Discovering Australia

Education The Australian school system is deemed to be very good by worldwide standards. Children undergo thirteen years of formal education (plus non-compulsory preschool or kindergarten). Attending school in Australia is compulsory between the ages of five or six and sixteen or seventeen, depending on the State or territory and date of birth. Childcare Working parents with children under the age of five can choose between several kinds of day care in Australia: + Community daycare centers can be found via the website of your local council. They are probably the cheapest option available and are eligible for childcare subsidy + Private daycare facilities. The Australian Childcare alliance can refer you to online registers of licensed services childcarealliance.org.au + Family day care. Individual sitters that are looking after a handful of kids in their own home. + In-home care, like an au-pair or a professional nanny that to stay with your kids and take care of them. Kindergarten Although it is not compulsory, most children in Australia go to a kindergarten. The age at which kids should be when they start kindergarten varies by state or territory, but most schools suggest the child to be 5 years old to register. Finding vacancies in a kindergarten can be difficult, therefore flexibility may be required when choosing a kindergarten. Schooling Public Schools All children who have reached the age of six are required to attend school and are guaranteed places at their local public school in the so-called “neighborhood zone”. Many schools require parents to provide proof of residence before enrolling students. Parents can apply to enroll their child in a public school which is not their local public school, however they are not guaranteed a place at that school. Most Australians and permanent residents send their children to public schools which are government-funded and charge no tuition fees. Those living in Australia on a temporary residency visa will most likely need to pay the fixed tuition fee associated with their state or territory. Private Schools There is also a variety of private schools in Australia, either independent or with religious affiliation. Most private schools are Catholic schools that tend to teach from a religious standpoint. Non-Catholic private schools, known as independent schools, include schools that subscribe to other religions (such as Judaism or Islam) or educational ideologies (such as Montessori or Waldorf).

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Discovering Australia