Cashless catering system set up at Uckfield community college

A cashless catering system is being introduced at Uckfield Community Technology College.

Students are being issued with online accounts that parents can top up.

Each student will be recognised by the system using finger print registration. A display will show the server the student's name, class and current cash balance held within the system.

The selected food items will be entered into the system from an itemised keyboard while the amount spent and the new cash balance will show on the display.

A daily spend limit of £5 will be set for all students and no food above that limit can be bought.

Students entitled to a 'free school meal' will have the amount entered into the system by the software daily.

The aim, according to the college newsletter, is to reduce queues at break and lunchtime, increase social time and give students the opportunity to develop life skills in managing their account.

The cashless system allows parents to manage an online virtual purse for their child. It recognises each individual student, holds individual cash balances, records cash spent and cast received, food purchased, on any specific date and time of day.