The school operates a “cashless” catering system to pay for meals in school. The system operates by paying for school meals in advance and the money is used by students each day to pay for their choice of meals and drink.
Each student is issued with a card which shows their name, photograph and year group. This card will be needed to pay for meals at the tills. Money can be put onto this card as follows:
- Opening a Parent Pay Account, by accessing com, using individual account details which will be sent to you separately or can be requested by contacting finance@turton.uk.com
- By taking the “bar coded” payment letter which will be posted to you, to a Pay Point provider and paying in cash. If mislaid, copies of letters can be requested from the Finance Office at any time. Staff cover the office during the summer break and can be contacted at the email address given.
- Students entitled to Free School Meals, will receive a daily credit of £2.60 which is automatically entered on the system at lunchtime each day.
The Parent Pay account method provides an electronic option to pay and check balances online at any time. It is the school’s preferred method of payment and has proven easy to use and the majority of our students use this system.
Please be aware that all pupils will be able to pay for a lunch in cash during their Induction Day prior to starting school in September. However, from the start of term advance payment is needed.
Note: Payments can be made using this system at any time by parents and can be used to check remaining balances on a pupil’s account. A daily limit is not set by the school and the amount paid in can be decided by the parent. If you have any concerns regarding the level of spend by your child, please contact the Finance Office at any time
Students will need to keep their card safe as they will need it every day. Cards which have been bent, damaged or defaced in any way will have to be replaced, at a cost to the student of £2. New cards can be purchased from the dining room.
If a student does not have their card, then they will only be able to obtain two pieces of toast at break and a ‘grab bag’ at lunchtime. This consists of a sandwich and a cup which they can fill from the water fountain.
Any funds remaining on a student’s account as they leave Turton can be reimbursed. Any funds that are not claimed are transferred to the school’s hardship fund after the close of the academic year.
If you have any queries about the cashless catering system, please contact the school or email the Finance Office at finance@turton.uk.com
Turton School operates a ‘cashless’ catering system via ParentPay.com, a safe and convenient online website to pay for school meals. It is also used to pay for school trips and learning resources.
Each student will be issued with an ID card showing their name, photograph and year group in September, which they will use to pay for food and drinks at the tills in the school dining room. Students will need their card every day and should keep it safe. You will be provided with an activation letter and instructions on how to set up your ParentPay account ahead of the new term. The account can be credited by credit/debit card. You can request a copy of your activation letter from finance@turton.uk.com
Students will be able to pay for lunches with cash on the induction day ONLY
Frequently asked questions
- My child receives a free school meal. Do I need an account?
Yes! You should still set up a ParentPay account to provide your consent and payment for other items
such as school trips for example. Students who have a free school meal entitlement will receive £2.60
daily, available at lunchtime only and pay for their food and drinks the same way as other students.
The school will be notified by the local authority if your child has an entitlement.
- My child has lost their card. What should they do?
Replacement cards are available from the Student Support Centre (SSC) and cost £2.00, payable in cash (We plan to move this item to ParentPay in the new school year). Cards that are bent, damaged or defaced should also be replaced.
- How do I check my child’s balance?
After logging into your activated account, click on your child’s name to open a new page.
The balance will be displayed as: ‘Message from till <date, time> Primary purse <amount> Funds are usually available on an account within half an hour
of a payment being made, however, please ensure you allow sufficient time to make your payment and by 12:00pm at the latest.
ParentPay updates daily at 5:00pm – please check AFTER this time for the most accurate balance. I have forgotten to top up my child’s card, what will happen?
If your child’s account does not have sufficient funds or your child has forgotten their card, they will be able to obtain 2 pieces of toast at morning break and a ‘grab bag’ at lunchtime. This consists of a sandwich and a cup, which they can fill from the water fountain. The cost will be deducted from the account once a top up payment has been made.
Please note this support is for the short‐term only; if funds are not replaced in a timely manner, the Head of Year will be informed and parent/carer contacted to discuss further.
- Can I control my child’s spending?
Yes. A daily allowance amount decided by parent/carer can be applied to an account to help with
budgeting. The allowance is available at morning break and lunchtime only, not before school. Please
ensure funds are topped up before 10:00am so they are available when the allowance becomes active.
If you wish to set an allowance, please email finance@turton.uk.com with your preferred daily limit
amount.
Important
Your account should also be used to pay for school trips; cash and cheques are not accepted. If your
child has been invited on a trip by a department, the option to pay for such activities will automatically
appear on your account.
By paying via ParentPay, you are also consenting for your child to take part
in the trip.
- Making payments
It is recommended to pay using ‘other payment method’ via a debit/credit card rather than Bank
Transfer. Though dinner money will be available the same day, the Bank Transfer option may result in
a delay in the funds leaving your account which can cause issues with pending payments on trips and
sometimes lead to a failed payment.
ParentPay support
- Logging in
If you experience any difficulty logging into your account after it has been activated, please check you
are using a new web page to clear any ‘cookies’ first and that you are using the correct username
(email address) and password, before contacting school. It is also recommended you set a password
unique to ParentPay, rather than use the same one across multiple websites.
- Further questions
There is a detailed ‘FAQ’ section accessed via the ‘For Parents’ tab which should provide answers to
the majority of queries. However, please contact the Finance Office via finance@turton.uk.com should
your query not be covered.
If you would like to add ParentPay to an iPhone’s home screen:
1. Step 1 ‐ Navigate to www.parentpay.com on your browser and select the 'Share' icon on the
bottom navigation bar (square with upward arrow).
2. Step 2 ‐ Scroll across the options, until you get the 'Add to Home Screen' option and click it.