2 Lake Street, Windale NSW 2306
Ph: 02 4948 8467 Fax: 02 4947 2238

Enrolment Information for St Pius Primary School Windale

WELCOME

St Pius X Primary School is an integral part of Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, East Lake Macquarie with

St Pius X Catholic Church Windale our place of worship and as such, we welcome you to the community of

St Pius X and Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish. May you find your association with our combined

community both a happy and rewarding one!

AWAKE, ASPIRE, LEARN

OUR VISION

St Pius X Primary School Windale perceives itself as an integral component of the Church’s Mission in educating children who are “truly Catholic in their identity and life.” (Catholic Schools at the Crossroad.) 

Its main role is to be “a centre of the new evangelisation,” where faith and culture is integrated. (CSATC) As a Catholic School, “we promote values centred in Christ…and facilitate spiritual growth, in partnership with families and members of the wider community.”.

 

MISSION STATEMENT

St Pius X Primary School, being a Catholic School where our faith is shared through the lived experience of belief, celebration and service, strives to:

  • share the experience of education as a partnership between, school, parish and local community in a spirit of co-responsibility.
  • provide a loving and secure environment, which values each children's individuality and caters for a range of needs.
  • utilise appropriate teaching and learning opportunities to develop skills for life - long learning incorporating Gospel values
  • encourage students to pursue excellence in all fields of school education in accordance with her/his gifts and capabilities.
  • promote a spirit of cohesiveness amongst our school community where a culture of friendship and mutual respect is evident. 
  • be a part of the evangelising mission of the Church where acceptance, tolerance and inclusiveness is promoted.

ENROLMENTS

St Pius X Primary School Windale follows the guidelines provided by the Catholic Schools Office Enrolment Policy 2013. This Enrolment Policy has been devised in order to accommodate the needs of families seeking a Catholic education. It aims to set direction for school procedures and practices for enrolling students into Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools within the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and to establish a common, consistent approach in enrolment practices and assist the system of Catholic schools to provide schooling, where possible, for all Catholic children who seek enrolment, cater for the individual needs of each child equitably within the constraints of the available teaching and material resources and to encourage parents enrolling their children in Catholic schools to give support to parish and school life, especially in education in faith.

Copies of the Policy are available from the school, or from the Catholic Schools Office website. Parents concerned about school fees should ensure they make contact with the school. Diocesan provisions (including standard discounts for those with a Health Card) exist to help in this area, and the Principal can also exercise discretion where genuine need exists.

Our pre-Kindergarten class (KFC) is run on a Wednesday throughout the year, providing valuable instruction to the children prior to them starting their formal education.

ENROLMENT

To enrol at St Pius X Primary School Windale, simply call in or ring to make an appointment. An Enrolment Package is available and by completing the Application for Enrolment you will commence the enrolment process for your child.

The Enrolment Period for the following year commences in Catholic Schools Week which is usually in mid-March.

LOCATION / DRAWING AREA

St Pius X draws its students predominantly from the suburbs of Windale, Tingara Heights and Mount Hutton with a number of families travelling from Gateshead, Belmont North and Warners Bay. Pupils leaving Year 6 at the end of their primary schooling usually start their High School studies at St Mary’s High School Gateshead.

 

SCHOOL FEES

The school tuition fee is set by the Diocesan Board of Financial Administration and is your contribution towards the recurrent cost of educating your children in a Catholic School.

Accounts may be paid weekly, monthly, or by the term. Direct debit is also a useful and effective means of payment. B-Pay was introduced in 2011 – a far more convenient way to pay.

We do not wish fees to become an excessive burden for any family, nor do we wish to exclude children from our school because of such. If you find yourself in difficult circumstances it is essential that you discuss the situation with the principal

 

CHILD PROTECTION

 

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has an absolute and abiding commitment to promote the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children. As a parent sending your child or children to St Pius X Primary School, a Diocesan school, you should be aware of your rights and obligations in protecting your child and all children in our schools.

Diocesan Policy on Child Protection

 

The Children and Young Person’s (Care and Protection) Act 1998

In NSW we are able to report certain information to Family and Community Services (FaCs). If we are concerned for one of more of the children in the school, we can discuss our concerns with a teacher, REC or Principal. We can report our concerns to the FaCS Child Protection Helpline (Ph. 133 627, 24 hrs./7 days) if we have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child or young person is at risk of significant harm and our concerns are current. Risk of significant harm may occur from a single act or omission or to a series of acts or omissions.

 

It is better to be safe than sorry, so if we’re uncertain, talk to a staff member at the school.

 

 

Part 3A of the Ombudsman Act 1974

Part 3A Ombudsman Act 1974, defines Diocesan schools as a ‘designated non-government agency’ and as such we must have systems for preventing, reporting (to the Ombudsman) and investigating reportable conduct.

 

All staff and volunteers in Diocesan schools fall within the scope of Part 3A and may be investigated for alleged ‘reportable conduct’ which includes sexual offenses, misconduct, assault, ill-treatment, neglect and behaviour that causes psychological harm to children.

 

Zimmerman Services is the Diocese’s specialist child protection service who works with the Ombudsman to ensure the Diocese meets its obligations under Part 3A.

 

 

The Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012

Under this legislation people who work in a paid or volunteer capacity in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle are required by law to have a Working with Children Check Clearance. This ‘Clearance’ can be obtained from applying online at check@kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au.

 

As a parent, if we learn about a staff member or a volunteer working in the school without a Clearance, we should talk with the Principal or REC as soon as possible.  If we believe that nothing is being done about our concerns, we can contact Zimmerman Services directly (Ph. 4979 1390 Mon-Fri 08:30 to 5pm).

 

 

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Reporting Policy

As a parent we can report any concerns we have for a student, or group of students, to our principal, assistant principal or directly to Zimmerman Services (Ph. 4979 1390 Mon-Fri 08:30 to 5pm). The Diocese’s reporting policy and procedures are available to everyone on the Diocesan website:

Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Reporting Child Protection Concerns

 

As parents we are entitled to contact Zimmerman Services directly about any concerns we have about the safety, welfare or wellbeing of a child or if we are concerned that the school isn’t addressing allegations of reportable conduct or abuse. (Ph. 4979 1390 Mon-Fri, 08:30 to 5pm).