This guide looks at the set up of a Running Balance Club and then looks at the different MCAS Buying Options for parents. It also shows both the parents Desktop and App view of the two different buying options.
Further Guidance:
THE SCREENSHOTS USED IN THE GUIDE ARE FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY DIFFER IN A LIVE SCHOOL’S MIS.
Setting the Club Up
Navigate to Groups and from the Group Type drop down select Clubs & Trips
Click New.
In the Create New Group pop up from the Payment Type* dropdown choose Running Balance.
Complete the details as required;
- Enter Group Name and Group Description.
- The Start Date should refer to the date the club is created, rather than the date of its first session.
- Click Browse to locate and add an Attachment
- Click the Spy Glass to choose Linked Groups if required. Note: Leaving Linked Groups blank opens the Running Balance club to all students.
Both Attachments and Linked Groups can be added/defined later if required.
Once complete click Save & Edit.
The screen will refresh to show the Basic Group Details panel.
Once the basic details have been created scroll down the page to see Additional Group Details
- Click Browse to add Attachments to be visible to parents
- The Live on MCAS dates control when the club is visible for new bookings in MyChildAtSchool (MCAS). Parents who have already booked sessions will continue to see the club and can book any available sessions outside these dates.
- For MCAS Buying Options see the next section in this guide.
Use the Associated Group panel in the example the Running Balance Club is only for specific students, in that scenario click the blue spy glass in Linked Groups to open the Group Selector List and select the relevant group of students OR leave blank and the Club will be visible to all parents on MCAS
The Schedule defines the dates and times when a Running Balance Club takes place and creates the individual sessions available for booking.
- Without a schedule, there are no sessions for parents to book through MyChildAtSchool (MCAS) or for school staff to allocate students to.
- An open club therefore needs a schedule covering the required dates. If the club continues into a new term or academic year, add a new schedule so that sessions remain available.
In Schedule click Add to define when the club is, for example a Breakfast Club is running 07:30am-09:00am Monday to Friday.
Example Group Scheduling below, click Save Schedule when complete. Please note specific days can be amended later if required, if for example the Friday Club is in the Sports Hall as appose to the Main Hall.
The Membership Limit sets the maximum number of bookings permitted for each session. Setting an appropriate limit helps prevent sessions from being overbooked and keeps availability in MyChildAtSchool (MCAS) aligned with the club’s capacity.
Click the far right pencil icon in the Actions column next to the session to be amended. Or click the delete icon to delete a specific session.
For Student Memberships see the relevant sections on Enrol to Sessions or Indicate Preferences in this guide.
The MCAS Buying Option determines how parents request or book wraparound care sessions through MyChildAtSchool (MCAS).
- Enrol to Sessions allows parents to select and book available sessions directly. Once the parent selects the session, the student is added to the selected sessions and the charges are applied, ready for payment through MCAS.
- Indicate Preferences allows parents to submit their preferred attendance days for the school to review. Submitting preferences does not confirm a place. School staff must allocate the student to the agreed sessions and apply the relevant charges before payment becomes available through MCAS.
See the sections in the guide for further information on Enrol to Sessions and Indicate Preferences.
Enrol To Sessions
- Purchase Cut Off (Days) determines how far in advance parents must book a session through MyChildAtSchool (MCAS). Each day represents 24 hours before the session’s scheduled start time.
- For example, with a cut-off of 1 day, bookings for a session starting at 3:30pm on Tuesday close at 3:30pm on Monday. After this deadline, parents can no longer book that session, even if places remain available.
- When Consent Required is enabled, a consent message appears in MyChildAtSchool (MCAS) when a parent adds their child as a member of the club. The parent must accept this message before they can book any sessions.
- Tick Allow parents to cancel future bookings if required, then define how many days in advance cancellations must be made.
- Each day represents 24 hours before the session’s scheduled start time.
- For example, setting this to 1 day means a session starting at 3:30pm on Tuesday must be cancelled before 3:30pm on Monday.
