School Fees and Contributions – 2024

St Bede’s College has three types of fees: compulsory fees, contributions and cost recoveries.

Type Charge $ May be eligible for tax credit
Compulsory Fees Boarding Fees 17,600  
  Attendance Dues Levy 1,500  
Contributions St Bede’s Old Boys’ Association Membership 80  
  Special Character Contribution 395 Yes
  Building Contribution 750 Yes
  Co-Curricular Contribution 100 Yes
  School Contribution 900 Yes
  Proprietors Contribution 275 Yes
  e-Learning Contribution 100 Yes
Recoveries Classroom costs   Usually
  Sports costs    
  Activity/EOTC costs    

Many of the costs associated with running St Bede’s are not paid by the Government. Some of our teachers, parts of our academic programme, our chaplaincy and special character program, our wellbeing program, our school psychologists and counsellors, and many of our facilities (like the swimming pool) are not funded. Instead, we must rely on parents to contribute to the cost of their son’s education.

Because of that we ask that all parents pay all the fees and contributions on their school fees account. However, if you find it hard to pay all the fees, we may be able to provide financial assistance. To learn more please contact Rachel Pitcaithly rpitcaithly@stbedes.school.nz the head of our Ministry Team.

All contributions are voluntary and included on statements as a form of request. For most people they will be eligible for a donation tax credit, and we issue a donation certificate in April each year to allow you to claim the credit from Inland Revenue.

There are optional activities and sports that your son may choose to join while at St Bede’s College. As this relies on parent payments to cover the cost of the activity, if you have agreed for you son to participate then you will be required to pay these charges. Unfortunately, if these fees are not paid it may result in your son not being able to participate in the associated sport or activity.
An explanation of how your school fees and contributions are used is shown below.

Payment of Fees

Fees are charged at the start of each term and should be paid before the end of term.

Boarding fees must be paid monthly by direct debit.

We also encourage all parents to setup a direct debit for all their fees – it makes your and our lives simple and means your sons’ fees are paid without you having to organise anything. Information on how to sign on to a direct debit will be sent at the start of the year, or you can email schoolfees@stbedes.school.nz at any stage to receive a form. Statements are emailed at the start of each month, and on the 20th of each month from February to November, the monthly portion of your fees plus any recoveries loaded during the month will be direct debited from your nominated account.
Other ways of paying your fees are payment by eftpos at the office, automatic payment, or online banking. Fees paid by credit card are charged an additional 2% to cover bank fees.

Our bank details are:
02 0816 0253094 00
Please include your son’s first and last name and year level on any of these payment methods.

To check your sons’ fees and payments at any time, please log in to the Parent Portal (https://portal.stbedes.school.nz/index.php)

If you have any queries regarding payment options or require further information about the fees and charges, please contact the school office.

Financial Assistance

St Bede’s, with the support of our parent community, the Christchurch Diocese, and the Society of Mary, has funding available to assist families who are having difficulty paying their school fees. If you need assistance, or would like to learn more, please contact Rachel Pitcaithly (rpitcaithly@stbedes.school.nz) the head of our Ministry Team.

Overdue fees

St Bede’s does follow up unpaid school fees. When compulsory fees remain unpaid, they may be referred to a debt collection agency. If Boarding Fees are unpaid your son’s place in boarding may be withdrawn.

How School Fees and Contributions are Used

Charge Purpose
School Contribution Many of the programmes and facilities which are offered by St Bede’s College are not funded by the Ministry of Education. The School Contribution helps us to: employ more teachers than are Government funded and help keep class sizes down; and to provide learning resources in classrooms.
Co-curricular Contribution Some of the costs associated with our (out of class) sports and arts/music/drama/kapa haka/PolyFest programmes are met from the Co-curricular Contribution.
Special Character Contribution The Catholic Special Character Contribution is collected to cover costs associated with chaplaincy services, our sacramental programme, the teaching of Religious Education in the College, and pastoral care of our students and their families.
e-Learning Contribution The e-Learning Contribution helps to pay for providing a secure IT environment for our boys. It also helps meet the costs of software used in the classroom and for communicating with parents and the school community.
Classroom Recoveries When your son is using a specific classroom resource, like a workbook which can only be used once, we ask that you meet the cost of that resource.
Classroom Recoveries vary depending on your son’s year level and subject selection
Sports Recoveries Participation in a sport requires payment of fees to sports associations or unions, tournament and competition fees, and turf/playing field fees. Sports Recoveries meet these costs of your son’s involvement, as well as the costs of sports equipment, travel, and accommodation.
Sports Recoveries vary depending on the sports your son plays.
Activity/EOTC Recoveries When your son participates in activities outside of the classroom, such as field trips and camps, the Activity/EOTC Recovery meets the cost of participation. This can include any travel, accommodation, and entry costs for the activity.
Activity/EOTC Recoveries vary depending on the activities your son participates in.
Boarding Fees These fees recover the costs of feeding, housing, and providing pastoral care for boys boarding at St Bede’s.
This is a compulsory fee which must be paid for all boarders.
Attendance Dues Levy The land and buildings at St Bede’s College are owned by the Board of Proprietors but only some of the buildings are funded by the Ministry of Education. Buildings which are not funded are called ‘non-integrated’ and include the Centre of Wellbeing, the Chapel, part of the Gymnasium, the Whare, the Arts Block, and the RE block.
Attendance Dues are used by the Proprietors to maintain integrated property. To pay insurance, and to repay loans taken out to fund the earthquake rebuild and new or improved facilities (such as the Grimes Teaching Block and the strengthening of the Performing Arts Centre).
Building Contribution Building Contributions are used by the Proprietors to maintain non-integrated property and to pay for significant new facilities or major building upgrades. It has been paid by many generations of parents to help fund the facilities your son benefits from now.
Proprietors Contribution The Board of Proprietors helps meet the costs of the College’s Special Character and Ministry to students and the St Bede’s community. It partially funds the psychologists and counselors in the Centre of Wellbeing.
St Bede’s Old Boys’ Association Membership The annual payment of $80 pays the full cost of the SBCOBA lifetime membership fee over the five years your son is at St Bede’s. Membership of the Old Boys helps your son connected with the St Bede’s Community beyond his school years.