By putting cash - notes (£20, £10, £5) and coins (£2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p), into automatic cash ‘revaluation' terminals located at the 2 main entrances to the Nichols dining hall.

By using Tucasi SCOPay Online Payment, a secure internet site enabling payment by debit or credit card.

By cheque payable to Priestlands School. Any cheque value can be paid into your child's account: you can pay for a term, month or week at a time. Cheques must be in a sealed envelope, with the student's name and tutor group clearly marked and posted in the ‘cheque mail box' in the Nichols dining hall. If a cheque is to cover more than one student, the name and tutor group for each student must be written on the back, together with the breakdown of the total value to be applied to each account.

There is a daily spending limit for each student. No food above this limit can be bought. On request, a lower limit can be set.

There is no overdraft facility on the system. Students and staff must have enough money in their accounts to purchase food or drink.

The system works exactly the same for all students whether they pay themselves or have a free school meal. The amount allocated for a free school meal will be credited daily by the software. Any under-spend or missed dinner will be identified by the system and will be added to the next day's balance. Any under-spend accumulated that week will be cleared at the end of Friday service. Students entitled to a free school meal can add money to their account in the same way as other students.

A finger will be placed on a biometric scanner at a till. This will activate an individual's account which will be displayed on screen for the Catering Operator, including name and current balance. The Operator will then enter the selected food and drink into the system from an itemised keyboard, while the amount spent and the new balance will show on the display.  Further information about the use of biometrics can be found on the Biometrics page.