CONTRIBUTIONS AND CHARGES

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

We hope the following information will clarify our Voluntary Contributions and Compulsory Charges structure. The Tom Price Senior High School Board has reviewed the Voluntary Contributions and Compulsory Charges structure and has approved all contributions and charges in accordance with the Education Act. In addition to this general information, the Voluntary Contributions and Charges Summary for each student itemises the Compulsory Charges for elective courses, and the Voluntary Contributions allocated to each subject/course. Information on the maximum costs of other possible optional activities such as excursions, incursions, camps, etc. is provided within this booklet. Where a listed optional activity is scheduled, families will be notified of the final cost of the activity accordingly. For further information, please contact the school on 9188 3650.

Stephanie McDonald, Principal

 

Voluntary Contributions and Compulsory Charges and their part in school funding

Tom Price SHS receives Government funding each year to cover basic running costs. In brief, these funds are used for a range of whole-of-school expenses, including the following:

  • Maintenance and minor repairs of equipment, grounds, classroom furniture and buildings.
  • Minor structural improvements.
  • Professional Development of Tom Price SHS staff.
  • Day-to-day administration costs (e.g., postage, printing, stationery, school promotion).
  • Payment for utilities (electricity, telephone, water, and gas).
  • Purchase of major equipment items.

Teachers and other school staff are paid directly by the Government. Funds received from donations, hiring fees received for private use of school facilities, savings on utilities use, and stationery supplier commissions help to offset the course costs for students. However, the costs of “extras” for courses are not included in the Government’s funding. Because of this shortfall, Tom Price SHS levies a charge on students taking such courses to cover the cost of those “extras”, and in doing so ensure that Tom Price SHS can offer the best possible education to its students. The Government acknowledges that this situation affects all government-funded schools. As a result, secondary schools have a legal right to charge for goods and services used by students in a course of study, of which Tom Price SHS’s School Grant funding does not cover. The Department of Education therefore requires schools to make every endeavour to recover outstanding compulsory charges.

 

Determining School Voluntary Contributions and Compulsory Charges

Tom Price SHS endeavours to keep costs to a minimum while maintaining a high standard of curriculum delivery. The Government endorses the levying of a school Voluntary Contribution that covers the basic needs associated with teaching the essential curriculum, such as photocopying, access to textbooks and use of specialised equipment for Years 7 to 10. In Years 11 and 12, students choose to do those courses of study based on their future educational or career requirements. As these are choice subjects, compulsory charges apply. These charges comply with Government and Department of Education policies. This is different to Years 7 to 10 where students must undertake compulsory studies in English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Health and Physical Education. Each student is also charged for items that are specifically used in various elective courses, such as ingredients for food preparation; transport to and from option venues; art materials; use of computer and photographic equipment and associated materials; timber; metal; tools; specialised sporting equipment and photocopies of course handouts. The amount of these costs will vary according to each student’s choice of courses. Similarly, government regulations on school charges do not set limits on the cost of purchasing prescribed textbooks for courses offered in government schools

 

Who should pay?

It is government policy that Parents/Caregivers contribute towards the cost of educating their children. Given that students can choose the courses that will offer them the learning outcomes they desire, it is considered fair and equitable that all parents should pay for the courses that their children select. Similarly, it is generally considered unfair that some families could be expected to pay for the consumable components of courses for another family’s student. This school believes all parents should pay the Voluntary Contributions and Compulsory Charges that will cover the expenses resulting from children’s selection of courses and is committed to maintaining an even-handed and reasonable approach to serving that ideal.

 

Collection of Compulsory Charges:

Families experiencing financial difficulties may be offered the option to pay in instalments, except for Compulsory Charges Fee for Service Qualifications.

Further detailed information regarding these charges is provided within this booklet.

Payment Plans must be arranged well in advance of the relevant deadline for payment.

Late requests for a payment plan may be declined by Tom Price SHS where previous requests for payment have been ignored, or no action has been taken.

Please contact our Billing Officer in a timely manner on 9188 3650 to discuss payment options. Paying parents expect not to subsidise non-paying parents.

Tom Price SHS actively pursues the collection of Compulsory Charges. Our collection process is strongly supported by Tom Price SHS Board and is a requirement of the Department of Education.

Tom Price SHS will take the following steps to recover Compulsory Charges outstanding after the due date for payment:

  1. A minimum of three account statements are posted out to all families prior to 1 July annually.
  2. Where full payment is not made by 1 July 2026, a debt collection agency will be engaged to pursue recovery of Compulsory Charges directly from the paying parent.
  3. Outstanding charges (as referred to Debt Collection) are rolled over to the student’s record in the following year where applicable.
  4. Where parents with outstanding Compulsory Charges have failed to arrange and/or commit to a negotiated payment plan, the student may be removed from their chosen elective course/s and be placed in a course/s that satisfy the requirements of the Curriculum Framework. In the case where the unpaid Compulsory Charges cover the cost of materials for practical classes, the student will not be able to participate in the practical lessons and will have to complete theory work.
  5. Tom Price SHS does not personally phone families prior to charges being referred to debt collection. It is the responsibility of all parents/caregivers to manage payment of all charges in a timely manner to avoid any personal inconvenience in the case of referral to debt collection. Please contact Tom Price SHS to request an arrangement to pay early in the year to avoid referral where no contact has been made.

