What you need to know when considering the cost of schooling...it's not as expensive as you might think.

St. Thomas More School board. 

In 2020 the STM school board accepted the government's contribution to school activities/costs rather than requesting a parent contribution to top up the school operational fund. With COVID19 arriving it's turned out to be  very good choice. We have opted for the government contribution for 2024 as well. What has changed?

STM School board wants to provide your child with all the tools to give them a 21st Century Education. One of curriculum areas which needs ongoing support is digital learning. There are always new digital devices/ apps being introduced and so updating is the norm. 

Costs that aren’t included in the government contribution are Camp for year 5 and year 6 in term 4, sports fees for middle and senior students who choose to join teams outside of school time and school photos (which have always been optional). We are very flexible and encourage families to plan ahead - often it is easier to budget by direct crediting $5  a week from the start of the year to allow for camp costs or uniform items. Just have a chat with Jane in the office.

We are very grateful for the efforts of our PTFA for the support and goodwill that our school community has received. 

Catholic Character Levy

The Catholic Schools Office in Hamilton (our Diocese) has asked parents/caregivers to donate $40 per child to cover the cost of teacher education in the Diocese. Our teachers are continually learning about their faith and how to inspire their students to love God. This is what makes St Thomas More School stand out from the rest. All of our successes are directly linked with the strength of our commitment.

It is up to us, the Catholic community, to keep our school’s Catholic Character fresh and alive.

The Government’s operational grant does not pay for our Catholicity.

This Catholic Character Education Levy is paid directly to the Catholic Schools Office (Hamilton), not St Thomas More School. It is for the good of the whole Diocese.

Attendance Dues

When you enrol your child at our school, you sign a contract with the Catholic Education Office to say that you will pay the Attendance Dues. This money is collected to pay for loans on previous school developments and for current building projects in Catholic schools. The ownership of Catholic schools remains in the hands of the Proprietor (in our case the Bishop of Hamilton). This means that maintenance and updating of our buildings is also the responsibility of the Bishop’s Office.

These can be paid annually, each term or through the year as it suits you. Please advise on your enrolment contract how you wish to be billed. This money is not collected by us but will be invoiced to you from the Catholic Schools Office in Hamilton. Any queries about Attendance Dues need to be directed to the Catholic Schools Office (telephone : 07 856 6989). If you are in a situation where paying Attendance Dues is putting undue financial pressure on your family, rather than leaving the school, make an appointment with the Principal to discuss ways we can support you. (For 2024 they are $496 inclusive of GST per student).