1. Online payments and income management for schools

2. Who are you? “I’m doing this because I’ve been told to, I strongly believe that I’ve been dumped with yet another job ……and anyway it won’t work in our school. Admin manager at a Gloucester area school - 27/02/09 “I don’t really know what this is all about but lets give it a go, I’m not that good with PCs, hope help is at hand when I need it.” Admin manager at a Forest of Dean area school - 27/02/09 “Wow – getting rid of cash and cheques – bring it on!” Admin manager at a Stroud school - 25/02/09

3. Let’s name names! “I don’t really know what this is all about but lets give it a go, I’m not that good with PCs, hope help is at hand when I need it.” ParentPay has carried out remote training to ensure we fully understand the specific needs and setups within Gloucestershire schools. Sue and Ruth from Heart of the Forest School were 2 of our guinea-pigs. Here’s some of their words:

4. Let’s name names! Before training “Not sure what we’re doing but let’s give it a go.” What they did wrong Typed in an incorrect password What they said afterwards 30 minutes call during which they completed a full set up as well as a tour of the site “Well that was easy!”

5. Dinner Money collection and more …. ParentPay Dinner Money™ is a complete online dinner money management solution Links to SIMS Manages pupil balance, billing and debt Print/email reminders and debt letters Handles all elements of FSM As an added benefit for Gloucester schools: It can collect online payments, and record cash and cheques for trips and educational visits music, swimming, dance lessons before and after school clubs uniform……….

6. Background in Gloucestershire In 2008 the school meal’s service in Gloucestershire was put out to tender This was awarded to Edwards and Ward in January 2009 to begin delivery after Easter 2009 It was specified that school meals management returned to to schools WHY? ……because it is wrong to allow an outside agency to manage a key process that affects the well being of children. This is clearly something the head and governors must oversee.

7. Food in schools Food in schools is now a key indicator in schools: Here’s the timetable: September 2006Interim Food Based Standards for school lunches September 2007Food Based Standards for food other than school lunch September 2008Primary schools to meet nutrient based standards for school lunch September 2009 Secondary and special schools to meet nutrient based standards for school lunch

8. Who is responsible for school food? The Governmentset the standards for school food Local Authoritiesensure that current provisions meet the standards and should also advise on what dishes and what snacks/drinks are available SchoolsSchools should help to encourage healthy eating and provide a comfortable dining area for children to enjoy their school meals OfstedOfsted monitor the ways schools approach healthy eating as part of its regular inspection School Food Trustin the process of working with Ofsted to make school meals a mandatory check within their inspections.

9. Parent power – did you know? As part of their approach to improved parental engagement, all secondary schools are expected to make information available to parents via secure online access by September 2010. All primary schools are expected to achieve this by 2012. Of course, schools need not wait until these deadlines to further develop their strategies for parental engagement and should already be looking at ways to improve how information is made available to all parents.

10. Parent power – did you know? DCSF, through BECTA, is gearing up to make Online Parental Engagement its highest priority. The Gloucestershire Catering Service has had the vision to be part of this initiative with their new tender. Schools in the contract will be much better prepared for the 2012 deadline than almost any other school in the country. THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE!!

11. Let’s go online to see what your parents will see