Parents will now pay for meals and trips online
Parents are being encouraged to sign up for a new cashless payment system ahead of its launch in six Renfrewshire schools next month.
Two high schools, Castlehead and Gryffe, and four primary schools, Auchenlodement, Howwood, St Fillan’s and St James, Renfrew, will be the first to go live with ParentPay in January.
The launch is part of Renfrewshire Council’s work to make all Renfrewshire schools cashless by summer 2020.
ParentPay will remove cash and cheques from the classrooms, allowing parents to pay for their children’s school meals, activities and trips online.
The cashless system, already used in more than 8,000 UK schools, allows parents and carers to make online payments into their child’s account round the clock.
They will also be able to see what their child has ordered for lunch, set spending caps and keep a record of all the payments they have made.
Parents and carers who don’t use online banking can put money into their child’s account at their nearest PayPoint, usually located in newsagents and local shops.
Councillor John Shaw, convener for Finance, Resources and Customer Services, said: “I’m delighted that we are introducing ParentPay in six schools. It will revolutionise the way parents and carers pay for school meals, trips and activities.
“We want to make all Renfrewshire schools cashless by summer 2020 and launching ParentPay in six schools is the first step towards this goal.”
ParentPay accounts will be activated later this month, ahead of the launch of the new system in January.
Parents and carers will need to set up a MyGovScot MyAccount login to use the new payment system.
Letters advising how to register for ParentPay will be sent to parents and carers before their child’s school moves onto the new system.
To register for MyAccount visit https:// myaccount. renfrewshire. gov.uk/
The six schools will move on to ParentPay on the following dates: Howwood Primary, January 9; Castlehead High, Paisley, January 16; St Fillan’s Primary, Houston, January 22; Gryffe High, Houston, January 24; St James’ Primary, Renfrew, January 29 and Auchenlodment Primary, Johnstone, January 31.