Billesley Primary School

ParentPay case study

Phase: Primary

MAT: The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust

Objectives

To make cash collection more efficient and reduce the associated risk.

Solution

Introduce online payment system to streamline processes to help staff and parents.

Outcome

Collecting and reconciling payments is more manageable and efficient for staff. Saves both staff and parents time.

Why Billesley Primary went cashless

Finance Assistant, Shazia Begum at Billesley Primary School in Birmingham, explains:

“We are part of The Elliot Foundations Academies Trust (TEFAT) which wanted all of its schools to become cashless, making collections more efficient with less risk.”

The selection process

There are various online payment systems available, it’s useful to take the time to research and consider the options based on school requirements. Shazia says:

“We looked at a number of providers during the procurement process, and ParentPay’s reputation and experience, as well as on-going developments with other school MIS and platform integrations made it a clear choice for us.”

Support and implementation

On-going support is important. “The support and implementation team have been really helpful and supportive.” Says Shazia “As with anything new, there were a few teething problems which have been resolved with minimum fuss. They talk you through any issues you may have and follow up with an email.”

Encouraging parents to pay online

90% of parents have activated their ParentPay accounts at Billesley Primary within the first year, here’s how they did it:

“We held ‘sign up’ sessions to give parents the opportunity to activate their accounts, with staff on hand to help if needed. This worked well as we’ve had parents sign up ‘en mass’. We had a school disco, and saw this as an opportunity; we only accepted payment for this online or via PayPoint which was a success. We also have a dedicated table during parent’s evenings with a laptop, to encourage any parents that haven’t activated their accounts yet, to do so. This, along with regular texts and messages to parents to remind them has worked well.”

Making the most of ParentPay

To maximise the benefits of using any new system, it is key to use it to its full potential, Shazia outlines how Billesley Primary School are doing just that:

“We were keen to add all school items and activities to ParentPay to remove cash from school as much as possible. All trips, before and after school clubs are available for parents to pay for online, as well as school meals.”