Parent Contributions

PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS ARRANGEMENTS – INCLUDING VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS

Dear Parents/Carers

This letter provides information about voluntary contributions you can make to support Pakenham Lakeside Primary School for 2027 and other payments you can choose to make.

Victorian government schools provide free instruction. This means all students have free access to all items, activities and services that schools use to deliver the curriculum, including reasonable adjustments to support students with disability.

Some families choose to make a voluntary financial contribution to support the school, and we are very grateful for this support.  Making a voluntary contribution is your choice. There is no expectation or pressure for families to contribute.

Pakenham Lakeside Primary School offers a range of items and activities that are additional to the free instruction provided to all students at our school. Financial help is available for extra-curricular items and activities if you are experiencing financial hardship (see further details under Financial Help for Families in the attached information). For a confidential discussion about how to access the financial help available, please contact: Jo Corrigan our Business Manager on 03 5940 9532 or pakenham.lakeside.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

If you need an interpreter, please contact 03 9605 3053 and give our school's phone number 5940 9532. An interpreter can help you speak with us. This service is free. For more information, please see How to use an interpreter to contact your school.

For more information on the Department of Education’s Parent Contributions policy please see the information attached. You can read the full policy at Parent Contributions Policy.

Please note, our school provides a number of payment options and plans for families who require further time to meet their financial commitment. If you would like to discuss alternative arrangements, please do not hesitate to contact our Business Manager, Jo Corrigan on 5940 9532 to arrange a time for a conversation or if you have any questions.

Yours sincerely,

Kerrie Kingston-Gains                    Lisa Fry

Principal                                           PLPS School Council President

PAKENHAM LAKESIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL 2027 PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS ARRANGEMENTS

Voluntary contributions

If you are the carer of a student in out-of-home care or hold a financially means-tested card (such as a healthcare card), please ignore the invitation to make voluntary contributions.

We encourage any family experiencing financial hardship to contact the school for information about the financial help available for extra-curricular activities like camps and excursions.

Extra-curricular items and activities

Pakenham Lakeside Primary School offers a range of optional items and activities that are additional to the free instruction provided to all students at our school. Accessing these items and activities does require payment, but financial support is available (see further details under Financial Help for Families below).

Example extra-curricular items and activities include:

• optional activities, camps, excursions and programs
• class photos

We have provided confirmed or indicative costs of known extra-curricular items and activities below.

Please contact the school for advice on financial help available for extra-curricular items and activities.

Parent Contributions policy - Information for families