Westcliff High School for Boys (together with Westcliff High School for Girls) use a cashless catering system. This system allows us to continue with the development of the school meal service, and provides us with a more efficient, faster and, ultimately, better quality of service whilst also removing the problems around forgetting dinner money. Cashless catering systems are being used successfully at around 5,000 schools across the UK.

This system incorporates the latest technology and eliminates the need for pupils to carry cash throughout the day. As it is also a biometric system (see FAQ document), there is no need for pupils to carry a card as the system will recognise the thumb of your child at the tills. In addition, free school meals are automatically registered on the system.

The system allows for any amount of money to be paid into a pupil’s account via ParentPayand the money spent on food and drink will be deducted on a daily basis. Dining Hall payments will have to be made by topping up your child’s catering account on ParentPay.    A daily ‘spend limit’ of £7 will be programmed into the system. This can be increased or decreased for an individual pupil by making a written request to the School’s Finance Office. Through ParentPay, you will be able to see what food and drink your child has purchased.

As per current legislation, we will be operating an ‘Opt In’ policy and therefore require you to check the relevant consent box on the ‘Required Details’ form. If you choose not to have your child registered on the Biometric System, a 4-digit PIN code will be allocated.  Please note that PIN codes do not have the same level of security and it will be your child’s responsibility to remember the code and keep it secure at all times. The preference of the School is to use biometrics as this is more secure and faster than other methods of identification and we would be grateful for your co-operation with regards to this matter.  The FAQ document should answer any questions you may have but if this is not the case, then please Mr S Rothon through the School Office.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cashless system?

Cashless Catering System is a solution which is purpose designed to meet the ever evolving needs and demands of the catering provision required by today’s Schools and Academies. The Trust-e Cashless Solution allows schools to be better able to provide their students and staff with a faster, more efficient and more appealing meal service.

What is 'biometric'?

Biometric is simply a method of identifying an individual person. The Trust-e Cashless System uses an algorithm based scan, which reads between 50 and 130 points on the finger/thumb. It is not a fingerprint in any way, shape or form and is of use only in the Cashless System.

How does a biometric system work?

The information of a pupil or staff member, who has been biometrically registered, is stored on a secure biometric controller within the school, which only your provider, Nationwide Retail Systems, can access with permission from the School. Once an account is credited, the pupil or staff member places their finger/thumb on the EPOS Terminal Biometric Reader, which looks up their account and allows them to purchase items using only this method of identification.

How does my child register on the biometric system?

Registration days will take place leading up to the ‘go live’ day of the Cashless System. During these days, registration terminals will be placed in the School. Your child will attend at a requested time and will be required to place their finger/thumb on the Biometric Reader 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.

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

The system has been set up so that each pupil has an online account on ParentPay.

How can I check the credit on an account?

This can be done either at a till or online within each ParentPay account.

Can I change my child's 'daily spend limit'?

Yes – the amount your child can spend throughout one day can be changed by written request or e-mail to the School Finance Office. Please contact your School for information on the current spend limits in place.

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

An automatic overdraft can be set up, which will allow the pupil/staff member to go into debit at the cost of 1 meal. The Cashless Catering System has a debt tracking facility and the ability to send debt letters to overdue account holders.

How do 'free meal' entitlements work?

All free meal entitlements will be entered on to the system prior to the ‘live’ day. The Cashless Catering System will, on a daily basis, automatically allocate the appropriate accounts with the free school meal amounts. Pupils with FSM entitlement remain anonymous at all times as all account types are accessed in the exact same manner, regardless of whether paid for or not. Please note that 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 pupil. If your child is using a 4-digit PIN code, which someone obtains and attempts to use, the photograph shown at the EPOS Terminal will alert the operator of a fraudulent sale.

My child has an allergy. Will this be monitored through the cashless system?

Yes – all allergy records registered with the school will be entered on to the Cashless System. When pupils attempt to purchase an item, which contains 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 cannot consume due to dietary needs or religious reasons. Any such items must be confirmed in writing by the parent/guardian, and addressed to the School Office.

Can I see a report of my child's meal intake?

Yes – A full breakdown of purchases is included within your ParentPay account online.