- Click the information (i) icon for further details.
In the example below the MCAS Buying Option is set to Enrol to Sessions
Use Charges to define the cost for a session, for example a school may charge £2.50 for a full session and £1.25 for half a session.
To add a new Charge click Add New Record
The example below shows 2 Charges, one for a 2 Hour session and one for 1 Hour.
This function could also be used if for example a school wants to offer a reduced cost to some parents, choose the Associated Group from the drop down to set who will see the charge on MCAS from the drop down. For guidance on creating a Report Group which will show in Associated Group see here.
When a Running Balance Club is no longer required, use the Terminate button in the Basic Group Details panel rather than entering an End Date.
- The termination process checks that all student balances are zero before allowing the club to close.
- This ensures that outstanding debts and remaining credit are resolved before closure.
- If the club will continue into the next academic year, it can remain open with a new schedule added.
Below is an example of a the Parent Desktop MCAS View for a Running Balance Club with Enrol to Sessions selected.
Firstly on the left hand menu MCAS Desktop menu Parents choose Wraparound Care to see Running Balance Clubs
From here the Parent can see the Available Wraparound Care Clubs with the Club Name, Teacher, Next Session, Weekday, Start Time, Duration and Cost.
The Parent then clicks Enrol
The club then moves up to the panel above, click the far right spyglass icon
If multiple charges are available for a session, the parent must select the required Club Option before confirming the booking. Once booked, the selected charge will appear against that session in the booking grid.
They then click on the blue boxes in the grid and then click Enrol note the Next Button to see next weeks sessions.
The Parent then gets a Confirmation pop up detailing the number of sessions and the cost.
The Wraparound Care Clubs screen now shows the sessions and costs with the option to Add to Basket, Message the Club Teacher or View the Sessions to Amend.
If Add to Basket is selected the Parent then enters the amount they wish to pay and confirms Add to Basket and goes on to Checkout and enter payment information.
The screenshots below show examples of a parent using Enrol to Sessions against a Wraparound Care Club in the MCAS App.
The examples are one illustration purposes only and may differ dependant on how the school has set up the club.
From the Home screen the parent clicks on Wraparound Care
This will open on the Available tab, the parent clicks on View Detail for the club. Notice the tabs for Enrolled and Waiting List.
The next screen shows the club information to include Description and Club Options (Charges)
If multiple charges are available for a session, the parent must select the required charge from Club Options before selecting and enrolling onto the sessions. Once booked, the selected charge will appear against that session in the booking grid.
Scroll down the screen to Choose Attendance Dates and Enrol to Sessions, note the arrow to scroll to the next month if needed.
Parent clicks on the dates with the option to click the arrow to move to the next month.
The chosen dates colour green once selected.
In this example different charges are available under Club Options
When complete click Enrol to Selected
In this example the parent now needs to top up their balance to cover the cost of the sessions.
Parent clicks Top Up
In the Checkout screen the parent chooses the method of payment, with the option to Save information for future payments
Then in the last step the parent completes the transaction.
For more information on clubs and trips in the MCAS App see here.
The Student Memberships panel can be used for the following functions;
- View, Add, Edit and Remove Sessions
- Actions – Delete, View and Hide
Click the top-right print icon, this can be used to produce a register with charges for a week of sessions.
View, Add, Edit or Remove Sessions
In the example below a parent has enrolled the student on a 8 Total Sessions.
Click Move forwards to see which dates the student has been enrolled on.
If required click on the Charge Code to Edit or Remove the Charge
Clicking the white space will remove the student from the selected session.
Click on date to add a session with one click, if more than one charge is available this will show a drop-down choice of the charge codes to select.
Actions – Delete, View or Hide
Use the icons in the far-right Actions column to delete, view and edit sessions or hide a student from the list.
Delete
Click the bin icon to remove a student from the club, please clear any assigned sessions and/or refund any overpayments first.
View and Edit Sessions
Click the spy glass icon in the Actions column.
