How schooling works in Australia? — Australian Education System (Part 1)

Recently, I often find myself thinking about kids (though I don’t have any yet). Inevitably, I began to think about schooling and then realised that many new immigrants have limited understanding of the Australian education system. So I thought it’d be a great idea to write an article about the basics of how schooling works here. If this sounds like something you’d want to learn, then read on below.

This would actually be a two-parter because there’s just too much information to squeeze into just one article so stay tuned for part two.

What age do kids start going to school?

A child’s educational journey in Australia usually begin when they’re 3 or 4 years old through early childhood education programs (preschool, community programs, or other child-care settings). They then attend primary school from ages 5 or 6 until they are 11 or 12 years old. Students attend secondary schools/ high schools between 13 and 18 years old.

It’s important to note that in Australia, it is compulsory for children to have commenced school by the time that they have turned six years old. And since 2010, students have been required to be in school until they turn 16 or 17 (age differs per state) or until they complete Year 10, whichever comes first. However, if the student wants to pursue higher education, they would need to complete Year 12 as well.

Early childhood education and Primary School

As mentioned above, early childhood education programs are conducted in preschools, community programs and any other child-care settings. The role of early learning facilities range from providing children with care and supervision to preparing them for school and ensuring that they’re able to effectively participate in the succeeding learning environments.

Primary school, or elementary school to some of you, runs for 7 to 8 years, starting at Foundation (a.k.a kindergarten/ preschool/ preparatory) through to Years 1 to 6 or 7. Primary schools aim to develop your child’s foundational knowledge and skills based on the Curriculum. This begins in preschool where children form a solid foundation in literacy, numeracy, social, and motor skills through play-based learning activities that are designed and delivered by qualified educators. Preschool teachers and staff make observations about your child’s knowledge, skills, and areas where they need a bit more help with. They then pass these information on to you, the parents.

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What should you expect in a primary school? Well, classes are usually smaller in the first couple of years. Your child will most likely just have one teacher for their daily classes. However, they may have a specialist teacher in some subjects such as in music or sports. Also, you may be surprised to know that there are no standard examination requirements to progress through primary school.

A few other things to keep in mind — first is that for you to be able to enroll your child in preschool, they would have to meet all immunisation requirements. Also, your child is entitled to 4 terms of government preschool in the year before they start school, which is usually when they turn 4.

Secondary school

Secondary school (also called high school or college) is the final stage of compulsory education for students in Australia. Students are educated from Year 7 to Year 12 at this stage. But in some jurisdictions, students would attend a middle school first for Years 7 to 10 before moving on to a high school or college for their senior secondary schooling (Years 11 and 12).

Secondary school is where subject matters progressively become specialised. Students are taught by specialist teachers. They are also given opportunities to make decisions about their learning where they can choose to specialise in areas that they’re interested in. There is a wider variety of subjects available in the latter part of secondary school. Students work with their teachers and counselors and are encouraged to decide on subjects which would suit their strengths and be beneficial to the student’s plan for their future career or study path.

Again, school education is compulsory for kids between the ages of 6 and 17. So that’s from Year 1 to Year 10. However, if a student wishes to pursue further studies, say in a university, then their senior years of education would be extremely important. That means that it may be best for them to complete their secondary schooling at Year 12. Students who have completed Year 12 are awarded a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education.

Tertiary education

After secondary school, some students move on to completing their tertiary education. This includes both undergraduate/ university as well as vocational education and training.

University

Australia is known to be a top destination for quality education. There are many universities all across the country for your child to choose from. Unlike some other countries (ex. the Philippines), universities in Australia do not require students to take an entrance exam to secure a place. Instead, the university system here is directly tied to secondary school through the Year 12 completion certificate and ATAR. This is because admission to an undergraduate degree is usually based upon a student’s ATAR.

Admission Through ATAR

First off, what is ATAR? ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. As mentioned above, students will usually be assessed for entry based on their ATAR score. It is calculated by your State or Territory’s admission centre based on your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (i.e.Year 12 Award) or International Baccalaureate. The ATAR system is used in all Australian States and Territories (in QLD they also have an OP — Overall Position system in place).

Now you must be wondering what ATAR score your child needs to get. The answer to this is it depends. What degree have they chosen to study? The ATAR score required for a course depends on the number of places that the uni has for it as well as the demand for that specific course. In other words, if your child wants to study a course with high demand, then they would need to aim for a higher ATAR.

Other Admission Pathways

There are also other alternative options for undergraduate admission that a student may qualify for. Some of these are:

a VET qualification (ex. Certificate III, Certificate IV etc.)
Mature age entry for students over the age of 25
Demonstrated interest or aptitude for the study program
By studying a bridging or pathway program (may also count towards your university degree)
Using other qualifications that the student may have such as any prior learning, relevant work experience and skill level, defence force service etc.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Not everyone chooses to go to university. Some chose to enroll in a vocational education and training. Studying a VET course would equip students with practical skills and experiences which would enable them to perform the tasks required of them in their chosen career, safely and effectively. VET courses are usually provided by TAFE, private RTOs (registered training organisations), and other adult/ community education centres. A few examples of VET courses are: Certificate III in Individual Support, Certificate IV in Information Technology, Diploma of Community Services.

Your child can begin their VET studies in secondary school. Also, many VET providers have formal pathway arrangements with universities. This means that VET students from some VET institutions have assured entry into the institution’s “partner” universities once they have completed their VET qualification.

Conclusion

Please note that the above information are only a general guide as some aspects may have some minor variations across different states and territories. To find out the exact information that you are looking for with regards to your child’s education, please contact your local school.

Please watch this space for more information as we will be posting the part 2 very soon!

Disclaimer All content and information in this post is for purposes of sharing my experiences only, does not constitute professional advice and does not establish any kind of professional-client relationship.

How schooling works in Australia? — Australian Education System (Part 1)

Published by MyAussieStory on May 18, 2023May 18, 2023

What age do kids start going to school?

Early childhood education and Primary School

Secondary school