 

Payment of Compulsory Charges

A deposit of 50% of the total cost of Elective Courses is required by Thursday 29th January 2026, with the total cost paid in full by 30 June 2026.

If parents wish to undertake a payment plan, they may arrange this with our Billing Officer, however, they must make contact immediately to do so, prior to the debt being referred to debt collection.

Tom Price SHS endeavours to assist parents in selecting options for their child that are within their budget by detailing relevant course costs within the Course Selection Handbook. We recommend families take into consideration course costs and their affordability at the point of Course Selection.

 

VET ‘Fee for Service’ Qualifications - Compulsory Charges

With a view to providing a greater range of options to students, Tom Price SHS provides an opportunity for students to access a range of ‘Fee for Service’ qualifications. The Fee for Service arrangement is a response to changes in recent years that occurred across the state limiting access to qualifications for many students.

 

How are ‘Fee for Service’ qualifications different from other qualifications offered?

The ‘Fee for Service’ qualifications are delivered by external Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). The RTOs that deliver these qualifications and assess our students charge Tom Price SHS directly for the full amount of the qualification prior to the student commencing the qualification.

 

Invoicing and payment arrangements for ‘Fee for Service’ qualifications

Tom Price SHS is mindful of the financial pressures many families face, and to this end, we advise that 50% of the full charge payable to relevant RTOs will be covered by the school. Therefore, please be aware that the cost detailed on your child’s Contributions and Charges Summary Sheet is the total amount payable by parents (being 50% of the cost of the qualification).

 

Payment options

The Department of Education’s Contributions, Charges and Fees Manual confirms that VET Fee for Service Qualifications have been approved for collection of charges by schools prior to the commencement of the academic year to confirm student enrolment. Therefore, payment of all Fee for Service charges detailed on your Contributions and Charges Summary Sheet is requested prior to Thursday 29th January 2026 to secure enrolment in the qualification. Where full payment of the charge is not made by this date, the student’s enrolment will be withdrawn.

 

Please note:  As Tom Price SHS is required by the RTO to pay these charges up front to confirm enrolment, where a student withdraws from a qualification after enrolment is confirmed, the charge is non-refundable since the RTO does not refund the school where a child does not complete the qualification.

The school makes provision for the following payment options:

  • Direct Deposit:
    • BSB: 036 182
    • Account No: 910 244
    • Reference: Student’s full name and year (e.g., John Smith Yr8)
  • By completing the credit card information at the bottom of the Contributions & Charges Sheet and posting to Tom Price SHS
  • By telephone, using credit card facilities on 9188 3650
  • In person during office hours (Mon-Fri, 7.45 – 2.45)

 

Secondary Assistance Scheme

The Secondary Assistance Scheme is available to secondary students whose parent/caregiver holds a Centrelink Family Health Care Card, a Pensioner Concession Card or a Veteran’s Affairs Pensioner Concession Card.  The scheme is available to students up to and including the year in which they turn 18 years of age.

Applications are made by the parent or carer for students enrolled in Years 7 - 12.  It is preferable that applications are made prior to the beginning of the school year or as early as possible in Term One.  To discuss your application please make an appointment to speak to our Finance Officer to process your application.   Application forms must be submitted prior to the end of first term.

  • $235 Education Program Allowance paid directly to the school
  • $115 Clothing Allowance paid directly to the parent/carer or the school, with the provision to use this towards school fees if not used for school clothing.

The Education Programs Allowance will be paid directly to the school and will be applied to voluntary contributions for Year 7 - 10.  For Year 11 and 12 students in receipt of the allowance, the money will be applied towards their charges.

 

Voluntary Contributions Years 7 – 10

The school requests a voluntary contribution of up to $235 per student to contribute to the costs of material, service and facilities used in their educational program.

Revenue collected from your contributions is used to help cover expenses for students in compulsory learning areas.  Examples of these expenses are textbooks ranging in price from $35 - $50 each, physical education equipment, audio-visual equipment, graph paper and photocopied materials.

Course Charges

Compulsory charges apply to extra cost options, where additional consumables are provided to students. Subjects such as Sports, Visual Art and Food, attract charges for items such as consumable materials and venue hire.  Charges relate to items that students consume over and above what is supplied by the Department of Education and Training.

Additional charges for optional extra activities address broad learning outcomes and may be offered to students (e.g. social events, excursions, camps, carnivals and select VET Program). It is not possible to determine the actual cost of such future activities, therefor the school provides parents with and estimated maximum cost to enable them for the year ahead.

When an activity is planned, and the student chooses to participate, parents will be notified of the final cost (which will not exceed the maximum previously stated in this document). These activities are not compulsory, and students are not disadvantages academically by choosing not to participate.

Booklists and Personal Items

Recommended personal and stationery items will be detailed on the Campion Booklist sheet. Items may be purchased from Campion (our preferred supplier) or parent/caregivers have the option of purchasing the required equipment independently. Parents may also pay Contributions & Charges for Years 7 & 8 by ticking the appropriate box on the Campion booklist.