For everyone who looks after a prep room. Website:
1. Signing In
Go to /staff on the room computer or your phone.
Sign in with the email and password the school admin gave you. You can't change your password yourself; ask the admin if you need a new one.
The first time you sign in, a short set-up guide asks how you'd like to be alerted. It takes about two minutes.
You're signed out automatically at the end of the school day. Every sign-in and sign-out is recorded.
2. Choosing How You're Alerted
Everyone chooses for themselves, and you can change it for a single day.
At my deskThe room computer flashes red and chimes. Nothing comes to your phone.
Phone notificationYour phone shows a notification and vibrates as soon as a parent checks in.
Phone + text backupPhone notification first. If nobody has checked the child out after 2 minutes, you also get a text.
Notifications and texts never include a child's name. Open the room screen to see who is being collected.
3. Setting Up Your Phone
iPhone
Open the website in Safari and go to /staff.
Tap Share (the square with an arrow), then Add to Home Screen, then Add.
Open the new Prep alerts icon and sign in.
Go to My account and tap Turn on alerts on this phone. Choose Allow.
Tap Send test notification to check it works.
iPhones need iOS 16.4 or later for this.
Android
Open the website in Chrome and sign in at /staff.
Go to My account, tap Turn on alerts on this phone and choose Allow.
Tap Send test notification.
Optional: Chrome menu ⋮ → Add to Home screen for a quick-access icon.
A Shared Room Phone
Sign it in with the login of whoever carries it, or a room login set up by the admin.
Turn alerts on, and tick Keep this screen on if it sits on charge.
Not getting notifications? Check the phone isn't on Do Not Disturb, Silent or a Focus mode, and that notifications are allowed for the browser (Android) or "Prep alerts" (iPhone). You can remove old phones under My account.
4. Each Prep Session
Choose your room. When you open the room screen, pick the prep room you're looking after today (The Middle Area, Room 8 or Room 12). Your usual room is marked, and you can change room later from My duty & alerts.
Check in for prep. Next, the screen asks whether you're in charge of prep in that room. Choose how you want to be alerted (e.g. At my desk if you'll be at the computer) and press Check in for prep. The school keeps a record of who checked in, when, from which device, and which alerts they chose. Only the people checked in are alerted. If nobody has checked in, everyone for the room is alerted.
Take the register. On the room screen, tick every child who is in prep and press Confirm register. Late arrivals can be added afterwards.
When a parent arrives you're alerted. Open the room screen and press Check out next to the child, then send them to reception.
Reception double-checks and confirms the release. The parent's phone shows a three-letter code. Reception types it in and must confirm it matches before handing the child over.
Two checks, every time. Collection works like two-step security: the room checks the child out, then reception confirms the parent's code. Your check-out alone does not release a child. If the code doesn't match, the child stays with reception and the mismatch is recorded.
When you hand over to a colleague or finish, press Finish duty on the room screen; this is recorded too. Only children on the register can be collected this way. If a parent checks in for a child who isn't booked into prep, they're asked to see reception.
5. Looking After the System
Don't share your login. If you think someone knows your password, tell the school admin.
If you change or lose your phone, remove it under My account → Phones getting my alerts, or ask the admin.
Your mobile number is only used for prep alert texts, and only if you agree to it. You can remove it at any time in My account.