  Should you wish to opt out of the biometric cashless system then your child will be issued with a pin number which will work in the same way without the need for the thumbprint.

Free school meals

Students eligible for free school meals will be registered on the same system, (thumbprint or pin number).  You can check whether you are eligible for free school meals by visiting Hertfordshire County Council website at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals.

Students on free school meal entitlement can also place additional money on their account.  The free school meal allowance will always be used in full before additional funds are used, however it does not roll over to the next day, it must be used each day.

The meal accounts may be ‘topped up’ using ParentPay, which is our only method of payment for school lunches, trips etc.  A ParentPay link code and instructions are provided separately. 

Packed lunches

Provision is made for those children who wish to bring a packed lunch to school.  However, no fizzy drinks are allowed (e.g. cola, energy drinks or Lucozade).

School meals

Students are offered a variety of choices aimed at a healthy balanced diet. There is always a meal of the day option but students can also choose form a selection of sandwiches and pasta dishes. Please see our website for prices and menu: School Meals

During breaks students will not be permitted to leave the premises unless we receive a specific request in writing from the parent/carer.  Absenting themselves at such a time will result in a sanction being served.