Online payments to school with ParentPay!
Highwoods Academy uses a convenient way to pay for school meals, visits, breakfast club, after school clubs and much more online, using a secure service called ParentPay.
Highwoods Academy does not accept cash and cheque payments, making the school a cash-free environment.
Making secure payments online using your credit or debit card
ParentPay offers you the freedom to make payments whenever and wherever you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest internet security available.
You will have a secure online account, activated using a unique username and password; you will be prompted to change these, and to keep them safe and secure. If you have more than one child at our school, or children at another ParentPay school, you can create one single account login for all your children regardless of which school they attend.
Making a payment is straightforward and ParentPay holds a payment history for you to view at a later date; no card details are stored in any part of the system. Once you have activated your account you can make online payments straight away.
Your unique ParentPay Account activation details
When your child first starts at Highwoods Academy, you will be given your ParentPay activation details – your username and activation password
For further information on ParentPay please see the FAQs below or visit www.parentpay.com
ParentPay FAQs
- When can I log in to my account?
Once you have received your activation letter from school with your activation login details you will be able to activate your account and start making payments. This letter will be sent to you soon by your school.
- Which cards can I use?
ParentPay accepts MasterCard, Visa and American Express credit cards, and Maestro, Switch, Delta, Electron, Solo and Visa debit cards. Some schools may limit the use of credit cards for some transactions; you will be informed by the school directly of any such restrictions.
- Is it safe to make payments on the internet?
Yes. ParentPay uses leading technology to process your card transactions securely. All communication with the bank is encrypted and neither ParentPay nor the school have access to your card details.
- How can I check that it’s secure?
Standard website addresses begin with http: the address for a secure site will always begin with https. You will also see a padlock at the bottom/top right of the screen on our login page and after you have logged into your account; never enter your card details or personal data on any web page whose address does not start https.
- What about our personal information?
ParentPay holds a very limited amount of information about you and your child solely for the purpose of administering your account however; ParentPay does not use your personal information other than for supporting the school. We do not share or give information to any other organisations. We operate under strict guidelines set out by the Data Protection Act 1998. ParentPay will NEVER contact you by phone, email or mail and ask you to divulge confidential information like passwords or card numbers. If you are ever contacted by someone claiming to be from ParentPay, please contact us immediately on 02476 994 820.
- I do not have a home PC so how can I use ParentPay?
Why not visit your local library, internet café or see if you can get access to a computer at work. Alternatively ask if you can use your school’s computers. Many schools have computers available for parents and will be happy to show you how to use them.
- What if I do not wish to use the online service?
- School can provide letters with a barcode that allows you to pay at any PayPoint retailer. Simply present your barcode and payment and the item will be paid for.
Read our flyer about ParentPay