The first caterer to introduce online pre-orders and cashless payments to the sector, Dolce have been innovating ever since. Here’s how our payment options vary across each stage of education.

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father and son with tablet pc playing at home

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Paying for your child’s school meals is a matter of logging into your account, and then making an online card payment. And since all payment handling fees are built into the meal prices, you’ll never face any hidden charges or penalties when paying online.

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SECONDARY SCHOOLS

For high schools, payments work a bit differently. You’ll set up a daily spend limit for your child, which you pay online by topping up your account through regular card payments.
Your child will be issued a contactless fob that they’ll use to pay for any items they wish to purchase. The tills at their canteen feature a contactless pad that, when presented with their fob, will show their details. They’ll then input their items on the self-checkout, where staff will confirm and your child’s account will be adjusted.
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

As a busy school, you’ll already have enough on your plate, so we thought we’d give you one less thing to think about. A considerate and simplified pricing and charging process that will reduce and simplify admin.

Added to this, part of the payments received from parents go straight into handling fees and maintaining your school’s kitchen, so the school kitchen staff can stay at the top of their game.

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

Your child may be entitled to free school meals if you receive any of the following:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
  • Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit

Your child may also get free school meals if you receive any of the above benefits and your child is both:

  • Younger than the compulsory age for starting school
  • In full-time education

For more information, and to apply for free school meals, head to the Free School Meals page over at the gov.uk website.

Flexible and user-friendly, we’re changing the way pupils enjoy lunchtime, one meal at a time.