KES Lunch/parent pay etc

[rimjhimm100]

As I am new to the Parent Pay system, please could someone advise regarding lunch bookings please? On Parent Pay website, I have tried menu choices/make bookings but don't get anywhere. Is this something I need to do in advance? or, does DS just go and get whatever he wants to eat and then I pay after?

Many thanks in advance x

[Yamin151]

You 'pre-load' his credit and then they have a fingerprint system. He will just then work his way through the cookie collection, using up your credit as he goes!
You will be able to see what he bought whenever you like and act accordingly

[ToadMum]

As I am new to the Parent Pay system, please could someone advise regarding lunch bookings please? On Parent Pay website, I have tried menu choices/make bookings but don't get anywhere. Is this something I need to do in advance? or, does DS just go and get whatever he wants to eat and then I pay after?

Many thanks in advance x

I would personally be totally boggled if a state secondary school even attempted to enable this feature on ParentPay . Year 7 is where they start (or, hopefully, continue) to grow up, make their own choices etc. If you have brought him up well, he will know what constitutes a healthy, balanced meal, but even if he chooses (or is forced by the canteen running out of things) to go for a slightly(!) less 'balanced' meal sometimes, please remember that it is a healthy, balanced diet that matters. Unless he is diabetic or something, the odd meal of meat pie and doughnut will do no great harm.

[rimjhimm100]

You 'pre-load' his credit and then they have a fingerprint system. He will just then work his way through the cookie collection, using up your credit as he goes!
You will be able to see what he bought whenever you like and act accordingly

Thanks Yamin151. I have credit on the system but as the balance said "-£1", I wasn't sure what to do and hence sought advice from the forum members.

[rimjhimm100]

As I am new to the Parent Pay system, please could someone advise regarding lunch bookings please? On Parent Pay website, I have tried menu choices/make bookings but don't get anywhere. Is this something I need to do in advance? or, does DS just go and get whatever he wants to eat and then I pay after?

Many thanks in advance x

I would personally be totally boggled if a state secondary school even attempted to enable this feature on ParentPay . Year 7 is where they start (or, hopefully, continue) to grow up, make their own choices etc. If you have brought him up well, he will know what constitutes a healthy, balanced meal, but even if he chooses (or is forced by the canteen running out of things) to go for a slightly(!) less 'balanced' meal sometimes, please remember that it is a healthy, balanced diet that matters. Unless he is diabetic or something, the odd meal of meat pie and doughnut will do no great harm.

Thanks Toadmum, I don't intend to control the menu at all! Perhaps my question was worded wrongly - all I meant was whether I need to do anything in advance regarding payment, that's all. DS is quite 'normal' and likes a mixture of healthy and unhealthy food. He has to and will make his own choices.....something he is quite used to doing as we didn't have the option of a packed lunch in his Primary School so it was always a school dinner!

[sparkles18]

Hi Rimi

I couldn't access the menus either, perhaps they haven't loaded them yet. I just added some money to his account so it's sitting there now ready for him to use. They also have the residential payment listed now too.

[rimjhimm100]

Hi Rimi

I couldn't access the menus either, perhaps they haven't loaded them yet. I just added some money to his account so it's sitting there now ready for him to use. They also have the residential payment listed now too.

Thank you Sparkles18! I will have a look again later and add more money to the account.

[kenyancowgirl]

They are very likely to go a bit mad at the beginning. Lunch is quite late at KES so most boys get really hungry by breaktime....you may find bacon sandwiches and cookies feature on his choices!

For info, we have agreed a £3.50 daily limit for DS2 which we pre-load monthly. If he wants to splurge one day and have cookies etc, that is fine but he will have to cut back another day. £3.50 covers a daily special or baguette and something. If you want to save money, send them in with a drink each day as it is the drink costs that add up. DS1 prefers to take packed lunches due to his commitments at lunchtime - we still pre-load his card with around £15 so that we know he will never go short.

[ToadMum]

As I am new to the Parent Pay system, please could someone advise regarding lunch bookings please? On Parent Pay website, I have tried menu choices/make bookings but don't get anywhere. Is this something I need to do in advance? or, does DS just go and get whatever he wants to eat and then I pay after?

Many thanks in advance x

I would personally be totally boggled if a state secondary school even attempted to enable this feature on ParentPay . Year 7 is where they start (or, hopefully, continue) to grow up, make their own choices etc. If you have brought him up well, he will know what constitutes a healthy, balanced meal, but even if he chooses (or is forced by the canteen running out of things) to go for a slightly(!) less 'balanced' meal sometimes, please remember that it is a healthy, balanced diet that matters. Unless he is diabetic or something, the odd meal of meat pie and doughnut will do no great harm.

Thanks Toadmum, I don't intend to control the menu at all! Perhaps my question was worded wrongly - all I meant was whether I need to do anything in advance regarding payment, that's all. DS is quite 'normal' and likes a mixture of healthy and unhealthy food. He has to and will make his own choices.....something he is quite used to doing as we didn't have the option of a packed lunch in his Primary School so it was always a school dinner!

Sorry, I thought you were trying to use the 'order school dinners in advance' function! I assume that some primary schools may have this enabled, but I would predict only chaos and total anarchy, should a secondary school let parents order their offspring's lunches for them .

Our three were only all at the same (primary) school at the same time for the year that the eldest was in year 6 and the youngest in Reception which just happened to be the (whole) year when there was no hot meal service at all due to a major problem with the school kitchen and filled rolls were only provided for the FSM kids. I would cheerfully have killed for a swap to a school where packed lunches were banned, never mind my usual strong feelings on the right for a choice to be provided...

[rimjhimm100]

They are very likely to go a bit mad at the beginning. Lunch is quite late at KES so most boys get really hungry by breaktime....you may find bacon sandwiches and cookies feature on his choices!

For info, we have agreed a £3.50 daily limit for DS2 which we pre-load monthly. If he wants to splurge one day and have cookies etc, that is fine but he will have to cut back another day. £3.50 covers a daily special or baguette and something. If you want to save money, send them in with a drink each day as it is the drink costs that add up. DS1 prefers to take packed lunches due to his commitments at lunchtime - we still pre-load his card with around £15 so that we know he will never go short.

Hi Kcg, thanks for the info, it is all very helpful. The tip on drinks is very useful!
I am going to watch the spending pattern for the initial couple of weeks as it is a new experience for both DS and us. We will definitely agree a daily limit once he's a bit settled.