How to arrive and

Pre-school and Primary school

Early childhood education in Australia is not compulsory but it is advisable if you want them to attend a particular school. Children can attend a formal pre-school, day care centre or playgroup between the ages of three and five years old. Places at such formal pre-schools in Australia are often limited, so you might want to make the effort to enrol or register your children as early as possible after your arrival in Australia. If you already know where you’ll be living once you’re in Australia, you might want to start contacting pre-schools in your intended area before even arriving in Australia.

Most pre-school facilities are privately run, but in some states they are associated with certain primary schools and supported financially by the government of that state. The availability of pre-schooling facilities varies markedly between states as well as between urban and rural areas.
Children attending pre-school will take part in activities that will help to develop their abilities, skills and knowledge of the world. Pre-school attendance is usually part-time so you will have to choose between a morning or an afternoon session for your child. If you are working then you might need to make arrangements for childcare.
Primary school education begins for most children in Australia at the age of five. The core subjects in primary schools are based on the eight key learning areas of: English, Health and Physical Education, a language other than English, Mathematics, Science, Society and Environment, Technology and the Arts.
The first year of primary school is used to introduce children to the demands of school life. The name for this varies from state to state but is often called ‘Year One’. This first year of school is where children are taught basic reading and writing skills. They also get to understand what behaviour is acceptable and also how to relate to other children and adults. This introductory-phase year is not to be considered separate from primary school. In some ways it is a continuation of what the children experienced in pre-school. With each passing year the nature and complexity of lessons increases as the children’s mental and physical capacities develop.
At the end of primary school when they are 12 years old, children are able to read and write, perform basic sums, and have a good understanding of where and how Australia fits into the world. Children are also taught tolerance towards each other and people of all colours, races and religions.

Secondary or High school

Most children start secondary or high school at around the age of twelve or thirteen with Year 8. The vast majority finish high school at the age of eighteen at Year 12. During the first four years of secondary study the core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science are compulsory. A broad range of elective subjects is usually also offered, which includes subjects such as computing studies, languages, art, music, drama, commerce, history, geography, and technical subjects.

Children are compelled by law to stay to Year 10 for which they receive a junior high school certificate but not a full high school certificate. The options for those students leaving school after Year 10 include: training as an apprentice in a trade, entering the work force proper or to study a vocational course.
Students in the last two years of high school (Years 11 and 12) are encouraged to specialise in subjects that they prefer or excel in. The results of these final courses are the most important ones because they determine universities admission. Students should discuss their subject choices with careers advisers (guidance counsellors) with their university studies in mind. Certain secondary courses are prerequisites for studying certain degree courses at universities.
Students in their final year of school are issued with an overall grade. This is derived from the results for each subject which is then compared to all the students in the state. The Board of Secondary Studies calculates an ‘OP’ (overall position) score or rank using a formula of a pupil’s high school results and a final test conducted by every Year 12 in the state. This grade is then used to compare students with their peers in their respective state. This grade is a guide to universities to indicate an applicant’s aptitude and academic achievement for admission into degree courses.
Completing studies at high school does not guarantee a place at university. Offers are made by universities to applicants on the basis of their final year results and the availability of places in an applicant’s preferred course and institution. Courses of further study have definite limitations on the numbers of permissible students for each year. Entry requirements do vary from institution to institution.
Some schools in Australia now offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) to students in their final years of study. The value of this IB qualification is in its 'portability' because it is recognised internationally by educational institutions. For students whose families are in Australia on short term work assignments, the IB will give them the option of gaining admission into their chosen university in their home country with greater ease. It may also be useful if no places at Australian universities are available and the student now has to consider further education abroad.
INSIDER INFO: Australian schools will want to see at least the last two years’ school reports which should preferably show English being one of the subjects passed. The more reports that you can show, the better.

The school rules are…

Most public schools and private schools require students to wear a uniform. If your child is enrolled at a school with a uniform policy, they will be expected to wear it and in an acceptable manner too. The cost of uniforms varies between schools and in colder climates there may be a summer and a winter uniform. Be sure to ask any school that you contact when making general enquiries about this. You can usually buy school uniforms at nominated department stores or clothes shops in the vicinity of the school. You can also buy them second hand. Most schools run a second hand shop from the school, so be sure to ask your school for advice.