This will open the Student Information pop up. This shows Transaction History, an option to add Notes or Edit Sessions.
Click Edit Sessions to define From and To Dates, add or remove sessions using the drop down choices on the days of the week and add Membership Notes for the selected student.
Click Save.
Hide
Click the Eye icon to Hide the selected Student from the panel.
Once hidden there is an option to show hidden members.
Indicate Preferences
In the example below the MCAS Buying Option is set to Indicate preferences.
IMPORTANT: Parents have one opportunity to submit their preferences through MyChildAtSchool (MCAS), when initially enrolling their child in the club. Once submitted, these preferences can only be amended by school staff.
Parents cannot book sessions directly through MCAS when Indicate Preferences is selected. School staff must review the preferences and allocate the student to all agreed sessions.
- Choose Associated Account
- Tick if Consent Required and amend the message to parents when giving consent if required.
Use Charges to define the cost for a session, for example a school may charge £2.50 for a full session and £1.25 for half a session.
To add a new Charge click Add New Record
The example below shows 2 Charges, one for a 2 Hour session and one for a 1 Hour session.
This function could also be used if for example a school wants to offer a reduced cost to some parents, to do this choose the Associated Group from the drop down to set who will see the charge on MCAS from the drop down. For guidance on creating a Report Group which will show in Associated Group see here.
When a Running Balance Club is no longer required, use the Terminate button in the Basic Group Details panel rather than entering an End Date.
- The termination process checks that all student balances are zero before allowing the club to close.
- This ensures that outstanding debts and remaining credit are resolved before closure.
- If the club will continue into the next academic year, it can remain open with a new schedule added.
Below is an example of a a desktop view of parent MCAS View for a Running Balance Club with Indicate Preferences.
From the vertical panel on the left click Wraparound Care – this is set when the club is created under Groups>View>Basic Details> Display Club in the following section in MCAS*
The club is visible in the Available Wraparound Care Clubs panel
Click the spy glass to the far right of the club.
This open to show the Club/Trip Detail panel.
In this example the parent ticks the days of the week they would like their child to attend and click Submit.
The club now shows as Awaiting Confirmation
Once the sessions have been confirmed by the club administrator the parent then has the option to Add To Basket and pay for the sessions.
The screenshots below show examples of a parent indicating preferences against a Wraparound Care Club on the MCAS App.
The examples are one illustration purposes only and may differ dependant on how the school has set up the club.
From the Home screen the parent clicks on Wraparound Care
This will open on the Available tab, the parent clicks on View Detail for the club. Notice the tabs for Enrolled and Waiting List.
The next screen shows the club information to include Description and Club Options (Charges)
Scroll down the screen to Choose Attendance Dates and Select Preferences, note the arrow to scroll to the next month if needed.
In the example below the parent has clicked Monday, Wednesday and Friday, click Done.
For more information on clubs and trips in the MCAS App see here.
The club administrator can see the parents requested preferences in the Student Memberships panel from the Groups page in Blue.
Hover over the Blue I next to the students First Name to see the parents preferences.
Or select the Student and click View Preferences
The school can then select the Student and Auto Allocate with the option to choose the cost and the start and end dates.
Define the From and To dates to Auto Allocate the sessions and choose the relevant Charges.
Once complete click Allocate Students.
The student is now allocated to the club sessions as indicated by the parent preferences.
An alternative to Auto Allocation is to click on the right hand Spy Glass in the Actions column. for the Student.
Then choose Edit Sessions
In this example the parent has submitted preferences for Wednesday and Friday
- The From and To Dates must be set
- The administrator has confirmed only Wednesday as FS the payment code for the session and chosen Remove for the Friday.
- Use the Membership Notes to add any Notes if required.
Click Save.
Now we can see the 2 sessions have been added with an outstanding Total Balance.
If required you can still amend memberships for individual sessions by clicking Move Forwards, then click on the Blue Cell for the Session and click the White Box above the charge code to remove the Student from the Session.
