ParentPay/Biometric Information
Online payments to school with ParentPay!
The Academy has introduced a more convenient way to pay for trips, after school clubs and much more online, using a secure service called ParentPay.
ParentPay is live at school and we no longer accepting cash and cheque payments, making the school a cash-free environment. Parents who need to continue making payments by cash may do so using the PayPoint network at local convenience stores.
Making secure payments online using your credit or debit card
ParentPay offers you the freedom to make payments whenever and wherever you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest internet security available.
You will have a secure online account, activated using a unique username and password; you will be prompted to change these, and to keep them safe and secure. If you have more than one child at our school, you can merge their accounts to create one login for all your children.
Making a payment is straightforward and ParentPay holds a payment history for you to view at a later date; no card details are stored in any part of the system. Once you’ve activated your account you can make online payments straight away.
Using PayPoint
PayPoint payments are recorded by ParentPay and can be seen by logging into your ParentPay account and viewing your payment history online.
Trip and activity information letters will carry a unique barcode which will allow you to make cash payments at your local PayPoint store.
We hope you will support us in achieving our goal to become a cashless school and reduce the workload on our staff. Your support in using ParentPay will help the school enormously, thank you.
For further information on ParentPay please visit their website.
Biometric Information
The Academy uses a biometric system for purchases from the restaurant. When your child goes to the till point, they will place their finger onto a pad which will call up their account and the purchase will be charged against this account. This system eliminates the risk of your child losing their cash both in and outside of the Academy, and also ensures that money you provide for school meals is only be spent on food in the Academy.
To initially set up an account for the computer system a scan of your child’s fingerprint is taken by the admin team which is then turned into a digital signature. Once the computer has turned the fingerprint into a mathematical algorithm, the image of the fingerprint is then discarded and only the numbers remain. Your child’s fingerprint is not stored on the computer. The information that is stored cannot be used to recreate an image of the fingerprint. When your child leaves the Academy the account together with the digital signature is deleted.
Free School Meals
For your child to qualify for a Free School Meal, you must be receiving a qualifying benefit. If you think you may be entitled to free school meals, please request a form from the Academy reception or apply online via the Kent County Council website.