Frequently Asked Questions
IS ST PATRICK'S ALLORA A 'PRIVATE SCHOOL'?
No. St Patrick’s Allora is a Catholic school and its day to day operation relies on state and federal government funding and the fees paid by our families each term. ‘Private Schools’ can cost more as much of their operation relies heavily on student’s fees.
No. St Patrick’s Allora is a Catholic school and its day to day operation relies on state and federal government funding and the fees paid by our families each term. ‘Private Schools’ can cost more as much of their operation relies heavily on student’s fees.
DOES MY FAMILY NEED TO BE CATHOLIC OR HAVE A RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION IN ORDER TO ATTEND ST PATRICK'S?
No. St Patrick’s is an inclusive and caring community that takes enrolments from all belief backgrounds.
No. St Patrick’s is an inclusive and caring community that takes enrolments from all belief backgrounds.
I HAVE HEARD THAT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. IS THAT RIGHT?
At St Patrick’s Allora the cost is $300 per term for a single child.
Fees include many things that may be an extra cost at other schools.
At St Patrick’s Allora the cost is $300 per term for a single child.
- This equates to $1200 per year or a little over $30 per week of a 39 week academic year (Queensland Catholic schools finish a week earlier than state schools in term 4)
- There are discounts for additional children.
Fees include many things that may be an extra cost at other schools.
WHAT IF I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY PAYING MY CHILD'S FEES?
Everyone occasionally falls on hard times. We encourage open and honest communication between families and our school when such circumstances arise. A conversation about your circumstances is often very helpful.
Everyone occasionally falls on hard times. We encourage open and honest communication between families and our school when such circumstances arise. A conversation about your circumstances is often very helpful.
DOES ST PATRICK'S SCHOOL TEACH THE SAME CURRICULUM AS GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS?
Like all schools in Queensland, St Patrick’s follows the Australian Curriculum as set from ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority).
Like all schools in Queensland, St Patrick’s follows the Australian Curriculum as set from ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority).
- Like other independent and Catholic schools in Queensland, St Patrick’s is required to report to the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board (NSSAB) every 5 years. To be recognised as an educational institution within Queensland and Australia, we must provide evidence of the curriculum taught within the school. This is signed off and endorsed by Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office personnel and NSSAB.
- As part of the Health and Physical Education curriculum, students are also instructed in curriculum based lessons on personal safety (‘Student Protection Week’) and personal health and wellbeing lessons (‘Family Week’).
- In addition to the national curriculum, students at St Patrick’s School receive instruction in religious education.
- Our highly qualified team of teaching professionals and school officers, are constantly engaged in professional learning experiences that help us grow as educators to best cater for the students we teach.
MY CHILD HAS ADDITIONAL LEARNING NEEDS. HOW WILL MY CHILD BE SUPPORTED AT ST PATRICK'S ALLORA?
St Patrick’s School is an inclusive and caring environment. Our highly professional staff of many years combined experience have educated children of all needs and from all walks of life. In addition to this, our approach to educating children with additional needs is strengthened by collaboration with expert advisory staff from the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office.
St Patrick’s School is an inclusive and caring environment. Our highly professional staff of many years combined experience have educated children of all needs and from all walks of life. In addition to this, our approach to educating children with additional needs is strengthened by collaboration with expert advisory staff from the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office.
WHAT DO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TEACH IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION LESSONS?
St Patrick’s Allora, as with all 31 schools in the Toowoomba Catholic Diocese, follows the Religious Education Curriculum.
St Patrick’s Allora, as with all 31 schools in the Toowoomba Catholic Diocese, follows the Religious Education Curriculum.
- Like all other subjects, the Religious Education curriculum was redesigned in recent years to align with the same inquiry based direction of learning developed in the new national curriculum.
- The religious education curriculum, taught by St Patrick’s and other catholic schools in the Toowoomba Diocese, is based on the curriculum developed by the Brisbane Catholic Education Office.
- This highly literacy based area of the curriculum accounts for 30 minutes of the teaching day. Lessons cover many themes such as Christian values, peaceful relationships and world religions.
- Catholic schools start classes half an hour earlier each day to accommodate these very important lessons.
- The aim of religious education is to help all students of all religious backgrounds to become better informed and capable of thinking seriously about religion, acquiring knowledge, attitudes, values and skills to navigate life.