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 the children in the Wingham 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).

1L4A1742.jpg

DIOCESAN TUITION FEES 2024

The 2025 full rate Diocesan Tuition Fees are as follows:

  • Kinder to Year 6 - $1,487.00 per year

In 2024, the family discount on Diocesan Tuition Fees, full rate, will be:

  • 1 child family - 0% - full rate to be applied
  • 2 child family - 10% - each child
  • 3 child family - 20% - each child
  • 4+ child family - 50% - each child

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 3 terms.

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. Most incursion/excursions activities are also included. Year 6 Camp and Intensive Swimming program will be billed separately.

Enrolment Fee

A non-refundable enrolment fee is to be paid on acceptance of enrolment. The enrolment fee covers all administrative work involved in processing the application.

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 2024 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.

1L4A2118.jpg

Other Fees

Diocesan Pastoral Contribution

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle consists of parishes, schools, CatholicCare Social Services Hunter-Manning, 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 about 160,000 Catholics residing in our diocese.

The voluntary diocesan pastoral contribution for 2024 is $300 per family.

These funds will support the ongoing pastoral works of the Diocese, which include, among 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, St Joseph’s offers 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.

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.

Payment Of Fees

An Annual Fee Statement is distributed to families in February of each year. 

Payments can be made via cash, cheque, BPAY, money order, credit card (over the phone), and EFTPOS. Direct debit from your bank, credit union or building society account is also available.   

A range of alternative payment plans ares available. These include dividing the fees over 10 equal payments from February to November. Please contact School  Office for further details.

Please be aware that if your direct debit is dishonoured more than three times the school will cancel the deduction.  For any dishonoured direct debit, the school is charged a fee of $2.50 by your financial institution. This fee will be passed on to the fee payer and will appear on the next statement. No receipts are issued – please check your bank account for proof of payment.