Catering
The school operates a cashless catering system for pupils to purchase a meal. Your child will be allocated an account which they access via a biometric print for their meals. Monies can be credited to their account either by an online payment system called ParentPay or by the revaluation machines in school.
Alternatively, pupils may bring in a packed lunch. Parents are asked to indicate their preferences at the beginning of each year. It must be emphasised that pupils must remain on the premises for the entire lunch break. No responsibility can be accepted for any pupil who disobeys this rule.
Pupils who are in receipt of Free School Meals are entitled to food to the current value of the allowance.
For any family who wants to apply for Free School Meals, please click on the link below:
https://www.dudley.gov.uk/residents/benefits/free-school-meals/
Alternatively, you can complete the form and post to: Benefits Services Division, Council House, Priory Road, Dudley DY1 1HF.
If you need any further information or assistance then please contact the Free School Meals team on 01384 814543.
MENU - Spring/Summer 2024
Cashless Catering FAQs
Q: What is a Cashless System?
A Cashless Catering System is a solution, which is purpose designed to meet the ever evolving needs and demands of the Catering Provision that is required by today’s Schools and Academies.
The Trust-e Cashless Solution allows schools to be better able to provide their students with a faster, more efficient and more appealing meal service.
Q: What is Biometric?
Biometric is simply a method of identifying an individual person. We will be using an algorithm based scan, which reads between 50 & 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.
Q: 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 our provider, National Retail Systems Ltd, can access. Once an account is credited the pupil or staff member places their finger/thumb on the EPOS Terminal, which looks up their account details and allows them to purchase items using only this method of identification.
Q: How does my child register on the Biometric System?
Registration days will take place to ensure the system is set up for the ‘Live’ day of the Cashless System. At this time registration terminals will be placed in the school. Your child will attend at a requested time and they will be required to place their finger/thumb on a Biometric sensor twice to obtain a matching template, which only takes as few seconds.
Q: What methods of payment can be used to credit an account?
Any amount can be credited to an account by way of any of the following methods. Once an account has been credited the monies cannot be withdrawn and must be spent on the school meal/break services.
On-Line Payments
We have introduced On-Line Payments in partnership with the Cashless Catering System. To make a payment on line please go to www.parentpay.com to make an electronic payment.
PayPoint If requested you will be issued with a PayPoint card, which can be used to top up your child’s account at your local PayPoint stores. Payments via PayPoint will take up to 48 hours to be credited to the appropriate account. You can find your local stores by visiting the website below. http://www.paypoint.co.uk/locator.aspx
Cash at the Revaluation Units
Revaluation units will be sited at different locations within the school. These can be used to top up accounts by the pupil/member of staff by placing their finger/thumb on the sensor followed by inserting the accepted tender below:
£20, £10, £5 notes
£2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p coins
(Please note – copper coins are not accepted)
Introduction to ParentPay
ParentPay is an online secure payment and information system for parents to pay for catering, school visits/trips and revision resources using their Credit or Debit Card. Parents have a secure online account accessed via www.parentpay.com, activated using a unique username and password which you will have received via a letter when your child started at Redhill.
Before you begin to activate your account you will need an active email address – this will be used for account verification and login purposes. You will be prompted to change the activation username and password to your email address and own memorable password. Please keep these safe and secure as you will use these in the future to log in to your account. If you have more than one child at Redhill or children at other ParentPay schools, you can create a single account login for all your children.
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 have activated your account you can make online payments straight away by using a Credit or Debit Card, the account is credited in ‘real time’.
If you have lost your activation letter or have not received it please contact the school for a copy