[Sassy Girl]

I'd speak to your local Priest.

If you aren't a practicing Catholic, your chances of receiving a fee reduction are somewhere around diddly squat.

Rubbish.
Most of our families receiving help from the local Catholic school (ie. church funded) are not practising.

We are non Catholics (actually Atheists) but send our children to Catholic schools.

We have had our fees either waived or greatly reduced for the past five years . I know of a single mum who went to see the Principal and said she could only pay $100- per term for everything including excursions. He was fine with that and she's been paying that ever since.

Edited to add: Our children were already in the Catholic school system before our circumstances changed which greatly reduced our income and ability to pay full fees. For the past three years they have asked to see our Health Care Card during the interview.

This post has been edited by Sassy Girl: 23/04/2012, 03:02 PM

[JECJEC]

When I went to the interview for my child way back in 2000 I was asked directly by the principal how I would be able to pay the fees. (The answer was easy for me - I told him it was cheaper than childcare- which it was)

Medium Long term to long term are you going to be able to pay them - also you have another child are you going to be in a position to pay them for both students. I would have answers for these ready before you speak to the school.

[Franni]

I know that when I sent in an enrollment application to our local catholic primary we had to sign to say we could afford and would be paying the school fees.
I think your chances would be slim to get a place at the school with the intention of not paying the fees.

[Madeline's Mum]

If your son isn't baptised you'll have a hard enough time getting him a spot, let alone having your fees reduced.

The spots here are given to baptised, practicing and donating families first. Everyone else is distant second.

Is there anyway you can save the money up in the remaining 8 months of the year?

This post has been edited by Madeline's Mum: 23/04/2012, 03:03 PM

[MadreLoca]

As per my OP, I'll [i]initially[/i] be unable to pay full fees. I'm not interested in 7 years of fee-free attendance. Nowhere did I say that.

I'm [i]currently[/i] on PPS. Not permanently.

Thanks for your replies so far

ETA both my boys are baptised (Catholic)

This post has been edited by MadreLoca: 23/04/2012, 03:08 PM

[oNeLoVe]

I guess the school doesn't know whether you *might* be able to pay full fees sometime in the future. Unfortunately you wont be able to give them a date, or even a year, when you will be able to pay fees to them (as it will depend I guess on your circumstances, if you're hoping to get a job etc etc). Even with your assurances that, say, next year you'll be working and able to pay fees, things don't always work out the way we plan them. It'd be a big risk to them taking on another family who may then not be able to pay fees for years.

I know they do take some non-fee paying families, and not sure how exactly it works but I know one Catholic school we were looking at leaves some positions for ATSI children. Not sure whether the ATSI children get reduced fees, or zero fees or what.

[Princess.cranky....]

I know that when I sent in an enrollment application to our local catholic primary we had to sign to say we could afford and would be paying the school fees.

Same at our school. We were told that on acceptance of enrolment we are making a commitment to paying the school fees.

We are on a low income and struggle to pay the fees. There has never been any mention of waving or reducing the fees and we would not even think if asking the school to do so.

If we couldn't pay the fees then we would not have even considered sending our child to the Catholic school. I just don't think it's fair on the school to expect them to pay for your child. There are a lot of struggling families at our school and they all pay their way.

Sorry but you if you can't pay fees then you need to be looking at public schools.

This post has been edited by Princess.cranky.pants: 23/04/2012, 04:43 PM

[casime]

You can't walk in to a real estate agency and expect them to rent you a waterfront property for reduced rent on the chance that you may be able to pay for it in the future. If you can't afford it, then you need to look at other options, not expect the school (and therefore the church community that you choose to not even make a contribution to) to cover those costs for you. If your situation changes in the future, you can apply for a place then.

[rue-cambon]

I hope you dont me asking but why do u want to send your child to a catholic school? if you cant afford it but want a catholic education you can always send him to Sunday religious school.

have you looked at your local state schools? state schools are pretty good & they get more funding than catholic schools.

we'll be sending our DD to a catholic school (we're practicing & we want her to have a catholic education) but in our research I can tell you the state schools do seem a bit better as they have more funding & more things to offer (of course that's just from my observation).

[Lausii]

If you aren't a practicing Catholic, your chances of receiving a fee reduction are somewhere around diddly squat.

Rubbish.

I had fees reduced for 3 children at one stage when on PPS, one in high school and two in primary. I think I paid around $20 a week for all of them. But there was extenuating circumstances, which the school was aware of.

Right now I am paying reduced fees again. No special circumstances, just simply cannot afford the full fees. The principal was more then happy to discuss it.

And I don't go to church either.