Important School Council News

12th November 2024

Dear Parents,

We are writing to you on behalf of the Blackburn Primary School Council about the importance of making your financial contribution to the school via the payment in Compass for Curriculum Contributions, Other Contributions and Tax Deductible Contributions.

While the Department of Education provides funding to schools each year on a per student enrolled basis, this funding only covers a portion of the core operating costs of running the school.

Department of Education funding does not cover additional special programs such as The Patch Program, MiniLit, School Librarian, School Chaplain, and things like replacement sport equipment, take home readers, STEM resources, shared art supplies, maths tools, and larger budget items such as replacement furniture and any upgrades to the buildings and grounds of the school. Almost all extra programs and resources beyond the very basic operating costs that make our school a special place for our children to learn is only made possible by parent contributions.

In addition, BPS elects to run smaller than average class sizes because research shows that outcomes for students and teachers are better when class sizes are smaller. However, the impact of this on the budget is significant.

Some people believe that education should be free. The reality is that if the school did not collect parent contributions, what Blackburn Primary School (BPS) could offer the students would be a fraction of what is currently provided.

Being on school council provides a great insight into the operations and financial management of the school, and we can say with complete confidence that every dollar the school receives from parents is valued and expended to benefit all students.

The Parent Payment Policy for 2025 will be communicated shortly and we ask all families to seriously consider their capacity to contribute towards your child’s educational experiences. To those that have already made your parent payment, we thank you!

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please contact Skye Thornton (BPS Business Manager) as there are options available to provide support, including payment plans.

Together we can help BPS maintain the outstanding quality of teaching and extracurricular activities which the school has been providing to our children for over 130 years.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any aspect of the contents of this letter, I encourage you to contact me on Anthony.DeCastella@education.vic.gov.au

Kind Regards,