Schools in Australia

Schools in Australia

In Australia you have three types of schooling which are:

• Primary Schooling
• Secondary Schooling
• Tertiary which includes TAFE or University

Unlike the United Kingdom, public schools in Australia are actually state/government schools.

Private Schools include independent schools and Catholic Schools.

All schools get some funding from the federal government according to school sector, Socio Economic Status background of students and so on. Unlike Catholic schools, independent schools are not affiliated with any church or other agency. 

Independent schools make up a third of the private school sector. The Catholic school sector makes up the remaining two thirds.

Since private schools receive less funding from the government, private schools charge tuition fees. The fees vary a lot ($1,000 - $45,000+) depending on the student's year level and the school's size.

Education within public schools is largely free. However, most public schools do require a small voluntary annual fee to be paid this can be anything from $100 - $1000 a year. Extras include uniform, excursions and textbooks. 

Regardless of whether a school is government or private, it is regulated by the same curriculum standards framework; International students need to pay school tuition fees.

Government schools can be divided into two categories: open and selective school. The open schools accept all students from their government-defined catchment areas these are called zones. 

Selective schools cater for high achieving, academically talented students by providing an educationally enriched environment. They have high entrance requirements and cater to a much larger area. Entrance to selective schools is very competitive.

Some schools cater from Prep to Year 12, this is an excellent idea when you move to Australia for two reasons:

If you have two school aged children they can stay together

Your children won't need to move school again unless you move area.

So what age do children go to school.

Primary

Kindergarten (QLD): 3-4 year olds 

Pre-school / Kindergarten / Prep (ACT, NT, NSW and SA / TAS, VIC and WA / QLD): 4-5 year olds

Kindergarten / Preparatory / Pre-Primary / Reception / Transition (ACT and NSW / TAS, VIC and QLD / WA / SA / NT): 5-6 year olds 

Year 1: 6-7 year olds 

Year 2: 7-8 year olds 

Year 3: 8-9 year olds 

Year 4: 9-10 year olds 

Year 5: 10-11 year olds 

Year 6: 11-12 year olds 

Year 7: 12-13 year olds (QLD, SA, WA)

Secondary

Year 7: 12-13 year olds (ACT, NSW, TAS, VIC) (Middle School NT) 

Year 8: 13-14 year olds 

Year 9: 14-15 year olds 

Year 10: 15-16 year olds (High School NT) 

Year 11: 16-17 year olds (College ACT) 

Year 12: 17-19 year olds