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Rooks Heath School

Rooks Heath School

Strive to be your best

ParentPay – How It Works



At Rooks Heath we use an e-payment method to pay for lunch, trips, music lessons etc. as we no longer take cash or cheques.  This can be done online using a very secure website called ParentPay.

How ParentPay Works

All parents are issued with a unique username and password to log into the ParentPay website – www.parentpay.com.  If you have not yet received an Activation letter, please ask at Reception.  ParentPay accepts MasterCard, Visa, American Express credit cards and debit cards. Parents can view online the balance of their child’s catering account and a record of payments made.  Parents have the flexibility to make payments online as regularly and as often as they wish and may find it convenient to top up their child’s account monthly or weekly. The minimum top-up is £5.  The school has set a spend limit for all students of £6.  If you wish to reduce this amount, please contact Reception.

How does the catering company know to deduct payment from my account?

A finger will be placed on a biometric scanner at a till. This will activate an individual’s account which will be displayed on screen for the catering operator, including name and current balance.

What about students entitled to a ‘free school meal’ (FSM)?

The system works the same for all students whether they pay or have a free school meal.  All students have their own account to use in the same way.  The amount allocated for the free school meal will be entered into the system by the software daily.  The system will then allow on a daily basis the required cash amount for each individual student to be allotted to their current balance. However, any under spend or missed lunch will be identified by the system and will not be added to the next day’s balance.  The student can also add extra money on to his or her balance to enable a greater daily spend in the Rookery than allocated by their free meal allowance.

What do I do if I am unable to log onto ParentPay?

The ParentPay internet service should be reliable and available anytime. However, if parents experience any problems, they should contact the school for advice.

How do parents use PayPoint? 

For parents who do not wish to make payments via their bank account they can top up their child’s account using cash at PayPoint facilities in their local convenience stores. Parents who chose this method will be issued with a PayPoint card, which you can request at Reception.  A plastic card will be issued to you to make cash payments for Rookery meals at local PayPoint stores. The first card is free of charge; however, any lost or damaged cards will be charged at £5.00 each.  Payment cards take about 2 weeks to arrive, but we can issue a barcoded letter as an interim measure. Payments made by PayPoint may take up to 2 days to be credited to your child’s account.  PayPoint payments are recorded by ParentPay and can be seen by logging into your ParentPay account and viewing your payment history online.

How will my child access the Rookery if I haven’t a ParentPay account? 

Students cannot access the Rookery unless they have a credit on their account (FSM daily credit or payments made through ParentPay/PayPoint).  There is no overdraft facility, therefore a packed lunch should be provided for your child until your account is activated and topped up.  An activation letter can be obtained from the school Reception.

 

If you require help or further information, please visit https://www.parentpay.com/parent-account-faqs/  which will answer the questions listed below, if you are unable to locate the answer, contact Reception.

Managing your account

Security

Payments & Purchases

Refunds, Withdrawals & Transfers

History and Reports