WisePay Payments
WisePay is a platform that allows parents to make online payments for school meals, trips and other school purchases at LVC.
FAQs
Why does Linton Village College use fingerprint biometrics?
In partnership with Impact Food Group, our catering company, we continually strive to improve the experience of students when purchasing food. Students with consent to use fingerprint biometrics can eliminate the need to carry physical identification cards and benefit from a simple and safe authentication process. Fingerprint biometrics works in the same way as other recognition technology. Like a PIN, a unique identifier is attributed to each student and matched for a quick and secure authorisation process.
How do fingerprint biometrics work?
- Consent: Parents provide consent for the school and students to use fingerprint recognition before a fingerprint scan is taken, in accordance with the Protection of Freedom Act 2012.
- Registration: Students place a finger on the fingerprint scanner. The system reads distinctive fingerprint features and processes them through an algorithm, which turns the fingerprint into a unique string of characters, serving as the student’s unique identifier. This unique identifier is stored on a secure, encrypted database within CRB Cunningham’s system and is used to verify student accounts at the point of service. Fingerprint impressions are not retained, stored, or distributed to third parties.
- Authentication at the point of service: The student’s unique identifier securely matches the live presented fingerprint to their cashless account, and a transaction can occur.
What are the advantages of using fingerprint biometrics in schools?
Fingerprint recognition is a straightforward way to recognise students without risking losing cards or forgetting passwords. On average, it takes just seconds for a student to transact, once they place their fingerprint on the biometric scanner, offering a fast and efficient authentication process.
How are fingerprint biometrics kept secure?
Fingerprint readers provide a unique identifier for the person present. The unique identifier is created by processing the biometric capture through a mathematical algorithm, generating a unique number. Only this number is stored; the captured fingerprint is not retained. This data is encrypted using AES 256 (similar to encryption used by online banking) and cannot be reversed to produce an image of the biometric, ensuring the highest level of security and compliance.
What happens if I do not provide consent?
There is the option for students without consent to be issued with a PIN number to use instead.