Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
Q. IS THE SCHOOL FAITH BASED?
A. No, the school does not have an affiliation with any faith and is considered a secular school.
Q. IS THE SCHOOL AN ACTUAL SCHOOL OR JUST A MUSIC SCHOOL?
A. Richard Gill School is an actual school, and can be best described as a comprehensive, secular, independent primary school with a musical focus, tailored around the educational philosophy of Richard Gill AO. The school began as a Kindergarten and Year 1 primary school in 2021. The school plans to grow to be a K-6 primary school by 2026, with aspirations to become a K-12 school in the future.
Q. WHAT EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING DO THE TEACHERS REQUIRE?
A. The teachers require an education degree and approval to teach in NSW to work as a teacher at Richard Gill School.
THE SCHOOL, CURRICULUM AND FACILITIES
Q. DOES THE SCHOOL FOLLOW THE NEW SOUTH WALES PRIMARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM?
A. Yes. Richard Gill School will offer teaching and learning across the full suite of primary school subjects, guided by the Australian Curriculum and meeting the requirements of the NSW Department of Education and NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
Q. WILL THE SCHOOL FOLLOW THE NSW PUBLIC SCHOOL HOLIDAY TIMES?
A. As a guide, yes, however exact Term and Vacation dates will always be confirmed by the school administration.
Q. WHAT TIME DOES THE SCHOOL DAY BEGIN AND END?
A. Our school day is 8:45am – 2:50pm, with supervision provided 30 minutes before and after this time.
Q. CAN STUDENTS CATCH THE BUS TO AND FROM SCHOOL?
A. Yes, students can catch the bus to and from school. An application must be made via the Transport for NSW website to determine eligibility for a bus pass. Osborns bus company provide bus services to the school, and all questions regarding bus transport should be directed to them visit Osborns website.
Q. HOW WILL TECHNOLOGY BY INTEGRATED INTO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT?
A. Technology will be utilised in (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) STEM and delivery of education. Our school will not promote heavy use of technology, especially in the early years of learning, considering recommended screen time for young children and the importance of building social skills and fine motor skills through drawing and writing activities and play. This will be increased and evolve as appropriate as the children progress through school.
Q. WHAT OUTDOOR FACILITIES DO THE CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO (PLAYGROUND ETC.)?
A. Large grassed playing field, play equipment, and a basketball court.
Q. ARE THE STUDENTS REQUIRED TO WEAR A UNIFORM?
A. Yes. We have an everyday uniform, a sports uniform, and a formal uniform.
Q. WILL THE SCHOOL PROVIDE AFTER-SCHOOL CARE?
A. At this stage, no. Families can access Muswellbrook Out Of School Hours (MOOSH) care before and after school if required. Our bus services connect to MOOSH.
FEES
Q. WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL FEES?
A. Whilst we are an independent school and require fees to run, our vision is to keep our fees as low as possible to ensure the school is accessible to as many families in the community as possible. You can download our fee structure here.
Q. HOW ARE FEES PAID THROUGHOUT THE YEAR?
A. Fees will be payable per Term (due towards the end of the previous Term), and the enrolment fee deposit will contribute to Term 1 fees in the first term of enrolment, which will be due in December prior to school commencement.
Q. RICHARD GILL WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION FOR ALL. WHY IS THIS A FEE-PAYING SCHOOL?
A. The reality of establishing and operating a successful school is that we will have some financial reliance on the payment of school fees. It is important to note that this school will be based on equity and fairness, will be reasonably, affordably priced within the means of most families and will have good bursaries to support disadvantaged children.
INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT
Q. DOES MY CHILD ALREADY HAVE TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THE SCHOOL?
A. No, your child does not need to already be playing an instrument to apply for the school, however it is important that your child shows some interest in Music, and that parents and carers are supportive of the school’s strong musical focus.