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Term Dates 2005
Term 1: 31 January – 8 April (students)
Term 2: 26 April – 1 July
Term 3: 18 July – 23 September
Term 4: 10 October – 15 December (students)
Firstly...
The numbering system used
in Australia is simple... You start in Year 1 (primary 1 in the UK) and
stay until years 10, 11 or 12.
OK, but what about
pre-school? - Well, you've got a year of Kindie and a year of
pre-primary, both of which are voluntary. Read on to see the
specifics...
The Law...
The School Education Act
1999 requires children of compulsory school age to attend school, that
is from the beginning of the year in which children reach the age of six
and a half until the end of the year in which they turn 15 years of age.
Pre-School
Children can attend 'Kindie'
(kindergarten) from the age of four. Each child is entitled to 4 places
a week in a government kindergarten program (you'll usually find that
state primary schools have kindie classes). Children turning five (at
the end of June) can attend pre-primary classes on a full or part time
basis, five days a week. Again, pre-primary classes are usually attached
to primary schools.
Primary School
Children commence their
compulsory schooling in Year 1 and should be enrolled at a school at the
beginning of the school year in which they turn age 6 years and 6
months. Parents can apply to register their children for home education
by contacting the local district education office.
Secondary Education
Most children begin their
secondary education at the beginning of the year in which they turn age
13. Secondary education is compulsory for all children until the end of
the year in which they turn 15. Currently, about 80 per cent of students
in government schools remain beyond Year 10 to undertake courses in
Years 11 and 12 in order to prepare for entry into the workforce, or
technical and further education. Vocational education and training in
schools programs are available in virtually all government secondary
schools and colleges and are becoming increasingly popular. School-based
apprenticeships and traineeships are available across a range of
commerce and industry disciplines.
Public or Private?
According to the WA
Education Department, Western Australia has about 800 public
(government-run) schools and around 300 private (fee-charging) schools.
Private schools tend to be religion-based.
All schools charge fees -
expect to pay a small annual 'voluntary' contribution if your child
attends a state primary school. Additionally, you will need to buy all
your child's stationery, as well as purchase school uniforms. Government
high schools will charge more, depending upon the courses taken.
Private schools will
charge varying annual fees, depending upon the individual school and age
of the child ($2000-$10000 per year).
Enrolment
Government schools tend to
give priority to those students in their catchment areas, especially if
there are a shortage of places. If you do have a preference as to which
schools you wish your children to attend, make sure that you check with
the schools which suburbs fall into their catchment areas.
Once your child has a
place in a school it is unlikely that they will lose it if you move to
another area. Some schools also have a sibling rule whereby if a child
is currently enrolled in a school, the school will offer a place to a
younger brother or sister.
More Information
We've been in touch with
the Education Dept. regarding high school catchment areas and have
received a number of maps and accompanying information for the current
zoning - so, please feel free to post on the forum if you've any
questions about the current catchment areas. |
