Primary school emails - getting a touch annoyed

[MrsHouseMouse]

Oldest DS enjoys school dinners.
I pay for his weekly lunches every Monday evening so there's a few hours from lunch to the evening when the account is minus.
I recieve 2 emails in that time stating I need to top up his account...

... in red font.

It's only been this school year. Previous years have been perfectly fine.

I'm getting a little annoyed with this!

Don't start me on those Sparx emails 🤣🤣🤣

Omg those bloody emails 🙈 mine has now officially left school. No more Sparx 🎉

Is OP ever coming back 🤔

IF people had ANY idea how deep into the red some families go on their children's school meal accounts, in spite of repeated requests, reminders, telling them their children won't be served a school dinner, etc, and yet they still don't settle their accounts, then perhaps they'd understand. And some never pay.

Schools have to magic up the money to pay the school caterers if parents aren't paying in advance as required.

It's why secondary schools don't play this game at all. You get a £3.00 overdraft and that's it. No food will be provided if an account isn't topped up.

Bit harder to look at a 5 year old and say ' no food for you', though, and parents know it.

I’m not quite sure what responses you were expecting. Most people would get those emails and go “Oh no! I forgot to top up for little Johnny ahead of the school week!!” not “it’s so annoying I’m getting hassled because I’m purposefully using the account like a credit card”

You wouldn’t be allowed to eat at a restaurant and not pay until the next day,

YABVVVVU

If you are with Monzo bank you can get your incomings a day earlier but after 4pm. So maybe she gets money on a Tuesday. But I don't think any benefits are paid weekly.

Tax credits are if she is still on them. I got mine weekly until I got moved to UC at the end of 2022.

I mean, seriously, you need someone to point this out to you?! ⬆️

Most schools are currently operating on a shoestring budget so every penny counts & this would be an automated email. Just bloody pay on time. It's not hard.

OP doesn't return ... surprise!

Top it up by a couple of quid more? Or on a Sunday? Its automated… would you rather they leave it then your kid can’t get meals?
If you’re struggling then speak to school about free lunches

It's automated. It's just part of their system. The system recognises that your out of money or in debit and triggers and email. If you then get dinner and spend more will trigger another. The only way to avoid.it is top the account up with an extra days dinner money. Then carry on topping up each week by the amount you were already paying on the day you usually do then because it's a day paid you ahead of you it won't trigger it.

You're being very sensitive. It's automated. No one is sitting typing out a personal email and changing the font colour just to annoy you. Pay on Sunday if it annoys you this much.

This

My god being ask to pay what you Owe. Shocking. Where do you thinkthe money comes from

It's an automated email. Unfortunately there have been too many headlines of parents saying their kids were starved or denied lunch or given a sandwich because they didn't have lunch money in their account. Even teacher accounts get reminders when they drop in the red.

I would just make a one-off payment of £5 so your account is always in the black. You will get this money refunded to you when your child leaves the school, usually automatically.

Why are people comparing this to cafes, restaurants and supermarkets? Those are all businesses seeking to generate profits, the first two being luxuries and the latter likely having cheaper options available if need be.

I'm not saying that the school meals don't need to be paid for; but it's crazy to treat it like it's a luxury for a kid to have lunch.

I very much doubt that the school pay all of their bills in advance of using resources, utilities or supplies.

Where do you think the money comes from? Answer: the parent who has incurred the cost, a matter of hours afterwards.

If you’re struggling then speak to school about free lunches

I'm not sure it quite works that way...

Have to pay for the computer systems that run/record everything in advance. DfE pay for the kids educated for an entire year in arrears, though.

Pay on a Sunday. Surely not rocket science