Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A Guide to sQuidcard for Parents/Guardians and Pupils
School Cashless Catering System - During September and October, we will trial the sQuidcard and will accept cards or cash for catering sales throughout this time.
About sQuid
Q/ What is a sQuidcard?
A/ sQuidcards are smart cards that hold electronic money (eMoney). The sQuid network uses the internet, smart cards and digital stored value systems to transfer funds.
Q/ What is eMoney?
A/ eMoney is electronic money, which is also referred to as e-money, electronic cash, electronic currency, digital money, digital cash or digital currency, where value is exchanged electronically.
Q/ How does sQuid work?
A/ sQuid uses the latest contact-free card technology. Each card has a unique security number that is linked to a specific eMoney account. When you make a purchase, the card reader scans the encrypted code and will either accept or reject the payment, depending on the available funds. This all takes less than 3 seconds.
Q/ Is a sQuidcard like a bank debit card or credit card?
A/No - to use a sQuidcard you must pre-load money onto the card. You do not need a PIN to use a sQuidcard.
Q/ What personal information will be printed on the card?
A/ The card will be printed with the student’s name, entry year i.e. Class of 2007 and the school name.
How will I get my personal sQuidcard?
Q/ How do I get a sQuidcard and how much does it cost?
A/ Every student will automatically be issued with a card by the Finance Office. Initial cards are issued free of charge and there is no charge for using the card.
Q/ I don’t have access to the internet, can I still use a sQuid card?
A/ Yes - you can bring a cheque (made payable to St Augustine’s Catholic College) to the Finance Office where we will credit the amount onto your child’s card for you. If you don’t have a bank account you can bring cash to the Finance Office. However, as the cashless catering scheme has been initiated to eliminate the need to bank everyday we would prefer to receive any cash payments on a weekly basis.
Using sQuid
Q/ I have received my child’s card - how do I activate it?
A/ No further action is required – the card is ready to use. However, we recommend you go online to www.squidcard.com/staugustinesschool to create your sQuid account and register their card.
Q/ How much can I spend with my St Augustine’s sQuidcard?
A/ The school has set a maximum purchase limit in the canteen of £4.
Q/ How does my sQuidcard work?
A/ Instead of paying with cash, you can pay with sQuidcard. Just tap the card onto the small reader to pay for the transaction. You should check the amount on the screen is correct before waving your card over the reader. Your sQuidcard account is debited straight away. Details of the transaction will appear on your online statement.
Q/ How long does it take to make a payment using a sQuidcard?
A/ A sQuid transaction takes less than 3 seconds.
Q/ I have just loaded money onto my account. How long does it take before I can use it?
A/ After you load the card on-line you will immediately see the uploaded value shown as ‘to collect’. This pending balance is available at the canteen within an hour and is transferred onto the card by presenting the card to a terminal.
Q/ What if I forget to top up my child’s account?
They will be issued with a meal voucher for that day and the value will be repaid at the Finance Office once the account has been topped up.
My sQuid account
Q/ What if I have more than one child in the school?
You will need to create an account on behalf of each child with their individual card registered to that specific account. We suggest you make the sQuid account “Username” child specific.
All other security information, i.e., passwords and security questions/answers can be the same for each.
Q/ How do I load money onto a sQuidcard?
A/ You can top-up a sQuidcard online via the school website using the link which will take you to sQuid’s secure site or via cheque or cash to the School Finance Office.
Q/ How much money can be loaded onto my sQuidcard?
A/ The maximum balance for a sQuidcard is £100 but we are initially recommending a limit of £20
Q/ How can I check my balance?
You can check the card balance by using your online account and by presenting the card at any of the school sQuid readers.
Q/ Can I get into debt with a sQuidcard?
A/ No - it is a prepaid payment system. You can only spend what you have loaded on to the card. You cannot get in to debt with a sQuidcard.
Q/ How do I keep track of my payments?
A/ You can view your current balance and transactions online at any time. Just access sQuid via the school website and click the ‘Sign into my sQuid’ button. If you haven’t set up an account on sQuid before or registered a sQuid card, you will need to click on the ‘Register a sQuidcard’ button.
Q/ Will I earn interest on my sQuidcard balance?
A/ You will not earn any interest on any funds loaded on your sQuidcard account.
Q/ How do I update my personal details?
A/ You can update your details at any time. Sign in to your sQuid account and click on the ‘My details’ link on the left hand navigation once you have successfully logged on.
Q/ Will my sQuidcard expire?
A/ No - your card does not have an expiry date.
Q/ Why has my card suddenly stopped working?
A/ You may need to load some more cash onto your card or your card has been registered as lost or stolen. The Finance Office will be able to help you with any problems you may have with your card.
Q/ What happens when my child leaves school?
A/ We will arrange for any unused balance to be refunded to you (by sending a cheque to your home address), once the card is returned to school and all transactions have been deducted.
Q/ In what circumstances will you block my sQuidcard?
A/ We will block your sQuidcard if we suspect fraud or misuse of the card, or if we have any other security or legal concerns. If we cancel your card then we will inform you as soon as possible.
Q/ What should I do if I lose my card?
A/
If your card has been lost, please report the circumstances to the Finance Office straightaway. A replacement card can be ordered for £3 (payable to the school, £5 for any subsequent cards) which will take approximately a week to arrive. When the replacement card arrives the Finance Office will let you know that it is ready for collection and arrange the transfer of any funds from your old account across to your new one.
Once you have received your card you will need to create a new sQuid account (a new name and password, etc.) and register your new card - go to squidcard.com/register. Any transferred credit will appear in your account as 'to collect', to complete the transfer over to your new account, simply hold your card up to a sQuid reader.
Whilst you are waiting for the new card to arrive you will be provided with a pass to the canteen on which any purchases will be recorded. The amount on this pass will then need to be repaid as soon as your new sQuid card arrives.
sQuid security
Q/ Do I need a signature or Chip and PIN to authorise the payment
A/ No a sQuidcard is a contactless, secure smart card. It does not need a signature or Chip and PIN to authorise the payment.
Q Is my money safe?
A/ sQuid is safer than cash. If you lose a twenty pound note you are unlikely to see it again. If you lose your registered sQuidcard you can notify us to protect any remaining balance.
Q/ How secure is this system?
A/ sQuid uses sophisticated fraud prevention and detection processes and conforms to the FSA Regulatory Requirements. Each card reader is protected by a unique security application module that creates a trusted transaction environment. Transactions are encrypted and routed over public networks to the sQuid host environment in a highly secure manner.
Q/ How secure is my data and the sQuid site?
A/ All of our data and yours is hosted on a secure web hosting platform. All of the data sQuid collect on behalf of you is bound by our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.
