Dear Parent/Guardian of Year 12 students,

The arrangement with our current supplier for cashless catering services at the school comes to an end in May 2014. We will continue to offer a cashless service in partnership with a new supplier, Allpay Ltd from June 2014. From June 2014 only Post 16 students will have the facility of using cash to make purchases in school. All other students will have to use the cashless system.

As a Year 13 student it would be preferable if they signed up to the new biometric system, although they will still have the facility to either use a cashless card or pay in cash.

The new system 'Allpay Cashless' will benefit both you and your child(ren) by removing the need to bring money to school by enabling you to top-up your child's account at your convenience through multiple payment options.

How it works …..

As a parent/guardian, you will be allocated an account for your child and issued with a barcoded letter. You have the freedom to top-up securely either:

·  Online - using a debit card via Allpay's internet payment services – www.allpayments.net

·  Over the phone - using a debit card via Allpay's telephone payment services- 0844 557 8321

·  Over the counter- by presenting the barcoded letter at any PayPoint or Post Office® outlet

·  Through the Allpay App - available to download free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone.

You will have access to an online account where all account information is held securely, producing details of individual cash balances and transactions.

In advance of the system going live you will receive your barcoded letter containing your unique payment reference number (PRN), with further information on how to register your account online.

For more information, log onto www.allpay.net/schools or alternatively you can contact Allpay on 0844 557 8320 or email .

‘Allpay Cashless’ offers significant, additional features over our current system including the use of biometrics technology. As a school we are required to seek the consent of at least one parent/guardian to use pupils’ biometric information as part of an automated biometric recognition system. Please see the attached sheet ‘Notification of Intention to Process Pupils’ Biometric Information’.

For more information on how AllPay use biometrics technology in schools please visit:

www.allpay/cashless/understanding-biometrics

A consent form is also attached and I would ask that you complete this and return to school no later than 30th April 2014, it is essential that you return the consent form indicating your ‘Yes or No’ response.

Yours faithfully,

Mr P S Wood

Headteacher