New online school payment service trial
Following feedback from parents and carers, a new online school payment service is being trialled in four schools and one family centre in East Renfrewshire in the coming weeks.
Paying for school meals and trips can sometimes cause last minute panics at home, especially when we all lead such busy lives and there’s so much else to think about.
East Renfrewshire Council believes it has now come up with an effective solution to help time-pressed parents and carers with this process and is trialling ParentPay from the start of the summer term (April 2016).
ParentPay is an online payments system already used in more than 6000 schools throughout the UK to facilitate convenient payment for products and services, eliminating the need for any money to ever change hands.
In October 2015, a survey was issued to parents and carers in East Renfrewshire to try to identify the sort of system they felt would be most beneficial. More than 1,400 responses indicate that ParentPay ticks all the boxes including:
- ParentPay is easy-to-use and will offer the freedom to make online school payments whenever and wherever you like, 24/7.
- Payments can be made by credit/debit card.
- You will be able to pay for multiple items (meals, school excursions/trips etc.) in a single transaction.
- You will be able to make payments for more than one child even if they attend different schools.
- Parents can choose to be alerted when their balances are low via email.
- Full payment history and statements are available.
- Pupils will not have to worry about losing money.
- Mobile optimised website, so you can access your account from a smart phone without the need to download an app or use a computer.
Where
Over the course of the summer term, the council will implement the new system and monitor feedback at four schools and in one family centre before roll-out to all of East Renfrewshire on a phased basis in the new school session 2016/17.
The trial schools are:
- Woodfarm High School
- Thornliebank Primary School
- Braidbar Primary School
- Giffnock Primary School
- Glen Family Centre
How to get started with ParentPay
Parents and carers of pupils at the four schools trialling the system will shortly be sent account activation details. Simply follow the instructions in the letter and you’re off and running!
Once the trial period is over, we will advise parents and carers of pupils throughout East Renfrewshire when the new system will be available for their child’s school in the new 2016/17 term.
For more information on ParentPay please visit:
