Arbor

Stay connected with your child's school life by downloading the Arbor Parent App. This app allows you to track attendance, update your child's information and manage payments directly from your phone.

1. Download the App

• Android Users: Open the Google Play Store, search for "Arbor Parent & Guardian Portal," and tap Install.
• iOS (Apple) Users: Open the App Store, search for "Arbor," and tap Get.

2. First-Time Login (Password Setup / Reset Password)

Important: You must set your password for the first time using a web browser (on a computer or mobile browser) before you can use the app.

1. Set Your Password: Open the App and click "Forgot your password?" enter your email address (the one the school has on their file). Open your email and click the link to set up / reset your password
2. Confirm Identity: As a security precaution, you will be asked to enter one of your children's dates of birth to verify your account.
3. Accept Terms: Read and accept the Terms and Conditions.

3. Log In to the App

1. Open the App: Launch the Arbor app on your device.
2. Enter Details: Use the same email address and the password you just created.
3. Select School: If you have children at multiple schools using Arbor, select the correct school from the list.
4. Enable Biometrics: If prompted, you can enable FaceID, Fingerprint, or PIN login for faster access next time.

🛠️ Troubleshooting Tips

• Incorrect Email: If the app says your email is incorrect, contact the school office to ensure they have your correct address on file.
• Missing Child: If you cannot see one of your children, contact the school to ensure your profiles are correctly linked as a Primary Guardian.

You can manage and pay for all school-related items—including nursery meals, trips, and clubs—directly through the Arbor Parent App. 

1. How to Make a Payment or Top Up

• Access Payments: From the main dashboard, tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom-left corner and select Payments.
• Select an Account: Choose the specific area you want to pay for (e.g., Meals (this is for Nursery only), Clubs, or Trips).
• Top Up: Tap the green Top up account button.
• Enter Amount: Input the amount you wish to add (note that many schools have a minimum payment of £2).
• Checkout: Tap Pay now to use a saved card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, or select Add to basket to pay for multiple items across all your children in one transaction. 

2. Payment Methods

• Debit/Credit Card: Arbor accepts Visa and Mastercard.
• Mobile Wallets: If enabled by your school and set up on your device, you can use Apple Pay or Google Pay for faster checkout.
• Strong Customer Authentication (SCA): For security, your bank may require you to verify the payment via an SMS code or your banking app. 

3. Managing Balances & History

• Check Balances: View current balances for all children on your homepage. Negative balances (amounts owed) are typically highlighted in red.
• View History: Within the Payments section, select Top-ups to see a history of all payments made or Invoices to see specific charges for meals or activities.
• Receipts: You will receive a confirmation email for top-up accounts like Meals, while Clubs and Trips will show an on-screen confirmation message. 

Top Tip: If you have multiple children at the school, use the Basket feature to pay for everyone’s lunch and trips at the same time, saving you from entering card details multiple times.

You can sign up for activities and provide legal consents directly through the app's Activities section. 

1. Signing Up for a School Club (e.g. choir, small group music lessons)

• Find Clubs: Tap the Menu icon and select Clubs. You will see clubs your child is already in and those Open for registration.
• Register: Select a club and tap the green Register For This Club button.
• Choose Sessions: Select the membership period (e.g., Spring Term) and specific days/times your child will attend.
• Consent & Pay: If the school requires it, a consent box will pop up—tap Yes to agree. If there is a fee, you will then be prompted to pay by card. 

2. Signing Up & Consenting for Trips (all school trips - including residential)

• Find Trips: Tap the Menu icon and select Trips. Check the Trips Open section for new opportunities.
• Provide Consent:
  • Free Trips: Tap Sign Up, tick the consent box in the menu that appears, and tap Add Consent.
  • Paid Trips: For most paid trips, your consent is automatically confirmed once you make the payment.
• Complete Payment: If the trip allows installments, enter the amount you wish to pay now; otherwise, pay the full balance to secure the spot. 

3. General Parental Consents (Notices)

Sometimes schools need general permission for things like photo use or medical data.

• Check Notices: These appear on your main app dashboard under Notices.
• Respond: Tap the notice to read the details, then select Give Consent or Decline Consent.
• View All: You can see an overview of all given or declined consents by scrolling down on your child’s Student Profile. 

Important: Once you have signed up for a club or trip, you cannot cancel it through the app. You must contact the school office directly to request a cancellation or refund

If you have stopped receiving in-app messages or notifications from your school, your device may be blocking them. Apple iOS devices are particularly prone to occasionally blocking alerts if your phone receives a high volume of them at once.

Follow the tailored steps below for your specific device to restore your alerts.

The Quick Reset Fix

Most notification glitches can be resolved with a sequential settings reset:

1. Force close the Arbor Parent App so it is not running in the background.
2. Turn notifications OFF – see information below for Apple / Android phones:

 

*For Apple iOS Users – If you accidentally tapped "Don't Allow" during installation, or if iOS has automatically blocked heavy notifications, adjust your system settings: 

• Settings Path: Open your iPhone Settings ➔ Scroll down and select Arbor ➔ Tap Notifications.
• Action: Toggle the notification slider to On.
• 💡 Pro-Tip: For the best visibility, set your iOS Banner Style to Permanent so notifications do not automatically slide away.

**For Android Users – Android notification layouts vary slightly by manufacturer (such as Samsung or Google Pixel), but generally follow this standard path:

• Settings Path: Open your phone Settings ➔ Tap Apps (or Apps & Notifications) ➔ Find and select Arbor ➔ Tap Notifications.
• Action: Tap the slider to switch Push Notifications to On and ensure all alert types are ticked. 

 

3. Restart your phone.

4. Turn notifications ON using the device paths below.

5. Restart your phone one final time.

 

Still Not Working? Clean Reinstallation

If notifications still fail to appear after a reset, perform a clean install:

1. Uninstall the Arbor App completely from your device.
2. Re-download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
3. When opening the freshly installed app for the first time, make sure to explicitly select "Allow" when prompted for notification permissions.