ParentPay is used to pay for snacks, music lessons, trips, tickets, and books. It is now a pre-requisit upon admission that lunch is paid for monthly, by standing order.
Part of our cashless system, ParentPay removes the possibility of loss or theft of money from students. Parents credit money to their child’s account online via the website with a credit/debit card or at a PayPoint outlet with a PayPoint card. ParentPay login details and instructions will be sent to you along with a request slip for a PayPoint card. Any questions on how to use the system can be answered by our Finance department.
Please note – students who wish to attend paid-for recreational trips, e.g. the ski trip, may not be allocated a place if they have an outstanding debt on their school dinner account. All outstanding debts should be paid, and payments kept up-to-date before a student is allocated a place on a trip where a payment is required. This does not affect essential educational trips.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
When students join the academy, parents/carers are posted their log in details and this step-by-step activation guide. It is very straightforward to set up your account. You can also link your accounts (use just one log in) if you have more than one child at the school or at different schools who both use ParentPay for online payments.
Any questions on how to use the system can be answered by our Finance department: finance@thecityacademy.org
The academy requires parents/carers to use ParentPay to pay for school dinners, trips, concert tickets and resources.
ParentPay accepts MasterCard and Visa credit cards, and Maestro, Switch, Delta, Electron, Solo and Visa debit cards. Some schools may limit the use of credit cards for some transactions; you will be informed by the school directly of any such restrictions.
Yes. In fact, it’s as safe to pay online with ParentPay as it is to use your credit card in a shop or over the phone. ParentPay uses leading technology to process your credit/debit card transactions securely. All communication with the bank is encrypted. Neither ParentPay nor the school have access to your card details and your card details are never kept by ParentPay or the school.
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian are also allowed free school meals. Your child may also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both:
- Younger than the compulsory age for starting school
- In full-time education
If you have No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) your child can get free school meals if your household earnings are less than £16,190 per year and if:
- You are a Zambrano carer – A non-EEA National primary carer of a British child
- Your family is receiving support from a local authority under Section 17 of the Children’s Act 1989 (for example, from social services or the NRPF team).
- Your family has been granted leave to remain with NRPF on the basis of family or private life grounds
All children from families who receive Section 4 support from the Home Office are also temporarily eligible for free school meals and do not need to have their income assessed.
When students join the academy, parents/carers are posted their log in details and this step-by-step activation guide. It is very straightforward to set up your account. You can also link your accounts (use just one log in) if you have more than one child at the school or at different schools who both use ParentPay for online payments.
For more information please visit www.parentpay.com.