School lunch refunds?!

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If children are off poorly?!

basically up untik not long ago my children’s primary school had a system you could just make sure the money was in your account on the day or even take cash and they could have it. They more recently changed to a booking system which I can understand to minimise food waste, you can book up to the night before online or even in the morning if you contact the school. You don’t make. A good choice online, just to say they are having it.

if say you have pre booked a few days and a week in advance and your child gets poorly would you want to be refunded?

on a couple occasions, my children have been sent home before lunch and had the money refunded as they didn’t eat there.

but a few times now my daughter has been poorly, I’ve contacted the school first thing, before 8am. I would be expected to be refunded as my child will not be in?! I’ve even made a point of saying just a heads up they are booked for school lunches. But never had the money back (or even just putting it back into their balance for another day!)

is this the norm? When I’ve asked I’ve never got a response! I know they haven’t got time to check through everything and everyone’s lunch accounts but I’ve spent money on lunches that won’t be eaten 🤦‍♀️

she goes school dinners once or twice a week.

I disagree. If the meal has been ordered then it needs paying for with cancellation at such short notice. They have a cut off of the night before and that's it.

My kids school uses school gateway app for booking lunches and does issue a refund if they're off. I was surprised though and assumed they wouldn't...

I wouldn’t expect a refund or credit for same day or short notice cancellation for illness because that food has been ordered / paid for.

Same with wraparound I wouldn’t expect a refund of late cancellation.

But I think the school should have a clear policy on this.

my kids school has a lunch booking system and I pay a month in advance but if they don’t go in then they aren’t charged. The kids are asked by the teacher in the morning whether they are having packed lunch or which option of school dinner they would like from the menu. They must feed this back to the kitchen and only then does the money come off your account.

I work in a school and if a child is absent they are not charged for a dinner, even if they pre order one online, even if they order one at morning registration but then go home sick mid morning.
are you sure your school actually charge when the child is absent?
i would surprised if any school do this

So this school allows parents to make amendments right up to midnight the night before ie roll over the booked lunch to another date.

However, the OP wants a cash refund and to be able to call up on the morning.

Honestly , I feel for these schools

I used to work in a school office about 6 years ago. I would get the registers and in each one there would be a note from the teacher saying how many for packed lunch, school dinners and any special diets. I would add them all up and phone the kitchen to give them the numbers.

All that wasted time

when an online system whereby amendments can be made up until midnight the day before… is so much more sensible.

Naturally there will be parents like the OP who think that isn’t good enough, and they should get money back if they call up on the morning

This sounds nuts! I’m in Scotland and our system is like how you said yours used to be. You just make sure there is enough money in the kids account and the teacher takes orders in the morning. Only p6 and p7 pay for lunches here though. I would not be happy not to be refunded for lunches my kid couldn’t eat through no fault of their own!

Most schools use outside catering companies and aren’t paying for the food themselves.
I’m not suggesting they can afford to lose money either, but it’s not coming out of the school budget.

It very likely will be coming out of the school’s budget.

The school will subsidise in all likelihood

I am a teacher and also a parent. In my school, if a child is absent the lunch order isn’t put through to the kitchen and the child’s account is refunded. You shouldn’t be expected to pay for something you’ve not received.