The school year varies from state to state and the exact dates per state can be found at: http://www.detya.gov.au/schools/dates.htm
School times are from about 8.45am to about 3.00pm Monday to Friday. Extra-curricular activities such as sport practice, dance classes, etc. is done after school hours during weekdays with events against/with other schools usually occurring on Saturday mornings.
In Australia children travel to and from school on foot, by bicycle, by car with parents and on public transport. A parent will need to make appropriate arrangements so that their child(ren) are at school on time. Many private schools hire buses to transport their pupils to school and naturally this comes at a price to the parents. Government schools do not usually provide any transport to and from school unless there are a large number of students living out of the area which makes such a service economic.
Young children in primary school are usually taken to school by a parent. If you do not have a car or the time to perform this task it may be an idea to ask other parents who live near you to help with transport. Such a request is not considered impolite in Australia and subsidising that person’s petrol would not go amiss either.
Public schools do not provide free school lunches as their counterparts do in some countries. Students have to take their own lunch to school which is usually prepared in advance by a parent. Most schools have canteens that sell food and drink at lunchtimes which are staffed by volunteer parents, usually mothers of children attending the school.
Discipline in Australia is very different from what most generations around the world experienced at school. In most Australian schools corporal punishment is no longer used. Children are encouraged and coaxed in to respecting each other and their teachers. Most schools now expect parents to accept responsibility for their children’s behaviour at school. They will approach you if there are serious discipline problems with your child at their school. Always check with a school that you’re considering to see what their policy is on discipline.
You will need to check to see if any kind of immunisation is needed for your child to be eligible to attend a particular school. This is another query for when you first approach schools in Australia.
Children in Australia are protected by law from abuse or violence which includes at home and at school. Child abuse is considered as a very serious matter in Australia. In extreme cases a child that has suffered abuse can be taken away from their family by the government for their own protection. If your child is suffering from abuse or you suspect that a child is suffering from abuse, by law you must report it.
Bullying is the most common form of abuse which can affect children at school. It affects a child's confidence, development and their education. Bullying takes many forms and includes: 1) verbal (name-calling, put downs, threats) 2) physical (being hit, tripped, pushed, kicked or having belongings stolen or damaged 3) social (being excluded, ignored, or have rumours spread) 4) psychological (being stalked, stared at or given dirty looks).
Should your child be bullied at school you must take action and report the matter to the relevant teacher or the school principal. Every child is entitled to protection from bullying under Australian law. Schools and education authorities have a duty and responsibility to ensure the welfare of your child on school property during school hours. A useful website to help should you encounter this distasteful occurrence is: http://www.bullyingnoway.com.au
The websites of the various state and territory education departments can be found at:
Canberra ACT

http://www.det.act.gov.au/
New South Wales

http://www.nsw.gov.au/education.asp
Northern Territory

http://www.schools.nt.edu.au
Queensland

http://www.education.qld.gov.au/
South Australia

http://www.dete.sa.gov.au/decs_home.asp
Tasmania

http://www2.education.tas.gov.au/
Victoria

http://www.det.vic.gov.au/det/
Western Australia

http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/

Schooling out of the ordinary
Children who live in remote areas of the Australian Outback get their primary and secondary schooling at home by means of correspondence material and so-called ‘schools of the air’, whereby citizen band (CB) radios are used. Each state operates a correspondence school for children in isolated areas whereby the students receive and return their study material and assignments by means of the postal system.
The non-government school sector comprises Catholic Church schools (two thirds) and independent schools (one third). Catholic schools account for almost two-thirds of non-government schooling facilities. Other independent schools make up the other third. There are over 950 independent schools in Australia today. Many of these schools have strong links with a church or alternative schooling belief system such as Montessori or Rudolph Steiner. Independent schools span the entire spectrum of school types from small and large day schools, to boarding schools, co-educational- and single-sex schools. Such schools tend to offer more facilities and opportunities especially by way of music and sport. Almost all tend come with a price-tag.
Home education is a legal option for the schooling of children in all states of Australia. The number of home educated children has more than trebled in recent times. A parent assumes full responsibility for guiding their children through a course of study at home. The legal requirements for educating children at home varies from state to state. If you are wanting to home-school children you will need to find out what the regulations are for the state in which this is to happen.