Parents can keep tabs on their children's eating habits thanks to an electronic card to pay for school dinners.

Eastbourne Technology College is one of a handful of schools in East Sussex where pupils pay for their meals on a type of credit card.

Parents can top up the card whenever they like and it prevents pupils spending allocated school dinner money in nearby sweet shops.

The scheme also allows parents to see a print out of what their child has been eating. By September, this information will be available on the school web site for parents.

Terry Sierwald's daughter Katie is in her final year at the school and has used the card since it was introduced three years ago.

Mrs Sierwald, of Langney Point, Eastbourne, said: "It's much better because money always gets lost or the youngsters might spend it on something they shouldn't. They can chose what they want from the canteen but it's not all sweets and crisps."

She said, so far, she had not asked for a print-out of what Katie has eaten, adding: "I don't have any worries about what my daughter eats but if parents are worried about what their children are eating or how much they are spending, it's a good idea."

Cheryl Spokes, of Princes Road, Eastbourne, said she trusted her daughter Anna, 16, to chose healthy options. She said: "I trust her so I haven't asked to see a print-out but it's a good thing. It's nice to know she can't spend the money elsewhere."

Headteacher Janet Felkin said the scheme, along with a canteen refurbishment, had proved popular with students. She said: "We take healthy eating very seriously at the school. There is so much research that you cannot ignore that what you eat affects how you learn."

She said pupils and parents had responded well to the cashless card system and that more than half of the school's 960 pupils used the cards and ate in the canteen.