#australian guide

{ basic information }

School education { primary and secondary education } is compulsory between the ages of six and sixteen in Australia. The education system is separated into stages often referred to as; early education, primary education, secondary education and tertiary.

Only primary and secondary education is compulsory in all states, in some states early education is compulsory and tertiary education is elective in all states.

Some children are homeschooled legally, especially in rural and bushland areas.

{ breakdown of the school year } primary&secondary

The school year in Australia begins at the very end of January or early February and is split into two halves, each called Semesters, then spilt again into four sections, each called 'Terms.' Term One & Two are in First Semester, and Term Three & Four are in Second Semester. The dates for each term can differ from school to school and state to state, Catholic/Private schools often have different dates to public schools.

         { first semester } Term One;; will usually last from February to April. Term One Break;; is usually two weeks in April or two weeks immediately following the end of term one. Term Two;; is usually April to July Term Two Break/Mid-Year Break;; usually lasts for two weeks in July or two weeks immediately following the end of term two.

         { second semester } Term Three;; is from July to September Term Three Break;; is two weeks from September to October, or the two weeks immediately following the end of Term Three. Term Four;; is usually October to mid-December Term Four/End of Year Break;; beginning in mid-December and spanning until the end of January the following year.

{ early education } A G E S 4-6 (Q L D 3-4)

Often parents put their children in kingdergarden (when they are four) or prep (five-six). Kindergarden is something to help build up child's social and intellectual skills at a younger age. Kindergarden usually lasts for one year, and takes children from four to five. Early education isn't compulsory in all states, rather an elective for parents.

{ primary school } A G E S 6-12/13

The second stage of schooling refers to primary school or primary education, it is the first stage of schooling that is compulsory. It is dependent on what state you live in how old you are when you begin official primary education;; 

     Victoria (VIC) & Australian Capitol Territory (ACT); Children must be five by 30 April to begin the school year, all children must be enrolled in official schooling by the year they turn six.

     New South Wales (NSW);  Children can begin compulsory Kindergarten/Prep at the beginning of the school year if they turn five on or before 31 July in that year. By law, all children must be enrolled in official schooling by the time they turn six.

     Northern Territory (NT);  Like other states, school is compulsory from the age of six. Children can enter non-compulsory transitional year (prep/kingergarden) at the start of the school year if they turn five by 30 June that year. To enter Grade 1 (compulsory) children must turn six before 30 June in the year they are enrolled.

     Queensland (QLD);  This state also offers a year of Prep for children who turn five by 30 June in the year they are enrolled. Prep is not compulsory, and  compulsory schooling begins with Grade 1 where children must be enrolled in the year they will turn six by 30 June.

     South Australia (SA);  Children must enroll at school by six years, like other states. Keeping in mind that from 2014, all children will start school on the first day of term one in that year so that every child will have four complete terms of school.

   If you/your child:      Turns five before 1 May they will start school on the first day of term one of that year      Turns five on or after 1 May, they will start school on the first day of term one beginning the next year.

     Tasmania (TAS); Children must be five by 1 January to be enrolled in prep, the first year of school official schooling in Tasmania. You may enrol your child in the non-compulsory Kindergarten, but only if your child turns four on or before 1 January of that year.

     Western Australia (WA); Schooling is compulsory from the beginning of the year a child turns six years and six months of age. Children must be five by 30 June in the same year to attend the first year of school. It's now compulsory for children in WA to enrol in Kindergarten or early education programs.

              { approximate age in primary school }         Grade/Year 1: 6- to 7-year-olds         Grade/Year 2: 7- to 8-year-olds         Grade/Year 3: 8- to 9-year-olds         Grade/Year 4: 9- to 10-year-olds         Grade/Year 5: 10- to 11-year-olds         Grade/Year 6: 11- to 12-year-olds                      ( this is the end of primary school in VIC, NSW, ACT, TAS and NT )         Grade/Year 7: 12- to 13-year-olds                       (Grade 7 is only in QLD, SA, WA )

{ secondary school } A G E S 12/13 - 16-17

The third stage of schooling is secondary school, sometimes referred to as secondary college and it is the second stage of schooling that is compulsory. If the student turns 17 and decides that they no longer want to continue with schooling, they can legally drop out.

              { approximate age in secondary school }         Year 7: 12- to 13-year-olds                       (First year of secondary school in ACT, NSW, NT, TAS and VIC)         Year 8: 13- to 14- and 15 year-olds         Year 9: 14- to 15-year-olds         Year 10: 15- to 16-year-olds                       (From this year on it is legal for students to drop out of official schooling)

{ secondary school; SSCE } A G E S 16-18

The SSEC years are the last two years of secondary schooling and the most taxing on students. SSEC stands for; Senior Senior Certificate of Education, a broad spectrum term for the certificate you are award upon successful completion of secondary school, the name of the certificate is dependant on what stat you study in;;

        Australian Capital Territory: ACT Year 12 Certificate         New South Wales: Higher School Certificate (HSC) & School Certificate                       (awarded for completing years 9 and 10 in NSW only)         Northern Territory: Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE)         Queensland: Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)         South Australia: South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE)         Tasmania: Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)         Victoria: Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) & Victorian Certificate of                        Applied Learning (VCAL - for 'hands on' study out of a high                        school environment)          Western Australia: Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)

In the last two years of secondary school the students will select subjects to study over two years, as opposed to previous years where they studied a subject for only one year. During the first year of SSCE; Year 11, the students will study Units 1 & 2 of their two year long subjects, in the second year of SSCE; Year 12, the students will study Units 2 & 3 of their chosen subjects. At the end of Year 12, students go through an extensive exam period, both internal and external depending on what subjects they have been studying. Music, Dramatic Arts and LOTE (Language Other Than English) subjects are also tested with an oral/performance examination.

When they have completed their exams they receive an overall score called an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) that evaluates their work and determines which courses they are able to apply for at university. The ATAR ranking system is applied in every state aside from Queensland, where they use Overall Position (OP) system as a way to determine which courses in higher education they are eligible for.               { approximate age for SSCE students }         Year 11: 16- to 17-year-olds                       (The students will be studying Units 1&2 of their SSCE subjects)         Year 12: 17- to 18-year-olds                       (The students will be studying Units 3&4 of their SSCE subjects,                            the end of this marks the end of secondary schooling)

{ tertiary education } A G E S 18+

Tertiary education (or higher education) in Australia is primarily studied at university or a technical college in order to receive a qualification or further skills and training. Tertiary education is measured by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) which determines how long one has to study for to reach their chosen qualification;;              (image from wiki)

T H A T S A L L F O L K S!