School Fees

School fees and levies enable our school to provide a high standard of education to the children at St Mary’s. Without school fees, our school would not be able to provide the many and varied opportunities from which each student benefits.

St Mary’s Primary School charges the following fees and levies:

Student Book Levy

This fee is charged per student. In addition to the Government Education Allowance, this covers our costs in running each of the Learning Communities throughout the year. These funds are used for:

- Books and stationery used by individual children

- Reference books for the classroom

- Art/Craft materials and sports equipment

- Reading books, library up-keep, photocopying

- Specialist budgets e.g. Religious Education, P.E.

Family (School) Fee

This fee is charged per family and is used to support the school in meeting its running costs throughout the year to cover expenses such as heating, power etc.

'“We welcome all students and their families who share or respect our Catholic faith, values and traditions. Catholic education is supported by State and Federal funding, with families contributing the balance of the cost of educating their children. At times, some families are unable to meet their commitment to the full costs of education. As a Catholic school system, we ensure fee relief mechanisms are available to support families in time of need. We encourage these discussions on enrolment or as these needs emerge.”

Capital Levy

This fee is charged per family. This fee is used for contributing towards Capital Grants for building work as well as covering maintenance costs and specific purchasing priorities such as technology, playground equipment etc.

School Fee Payments

Fee accounts are sent home to families at the beginning of Term 1 of the school year. Fees can be paid weekly, fortnightly, monthly, per term or annually via Cash, Direct Credit or Direct Debit.

Direct Debit is the school’s preferred and usual option for the payment of fees.

It is expected that school fees are paid in full by November 30 each year.

Families who foresee difficulty in meeting the payment of fees and levies should arrange a meeting with the Principal. This allows for negotiated arrangement to be made in the payment of fees.

Financial circumstances are never a barrier to enrolment at St Mary’s.

Family Fee Assistance Scheme

In all Catholic primary schools in the Diocese of Ballarat the Catholic Education Office provide a Family Fee Assistance Scheme. This is available to assist families to send their children to Catholic primary schools. The scheme is available to those families who hold a current Health Care Card. Families that qualify pay $520 per annum ($10 per week) towards fees. This discounted fee covers the Family (School) Fee and the Capital Fee only, but not the Student Book Levy.

Application forms and information brochures are available from the school office. Further information can be provided by the St Mary’s Business Manager.