Neath Port Talbot Primary Schools take the jump to Cashless Payment! / Ysgolion cynradd Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn rhoi cynnig ar dalu heb arian!

Neath Port Talbot Primary Schools take the jump to Cashless Payment!

A new cashless payment system for school dinners and other transactions has been launched.

First to roll-out the cashless system was Coedffranc Primary School and a further 18 primary schools across the county borough have signed up to the online payment system called ParentPay.

Councillor Peter Rees, Cabinet member for Education skills and culture said: “The ParentPay system makes it easier for parents and guardians to pay for meals and additional services, such as school trips and after school clubs”.

Gemma Addis-Fuller, School Clerk from Coedffranc said: “It was a relatively big decision for Coedffranc to buy into the ParentPay system before it had been ‘tried & tested’ by other local primary schools; however, the school is glad that they jumped in with both feet!

“ParentPay has had such a positive impact on the way in which the school office works, it allows for accurate accounts of children dinner and additional activities costs to be monitored, without the risk of children having to deliver cash safely to the class teacher every Monday without losing it, or leaving it in their bag!”

The ParentPay system allows parents the freedom to pay online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For those without Internet access, they can access local Pay-Point outlets, such as newsagents and other local retail outlets. Pupils entitled to free school meals will continue to receive them but parents will be encouraged to create a ParentPay account, which will allow them to pay for other school items online if they wish.

Free school meals are a statutory right and it is important that where people think they may qualify they register. Parents and guardians can find out more on https://www.npt.gov.uk/1317 where they can also make an online application or print off a form to send to the Port Talbot Civic Centre.

Anyone with queries about free school meals can contact Schools and Family Support Team on 01639 763515 or email: fsm@npt.gov.uk.

More information about Neath Port Talbot’s online services can be found via the homepage www.npt.gov.uk and clicking on the ‘Switch’ banner.

Case Study

Rachel Melin (mum of Rhys & Lili)

“I’ve been using ParentPay for about a year and I love it. It’s an excellent tool and I’m so pleased it was introduced. Up until the introduction, I had to remember to go into school every month with a cheque to pay for my children’s dinners. Since ParentPay was introduced, I now know that the payment will be immediately taken and I’m not waiting for a cheque to clear or having to go to the cash machine to take out large amounts of cash.

I never miss a dinner money payment or school trip. I can get text alerts to let me know if I haven’t paid for something, or if a new payment needs to be made.

I’m not relying on my children to bringing a letter home or giving their teacher an envelope with cash. It’s easy to budget each month. If one of my children has a school trip coming up, I can easily pay in instalments that suit me.

Ysgolion cynradd Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn rhoi cynnig ar dalu heb arian!

Mae system talu heb arian newydd wedi’i lansio ar gyfer prydau ysgol a gwerthiannau eraill. 

Ysgol Gynradd Coedffranc oedd y gyntaf i gyflwyno’r system talu heb arian ac mae 18 o ysgolion cynradd eraill ar draws y fwrdeistref sirol bellach wedi cofrestru i ddefnyddio’r system talu ar-lein o’r enw ParentPay.

Meddai’r Cynghorydd Peter Rees, Aelod y Cabinet dros Addysg, Sgiliau a Diwylliant, “Mae system ParentPay yn ei gwneud hi’n haws i rieni a gofalwyr dalu am brydau ysgol a gwasanaethau ychwanegol megis teithiau ysgol a chlybiau ar ôl ysgol”.

Meddai Clerc Ysgol Coedffranc, “Roedd yn benderfyniad eithaf mawr i Goedffranc benderfynu a oedd am ddefnyddio’r system cyn i ysgolion cynradd lleol eraill roi cynnig arni; fodd bynnag mae’r ysgol yn hynod falch ei bod wedi mynd amdani!

“Mae ParentPay wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol iawn ar y ffordd y mae swyddfa’r ysgol yn gweithredu. Mae’n sicrhau y gellir monitro cyfrifon prydau ysgol a chostau gweithgareddau ychwanegol yn gywir heb y perygl o blant yn gorfod cyflwyno arian parod yn ddiogel i’r athro dosbarth bob dydd Llun heb ei golli neu ei adael yn eu bag!”

Mae system ParentPay yn rhoi rhyddid i rieni dalu ar-lein 24 awr y dydd, 7 niwrnod yr wythnos. I’r rheiny heb fynediad i’r we, gallant ddefnyddio mannau talu lleol megis mewn siop bapurau neu siopau lleol eraill. Bydd disgyblion sydd â hawl i brydau ysgol am ddim yn parhau i’w derbyn ond anogir rhieni i greu cyfrif ParentPay a fydd yn eu galluogi i dalu am nwyddau neu weithgareddau ysgol eraill ar-lein os dymunant.

Mae prydau ysgol am ddim yn hawl statudol ac mae’n bwysig bod pobl yn cofrestru os ydynt yn meddwl y gallant fod yn gymwys i’w derbyn. Gall rhieni a gwarcheidwaid gael mwy o wybodaeth yn https://www.npt.gov.uk/1317 lle gallant hefyd lenwi cais ar-lein neu argraffu ffurflen i’w hanfon i Ganolfan Ddinesig Port Talbot.

Gall unrhyw un sydd ag unrhyw ymholiadau am brydau ysgol am ddim gysylltu â’r Tîm Cefnogi Ysgolion a Theuluoedd drwy ffonio 01639 763515 neu drwy e-bostio fsm@npt.gov.uk.

Gellir gweld mwy o wasanaethau ar-lein Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn hafan y wefan www.npt.gov.uk neu drwy glicio ar y faner ‘Symud’.

Astudiaeth Achos

Rachel Melin (mam i Rhys a Lili)

“Rwyf wedi defnyddio system ParentPay am oddeutu blwyddyn ac rwy’n dwlu arni.  Mae’n system wych ac rwy’n falch iawn ei bod wedi’i chyflwyno i mi. Cyn i’r system hon gael ei chyflwyno roedd rhaid i mi gofio rhoi siec i’r ysgol bob mis er mwyn talu am brydau fy mhlant. Ers i ParentPay gael ei chyflwyno, rwyf bellach yn gwybod y bydd y taliad yn cael ei wneud yn syth ac nid oes angen i mi aros i’r arian adael y banc neu ddefnyddio peiriant arian parod i dynnu symiau mawr o arian parod.

Nid wyf erioed yn colli taliad am brydau ysgol neu daith ysgol. Gallaf dderbyn negeseuon testun i roi gwybod i mi os nad wyf wedi talu am rywbeth, neu os oes angen i mi wneud taliad newydd.

Nid wyf yn dibynnu ar fy mhlant i ddod â llythyr adref neu i roi amlen ag arian parod ynddi i’r athro. Mae’n hawdd llunio cyllideb bob mis. Os oes gan un o fy mhlant daith ysgol yn dod yn fuan, gallaf dalu trwy randaliadau sy’n addas i mi.”