Here you’ll find answers to the questions we get asked most about enrolling at our College. If you want to find out more, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What are the College tuition fees?
Catholic schools are typically seen as great value for money. Catholic schools do more with less whilst still providing high-quality education supported by quality facilities and learning environments. Each school year the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, through its agency the Catholic Schools Office, reviews the fees for students in our diocesan schools for the coming year.
By far the greater part of our schools’ funding now 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.
The school fees constitute three components:
- Diocesan Tuition Fees
- Individual School Resource and Service Fees
- Diocesan Family School Building Levy (DFSBL)
View full fee schedule here
How can I make a fee payment?
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, EFTPOS or cash. Please contact the College Senior Finance Officer to discuss payment options.
- 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
A range of alternative payment plans are available. These include dividing the fees over 10 equal payments from February to November for Years 7 to 11, and eight equal payments from February to September for Year 12. Please contact the Finance Office for further details.
Please note that just as parents have regular bills to pay, so too does the College, so all fee payers are expected to be making regular payments. This also ensures that fees can be managed.
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 bank account for proof of 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.
Please contact the Finance Office staff if you have any questions.
Where can I purchase the school uniform?
Whenever and where ever students from St Joseph’s College wear their uniform they are in fact representing the College and as such need to uphold the strong reputation of the College. Wearing the College uniform respectfully is not only an outward sign of belonging to the College community, but a way to express their pride in, and commitment to the College’s ideals and aspirations. It is also important that the uniform is worn correctly due to the necessity to meet work, health and safety requirements.
Wearing the correct uniform includes not substituting sports uniform for formal school uniform by choice. If part of the school uniform is not able to be worn, a parental note if required.
Access the College Uniform Overview here
All items of College uniform are only available from the Uniform Shop. The uniform shop is located on our College site and is run by an independent company called Alinta, a company specialising in school uniforms. Uniforms need to be ordered well in advance as stocks of uniforms are not readily available and may take up to 6 weeks for delivery.
For your convenience, Alinta has a store located at St Joseph’s College and it is open throughout the term during the following hours and at selected additional times during January:
Tuesday: 8am till 11am
Wednesday: 1pm till 4pm
Thursday: 1pm till 4pm
Access to the uniform shop is via the walkway in front MacKillop Place – the College Hall.
To book a fitting or place an order online, please visit the Alinta website or contact Alinta below:
E | ascl@alinta.com.au
P | 0422 232 684
What options are available for travelling to the College?
Bus & Train Travel to School
The School Student Opal Card can only be used for travel between home and school. It does not extend to activities such as school excursions, sports and work experience or attendance at joint secondary /TAFE programs, multi-campus high schools, Saturday school, pre-schools, mini schools (except for full time geographically isolated distance education schemes), before and after school care or child minding premises. The student’s home address is defined as their normal place of residence.
However, the one card can cover both train and different bus companies provided that the trip is from home to school and visa versa.
To apply for an Opal Card click here or phone 131 500 for more information. Please ensure that the address on the opal card application corresponds with the address given on school records.
In a joint/dual custody situation a student is eligible for subsidised travel from both parents’ addresses, subject to meeting the normal eligibility criteria. A separate application must be made for each address.
If you qualify for a Private Vehicle Conveyance (PVC) subsidy (ie. If you’re not close to public transport and need to drive a student more than 1.6kms to the nearest bus stop or school) click here to apply. Remember to give accurate distances.
If parents/guardians are unsure as to where their child should board, it is suggested that the week prior to school commencing in 2019 you contact the relevant transport provider listed below and gain the appropriate information from them or go to their websites.
Rover Coaches
Vincent Street
Cessnock 2325
P | 4990 1699
Website
Grace Coaches
PO Box 21
Lochinvar 2321
P | 4930 6058
Website
Hunter Valley Buses
6 Glenwood Drive
Thornton 2322
P | 4935 7200
Website
Rumbel Coaches
Phil Rumbel
P | 0412 750 782
School Buses Code of Conduct
To ensure your safety and the comfort of other passengers,
Students will:
- Behave in a safe and respectful manner at all times
- Respect bus property
- Always follow safety instructions
- Show Opal card to the driver on boarding and when requested
Students will not:
- Distract the driver except in an emergency
- Smoke, eat or drink on the bus
- Allow any part of their body to protrude from the bus
- Fight, spit, use offensive language or place their feet on the seats
- Alter, deface, misuse or fraudulently obtain an Opal card
- Give, lend or transfer their Opal card to another student
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions in regard to the School Opal Card.
