Fee restructure for Junior Primary classes from 2020

Prospect Catholic boys’ school, Blackfriars, has announced a restructure of fees for students in the first years of Primary School. 

The decision, ratified by the school board at its July meeting, will see the introduction of a simplified flat tuition fee across the first three years of school and includes reductions to current tuition fees of 25% at Reception and 33% at Year 1 and Year 2.

The change means Junior Primary families will save between $ 1,187 and $ 1,784 per student in 2020.

Another component of the restructure sees the waiving of any enrolment fees for boys who move into Reception from the school’s award-winning co-educational Early Learning Centre.  A further saving to families of $ 400 per student.

Discounts already available to families with boys and girls in other Catholic schools will be doubled as another key part of the announcement.

Blackfriars Principal, Mr Simon Cobiac, announced the restructure in a letter emailed to families this week.  “It is my hope that these measures will be well received by our community in difficult economic times and provide savings to the family budget whilst ensuring the continuation of the highest quality education and care of your son at Blackfriars,” Mr Cobiac said.

Mr Cobiac, now in his third year as Principal at the 66-year-old school on Prospect Road, indicated in his letter that further fee announcements would be made relating to other year levels once the school’s 2020 Fee Schedule was ratified by the school board at its October meeting.

This week’s announcement follows on from a number of significant initiatives coming out of Blackfriars over past six months including:

• Construction of a $10 million STEM and Senior Secondary Centre to commence in the second half of 2019;
• A recommitment to boys’ education, underpinned by joining the International Boys’ Schools Coalition;
• Capping of school size at 805 boys (205 Primary (Reception to Year 6) + 600 Secondary (Years 7 to 12));
• The introduction of a specialist Ax (Academic Extension) Academy program, focused on developing STEM and employability skills through links with industry;
• The addition of a specialist AFL Academy program, supported by the North Adelaide Football Club, to the school’s long-established and highly successful Soccer Academy; and
• Expansion of the school’s International Students’ Program to 50 boys by 2023 supported by membership of StudyAdelaide and the Adelaide Independent Schools’ Alliance.