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AIBU?

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Original poster

To only pay for school dinners when I get a text from the school?

89 replies

NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:13

We’ve been told that arrears of 2 weeks worth of dinners will mean that the pupil will have to bring school dinners in and will not be given a school meal.

I’ve always waited for the ‘reminder’ and paid it anyone else?

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 21/10/2021 22:27

Um ours

ZeroFuchsGiven · 21/10/2021 22:28

Joke?

hangrylady · 21/10/2021 22:30

Grow up

StealthPolarBear · 21/10/2021 22:30

No. We camt be tje only ones.

Original poster
NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:32

@hangrylady

Grow up
In what respect?
OP posts:
MrsRobbieHart · 21/10/2021 22:33

Just incase you didn’t know Op but the school have to pay for every text they send. It mightn’t seem like much but schools operate on really tight budgets and you really can do something to avoid that cost for them.

idontlikealdi · 21/10/2021 22:33

We pay half termly in advance

Original poster
NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:34

I can’t even see a prepay option on the app tbh.

OP posts:
TempName01 · 21/10/2021 22:36

Or app is crap, it doesn’t say how much each meal is or which days you are paying for it just makes you put in any amount then we get a message when it needs topping up. It would make more sense if it gave the option of paying per day/week/month/term.

Wiaa · 21/10/2021 22:37

At my sons school they can pick and choose whether to have school meals on a day to day basis so you always pay in arrears. I believe you can preload the account if you wish but I've no idea when you need/have to pay by.

ImUninsultable · 21/10/2021 22:37

How long are you leaving it then?

If you cant prepay, can you see an account balance telling you what you owe before you get a text? Can you not just go on at the end if each day or one Friday afternoon and pay for the week they've just had?

It's really unusual. Maybe phone them and ask how it works because every other school app or parent pay thing let's you pay first.

Pinetreesfall · 21/10/2021 22:37

Crikey we have to put upfront in July for September to December for senior lunches. The school aren't your credit facility.
Have you tried ringing them to discuss what the issue is with putting the money on each Monday?!

ikeepseeingit · 21/10/2021 22:37

I guess you’ll just have to remember to do it weekly.I imagine they got stuck with some people never paying and it’s annoyed them or something. Weird you’re not supposed to preload it though, that’s a little counter intuitive.

Youdoyoutoday · 21/10/2021 22:37

Which app do you use?

Our school has parent mail and you can log on and purchase meals for about a month in advance.

By just waiting for a reminder seems to be causing grief all round and surely, if you don't know something about the app you use, you could simply email the school for clarification?

NoSquirrels · 21/10/2021 22:39

If this is how you’ve always done it, why are you questioning it now?

We’re at primary school where you pay in advance on ParentPay when you choose what meal/days your kids would like, or secondary where it’s a preloaded account accessed by thumbprint. At secondary if there’s no money in their account they can’t buy; at primary if you forgot to order meals or didn’t send a packed lunch they’d sort out a school meal but it would be whatever was leftover and you’d be pulled up sharpish to pay.

If your school does it in arrears then there’s no reason not to wait for the official reminder to pay.

1stWorldProblems · 21/10/2021 22:39

I work in a primary school with Scopay - we would definitely prefer you to have credit on your child’s account. I spend a good chunk of time each week chasing dinner debts as we a) don't want a massive debt, made up of lots of little debts to the school & b) don't want any parent to build up a debt they can't pay back easily. If you're on Scopay then you can definitely preload your acc with credit.

Original poster
NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:39

@Wiaa

At my sons school they can pick and choose whether to have school meals on a day to day basis so you always pay in arrears. I believe you can preload the account if you wish but I've no idea when you need/have to pay by.
Sounds like the same kind of set up.
OP posts:
Original poster
NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:41

@NoSquirrels

If this is how you’ve always done it, why are you questioning it now?

We’re at primary school where you pay in advance on ParentPay when you choose what meal/days your kids would like, or secondary where it’s a preloaded account accessed by thumbprint. At secondary if there’s no money in their account they can’t buy; at primary if you forgot to order meals or didn’t send a packed lunch they’d sort out a school meal but it would be whatever was leftover and you’d be pulled up sharpish to pay.

If your school does it in arrears then there’s no reason not to wait for the official reminder to pay.

Yes it’s parent pay, but we’ve been told not to prebook meals.
OP posts:
WholeClassKeptIn · 21/10/2021 22:41

Contact the school. We can perhaps help if you tell us what app but an email to the school office will tell you hoe to pay so they aren't chasing you.

Original poster
NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:42

@NoSquirrels I’m questioning because we’ve been told children will not be given lunch.

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 21/10/2021 22:43

Just ask school then? Sounds weird to me.

On ours you prebook meals up to 6 weeks in advance. Then school know who’s supposed to eat what, you know what your child is definitely getting for lunch, there’s less food wastage and it’s more efficient all round.

Ask your school…

Serendipity79 · 21/10/2021 22:43

Our app you can absolutely pre load it and school prefer it as they draw down daily. Its also itemised and you have to purposefully select to "pay later"

Im a school governor and Im always upset by the amount of debt we carry in relation to dinners and wrap around clubs because people think they will just pay at the end of the month (sometimes later) and the school wont mind. That can be a significant amount of money for someone whose having school meals and wrap around every day.

And then we pay again to send text reminders to fully grown adults who should be able to remember to pay for their children's meals without being reminded..... Please think about paying in advance, or if it has to be in arrears then pay every friday for that week and help the school out!

Original poster
NumberZ · 21/10/2021 22:44

Yes I will contact the school, looks like I have been unreasonable in paying when the school let me know so I will change my system. Communication isn’t the school’s strong point.

OP posts:
Serendipity79 · 21/10/2021 22:45

Just seen that its Parent Pay - you don't need to pre book the meals, and most primary's wont ask you to because kids often have a mix e.g. pack up once a week if they don't like Fishy Friday - but you can definitely load credit onto the account

Justgettingbye · 21/10/2021 22:46

My daughter gets the free school meals thats everyone is entitled to so I don't have to pay but I do work in a school and our parents are meant to pay in advance so the kitchen knows numbers, the dinner lists can go around to the classes and it's all paid for. Calling parents to sort out dinner issues takes up quite a lot of time surprisingly

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