Canteen
We understand the importance of providing our students with delicious and nutritious food options.
Our canteen and Sixth Form ‘Food Cube’ serve a wide range of hot and cold dishes at breakfast, break and lunch, and every effort is made to provide and promote healthy options to our students.
Our commitment to a safe and inclusive environment is reflected in our nut-free policy, which applies to both packed lunches and food served in our canteen. We aim to create a welcoming and convenient dining experience for our students, ensuring they have access to wholesome meals throughout the day.
Cashless Payment System
We operate a cashless payment system in our school canteen, which is facilitated by WisePay. Cash payments are not accepted to streamline the process and enhance security. Parents and carers play a vital role in ensuring their child's access to the canteen by maintaining adequate funds on their account. Each student is provided with a contactless card and we kindly request that they keep it safe. In the event of a lost card, replacements can be ordered via WisePay for a nominal fee of £5.00 and they will be ready for collection at Student Services the following day.
We utilise a cashless system for school meal payments, eliminating the need for cash transactions at the point of sale. Each student is assigned an account, securely stored on a server, which tracks individual balances, records expenditures and deposits, itemises food purchases, and timestamps each transaction.
Our only method of payment is via WisePay, accessible via the school website. You can find a link to WisePay under "Useful Links" on the home page. For assistance with accessing the system, please email finance@finchleycatholic.org.uk. Please note that there are no onsite facilities for topping up canteen accounts.
A default daily spending limit of £8.00 is set for students, and purchases exceeding this amount are not permitted. Parents or carers cannot adjust canteen limits on WisePay but can request alterations by emailing finance@finchleycatholic.org.uk. Please ensure to regularly check canteen balances on WisePay and maintain accounts in credit by topping up online. For any issues related to WisePay or canteen top-ups, please contact finance@finchleycatholic.org.uk.
When students start at FCHS they will receive a complimentary canteen card, which is essential for purchasing food in the canteen and is linked to their canteen account. It is crucial to ensure the card is well-maintained, and we recommend keeping their name on it. If the card is lost, please report it to Student Services/Finance office promptly to have it disabled. Replacement cards can be purchased on WisePay under the “Shop" section for £5.
What Happens If a Student Does Not Hold a Sufficient Cash Balance to Pay For a School Lunch?
No student will be denied a school lunch due to insufficient funds in their canteen account. The school allows students to go into overdraft, but it is essential to repay this debt promptly using WisePay. Automated emails are sent daily via WisePay for zero balances, serving as reminders for parents/carers to top up canteen accounts.
Free School Meals
The Free School Meal allowance is a statutory entitlement for qualifying students. To determine eligibility, completion of an application form and submission of required evidence are necessary. Approval is effective from the date of evidence receipt and application approval; backdating is not possible.
The system operates uniformly for all students, regardless of payment method or eligibility for ‘Free School Meals’. Currently, the free meal allocation is £2.75 per day, credited exclusively for lunchtime use and we encourage students to use this allowance to purchase the meal deal of the day i.e. buy a hot meal which is the purpose of this allowance. Any purchases made outside of lunchtime, such as at breakfast or break, will be charged to the account. Any remaining balance or missed lunch will not carry over to the next day; this allowance is non-transferrable and applies solely to eligible students. Additionally, parents or carers can supplement a student’s balance via WisePay to extend their lunchtime spending beyond the allocated free meal allowance.
If you believe your child may qualify for Free School Meals, please submit the below form to Student Services. If you require any support or assistance please contact Student Services via telephone or email info@finchleycatholic.org.uk for information and support with the application process.
Dietary Control
If your child has specific dietary requirements, allergies, or medical conditions, this information can be coded into the system to alert staff at the point of sale. Please note that like all schools – we are a nut-free environment.
Monitoring Your Child’s Account
By logging into WisePay, you can access the following:
- Your child’s up-to-date balance
- Transaction history (up to the last 25 transactions)
WisePay updates this information once a day.
Data Handling
We take data protection very seriously, and only necessary information is stored on the system, including your child's name, class, photo, account balance, and meal entitlement. This data is handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act and is used only by parties directly involved in system implementation. If you have any concerns, please contact our Finance Department via email at finance@finchleycatholic.org.uk.
Price Lists
- Hot Meal: £2.15
- Meal Deal: £2.75 (Hot Meal + a choice of cake / standard drink)
Food Hygiene Rating
