Finance

Biometric authentication is the automatic recognition of a living being using suitable characteristics. When students join the school, a scan of their fingerprint is taken to enable students to access our cashless catering system. Please be reassured that the fingerprint images taken by Longdean School cannot be used by any other source for identification purposes. The system uses an image of the finger to create a mathematical algorithm and then discards the finger image. Only the numbers remain and these cannot be reinterpreted back into a finger image.  

Biometric readers are used at school on revaluation machines and on every canteen till.

In order for students to gain biometric access to the cashless catering system, parents need to complete the pre-admission form in Applicaa and provide parental consent.  

When a student leaves school all biometric data is deleted. 

We operate a “cashless” catering system in the school which uses biometric authentication (fingerprint scan) when parental permission is received, or alternatively a PIN can be used. 

There are two balance display machines in the main canteen allowing students to see what funds they have in their account. Students account balance can also be checked on the iPay website.

Students can top up their lunch accounts using the revaluation machines with cash (notes, £2, £1, 50p, 20p and 10p coins only; 5p, 2p and 1p coins are not accepted). Please note that students should bring the correct monies that they wish to put on their lunch account as there is no facility to give change in school.

Cheque payments are NOT accepted. 

Please note, when crediting a student's account it can take up to 20 minutes for the money to be available on the catering system.

Parents can request a daily spending limit for their child. For example, you can credit £10.00 on your child’s lunch account and set a daily spending limit at £3.00. Any unused money is automatically carried forward to the next day. 

Scholars’ Education Trust accepts childcare vouchers but only for specified activities within the rules of the Government Childcare Voucher Scheme.

Use of Childcare Vouchers

Childcare vouchers are only acceptable for the following eligible activities:

• Breakfast Club
• After School Club

Childcare vouchers are not accepted for the following:

• School lunches
• Voluntary contribution
• Extra Curriculum Clubs
• School trips during school hours or related to the school curriculum
• Residential trips that take place away from the school’s registered premises.

Please be aware that, under HMRC rules, any overpayment of childcare vouchers cannot be refunded directly to parents due to the tax benefits received on purchase.

For additional information, please refer to Gov.uk Tax Free Childcare

If your child is entitled to free school meals it is your responsibility to ensure that the entitlement is transferred from primary to secondary school. This can be confirmed by telephone on 0300 123 4048 or via the Hertfordshire CC website.

Students entitled to free school meals will have their catering account credited with £2.75 to be used at break/lunchtime on a daily basis. Any unused amount will be lost at the end of each day.  In addition, there is a £1 allowance added for breakfast and if unused, this will be lost each day.

We have a limited number of lockers available for students to hire and they are initially allocated by random selection and a waiting list maintained thereafter. You will be notified, if successful, to make your payment once the allocation process has taken place. If your child has a medical need which you feel will require him/her to have a locker, you can contact the your Year's Pastoral Manager to discuss and we will do our best to accommodate their needs.  

You will be notified by email, if successful and a payment request together with terms and conditions will be provided once the allocation process has taken place. A combination padlock will be issued once the locker has been paid for.  

Locker costs: 

• One off deposit - £10.00 (£5.00 for pupil premium students)
• Annual rental - £10.00 (£5.00 for pupil premium students) 

Should students lose the padlock to their locker they will need to pay £10.00 to purchase a replacement. The deposit will be returned when the student leaves the school (or surrenders the locker), upon returning their issued padlock and leaving the locker in a serviceable condition.