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APPENDIX STRUCTURE OF AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLING


APPENDIX: AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLING STRUCTURES

1 The structure of primary and secondary schooling in Australia varies between states and territories. With Qld moving to introduce a year of pre-year 1 schooling in 2007 there are now only two basic patterns evident in formal schooling in Australia. These are:

• In NSW, Vic., Tas. and the ACT primary education comprises a Pre-year 1 grade followed by Years 1 to 6. In NSW and the ACT, Pre-year 1 is called Kindergarten, and in Vic. and Tas. it is called Preparatory. Secondary education comprises Years 7 to 12.
• In Qld, SA, WA and the NT primary education comprises a Pre-year 1 grade followed by Years 1 to 7. In Qld Pre-year 1 is called Preparatory, in SA it is called Reception, in WA it is called Pre-primary and in the NT it is called Transition. Secondary education comprises Years 8 to 12.

3 Variations to the structure of schooling also occur over time. See paragraphs 7 to 9 of the Explanatory Notes regarding recent changes in QLD and WA schooling.

4 The age at which children may attend school is the subject of separate legislation within each jurisdiction. In 2007 the age at which a child's attendance at school becomes compulsory was 6 years of age for all states and territories, except Tas. where it was 5 years. In practice, the overwhelming majority of children commence a pre-year 1 grade of schooling between 4 and a half and 5 years of age.

5 In 2007 children were required by law to be at school (or undertaking the school curriculum in the case of home schooling) until:

• reaching 15 years of age (NSW, Vic., NT and ACT),
• reaching 16 years of age (SA and Tas.),
• reaching 16 years of age or completing Year 10 (Qld), or
• until the end of the year in which students turn 16 (WA).