Dear parents & carers,

This letter provides information about voluntary contributions you can make to support Bayswater Primary School for 2027 and other payments you can choose to make.

Victorian government schools provide free instruction. This means all students have free access to all items, activities and services that schools use to deliver the curriculum, including reasonable adjustments to support students with disability.

Some families choose to make a voluntary financial contribution to support the school, and we are very grateful for this support.  Making a voluntary contribution is your choice. There is no expectation or pressure for families to contribute.

Bayswater Primary School offers a range of items and activities that are additional to the free instruction provided to all students at our school. Financial help is available for extra-curricular items and activities if you are experiencing financial hardship (see further details under Financial Help for Families in the attached information). For a confidential discussion about how to access the financial help available, please contact: Jo Braden, Principal, 9721 3755.

If you need an interpreter, please contact 03 9605 3053 and give our school's phone number 9721 3755. An interpreter can help you speak with us. This service is free. For more information, please see How to use an interpreter to contact your school.

For more information on the Department of Education’s Parent Contributions policy please see the information attached. You can read the full policy at Parent Contributions: Policy | education.vic.gov.au.

Yours sincerely

Jo Braden                                                                       Melainy Henman

Principal                                                                   School Council President    

Bayswater Primary School 2027 PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS ARRANGEMENTS

Voluntary contributions

If you are the carer of a student in out-of-home care or hold a financially means-tested card (such as a healthcare card), please ignore the invitation to make voluntary contributions.

We encourage any family experiencing financial hardship to contact the school for information about the financial help available for extra-curricular activities like camps and excursions.

 Extra-Curricular Items and Activities – provided on a user-pays basis

Bayswater Primary School offers a range of optional items and activities that are additional to the free instruction provided to all students at our school. Accessing these items and activities does require payment, but financial support is available (see further details under Financial Help for Families below).

Example extra-curricular items and activities include:

• optional activities, camps, excursions and programs
• class photos
• social events like formals.

We have provided confirmed or indicative costs of known extra-curricular items and activities below.

Payment for extra-curricular items and activities with a confirmed cost can be made now or later. Payments can also be made via instalment.

Please contact the school for advice on financial help available for extra-curricular items and activities.

Financial help for families

Bayswater Primary School understands families can experience financial difficulty. Help is available, including:

• Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund – this program provides funding for eligible students, including those in out of home care, and holders of eligible financially means-tested cards (such as health care cards), to attend activities like camps, sporting activities, excursions and incursions that are offered on a user-pays basis.
  
  
• Affordable School Uniforms - delivered by State Schools Relief, this program helps cover costs such as school uniforms, shoes, and other essential school items where families are experiencing financial hardship or short-term crisis.
  
  
• Payment plans for Extra-Curricular Items and Activities
  
  
• Second hand uniform sales available from the school office

Applications for support from the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund and State Schools Relief are submitted by the school - please contact us to discuss these and other financial help.

For a confidential discussion about how to access financial help, please contact:

Jo Braden

Ph: 03 9721 3755 | Email: joanne.braden@education.vic.gov.au

Payment methods

• Cash
• EFTPOS
• Direct Deposit to the school’s bank account:
  • Commonwealth Bank 063-199 / 10054950
• Compass

If you want to make voluntary contributions throughout the year, you can:

• decide when to make each contribution
• choose the amount of each contribution.
  
  

Refunds

Parent requests for refunds are subject to the discretion of the school and made on a case-by-case basis. Refunds will be provided where the school deems it is reasonable and fair to do so, taking into consideration whether a cost has been incurred, the Department of Education’s Parent Contributions policy and guidance, Financial Help for Families policy, and any other relevant information.

Parent Contributions policy

Information for families

FREE INSTRUCTION  Schools give students free instruction in the curriculum. This includes:  Free access to all items, activities and services that schools use to deliver the curriculum, including reasonable adjustments to support students with disability.  The Victorian Curriculum F-10, the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) including the VCE Vocational Major, and the Victorian Pathways Certificate.  Free access to all subjects, including elective subjects.  Free access to select-entry and accelerated programs.

FINANCIAL HELP FOR FAMILIES    Each school has a contact person who can discuss with parents and carers the financial supports that are available.

Schools must publish their Parent Contributions arrangements on their school website, along with a link to the department’s Parent Contributions policy.