School User Group Electronic Cash Collection for Schools Neil Craig 2nd October 2018

Reasons for Change Modernisation long overdue! Reduce reliance on collecting and counting cash and cheques Reduce administration associated with record keeping for Schools and EA Banks do not like cash transactions Cheques will eventually become obsolete Reduced potential for fraud Increased security of cash handling Increase uptake of school meals?

Challenges Large amount of cash - £35 million of cash is collected for School Meals & Milk each year by EA Collection of School Private Fund Monies – Clubs, school trips, events, items including books, uniforms etc Collections for other functions – Music Tuition? Over 1,100 different schools Cost: Both Recurrent cost and Capital Investment Cash collected other EA locations Different processes and requirements for Nursery, Primary, Post-Primary and Special Schools Data sensitivity and integration

Actions taken to date EA has produced a Draft Project Initiation Document prepared for agreement EA has produced a Draft Business Case Initial Market Research with suppliers carried out Consideration of schools currently using systems First meeting of a Project Team Still early stages, but authorised to move forward

Next Steps Develop a detailed Project Plan School Focus Groups or other Forums Further Project Team Meetings Several site visits Development and agreement of a Product Specification document Procurement: Development of a Tender document Further School Engagement

Indicative Timescales Phased Implementation beginning May 2019 (Subject to Change) Phase 1: Mainly Primary Schools initially Phase 2: Mainly Post-Primary Schools Phase 3: Mainly Nursery, Special and other locations

Questions for Group What other things do we collect cash for? Implementation approach? How best to engage with schools? How do we tell schools that this is happening? How best to get buy-in? Other Challenges?

QUESTIONS