School Fees

FEE OVERVIEW

Catholic schools are typically seen as great value for money, providing high-quality education supported by quality facilities and learning environments. It is the policy of the Catholic Schools Office that financial hardship should not prevent any child from attending a Catholic school and no child will be denied a Catholic education because of a family’s genuine inability to pay the required school fees. Any family experiencing financial difficulties is entitled to fee assistance; your local school Principal will be able to discuss this with you.

Together with parents, clergy and school staff, St Joseph’s is committed to offering students in the Bulahdelah region access to schools in which their faith can be nurtured in outstanding learning environments. We seek to assist young people to realise their full potential, taking into account their unique spiritual, intellectual, physical and social needs.

The greater part of diocesan schools’ funding comes from State and Commonwealth government grants, but the commitment and continuing financial contribution of parents and parish communities is still essential to fill the gap between the funds provided by government and the actual cost of running our schools. School fees are comprised of three components – Diocesan tuition fees, individual school resource and service fees and Diocesan Family School Building Levy (DFSBL).

School fees are an integral part of our Catholic school system and parents are required to sign a fee agreement commitment form on enrolment. Fee arrangements may be considered in extenuating circumstances and in consultation with the principal. The annual fees are divided equally across three terms. 

DIOCESAN TUITION FEES 2024

The 2024 full rate diocesan tuition fees are as follows:

• Kinder to Year 6 - $1,487 per year

The 2024, family discount on full rate diocesan tuition fees is:

• 1 child family - 0% - full rate to be applied
• 2 child family - 15% - each child
• 3 child family - 25% - each child
• 4+ child family - 50% - each child

Fees are levied annually.

SCHOOL RESOURCE AND SERVICE FEES

The resource fee is billed per child, it covers a range of costs including the supply of goods and services, such as textbooks, exercise books, technology or resources needed for particular KLAs. Some incursion/excursions activities are also included. School camp and Intensive Swimming program will be billed separately.

Excursions and some incursions are an additional expense and must be paid prior to the date of the event.

DIOCESAN FAMILY SCHOOL BUILDING LEVY (DFSBL)

The DFSBL is charged to the oldest child for each family. The levy is pooled to contribute towards past, present and future costs for building projects across all existing schools, and for the development of new Catholic schools within the Diocese.

This DFSBL contribution from families is spent on major refurbishment and capital works in existing schools, including classroom replacement, toilet facilities, specialist rooms, and playground areas. In new schools the levy provides all capital works including administration block, general purpose learning areas, chapel, specialist rooms, toilet facilities, and non-teaching spaces including playground and oval spaces.

The Catholic Schools Office is committed to a robust building and development program across the school system that will truly enhance the physical facilities for students.

The DFSBL rate for 2023 is $1,638 per family. The DFSBL rate is reviewed, recommended and approved in the same manner as mentioned earlier for tuition fees and discounts.

DIOCESAN PASTORAL CONTRIBUTION

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle consists of parishes, schools, CatholicCare Social Services, St Nicholas Early Education and the Curia offices. The Diocesan offices exist to support the work of Parishes and other pastoral ministries that are the responsibility of the Bishop and the diocesan community. There are approximately 160,000 Catholics residing in our diocese.

The voluntary diocesan pastoral contribution for 2023 is $300 per family ($100 per term for 3 terms). These funds will support the ongoing pastoral works of the diocese which include, amongst many initiatives:

• the diocesan pastoral ministries office and the activities of its many advisory councils — the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Adult Faith Formation Council, the Liturgy Council, the Ecumenical and Interfaith Council, the Social Justice Council and the Diocesan Council of Ministry with Young People
• the provision of chaplains ministering in the following areas — University of Newcastle, Newcastle Port, prisons, hospitals and CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning
• Family Community Faith co-ordinators who reach out and connect families to their local parish and school
• pastoral co-ordinators who work in those parishes without a resident parish priest
• Dara van, Aboriginal Catholic Mission, Refugee Services, the Apostleship to Seafarers
• worship and prayer, sacramental programs, marriage and relationship education, family ministry coordinators, Caritas Australia and Catholic Mission.

SPECIAL FEE REDUCTIONS

To assist families with limited financial resources, Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle offer a lower tuition fee to ‘means tested’ low income families such as Health Care and Pension Card holders. This rate is 50% of the Diocesan Tuition Fee full rate for each child. This discount applies only to the Diocesan Tuition Fee, not to the DFSBL or other resource and service fees charged by each individual school.

Please note, however, that it is our policy that financial hardship should not prevent a child from attending a Catholic School and no child will be denied a Catholic Education because of a family’s genuine inability to pay the required school fees. This does not apply only to the eligible Health Care/Pension Card holders mentioned above. Any family experiencing financial difficulties is entitled to fee assistance. The Principal of the school can be contacted to discuss such situations.

Together with parents, clergy and school staff, we are committed to offering the children and young people in this diocese, schools in which their faith can be nurtured in outstanding learning environments. We seek to assist young people to realise their full human potential, spiritual, intellectual, physical and social. We value the opportunity to work in partnership with you to that end, and thank you for your continuing support of Catholic Education in this Diocese.

FURTHER CONCESSIONS

A genuine inability to meet school account charges does not exclude access to any school within the diocese for a child of a family genuinely committed to Catholic faith and practice. Parents concerned about school fees should ensure they make contact with the school. Diocesan provisions exist to help in this area and the principal can also exercise discretion where genuine need exists.

BILLING CYCLE AND PAYMENT METHODS

School fees are billed annually in Term 1.

Payment method can be via direct debit with the CDF; BPay using the fee statement reference number; or credit card over the counter or cash.

• Each fee payer can tailor frequency of payments to suit individual circumstances
• Direct debit payment frequency options can be established as weekly, fortnightly or monthly
• BPay can be at your discretion and can be set up as an automated payment

Some fees such as excursions, incursions and sport may continue to be charged separately during the course of the year prior to the event being held.

All fees must be paid in full by 30 November.