|
The section below provides an extract of information on the education system in New South Wales. The publication itself includes further information on useful web sites, helping you to identify the schools in your preferred suburbs.
EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NEW SOUTH WALES
The Australian Education System is divided into five areas:
- Pre school
- Primary School
- Secondary / High School / Secondary Colleges
- Career and Vocational Training
- University or other tertiary institutions
In New South Wales, schooling is compulsory until the end of Year 10. Although students are able to leave at that time, many students continue on to complete their Year 12 studies.
There is a wide choice between public (state government) and private (independent) schools. Education at public schools is typically free although most schools do have a small voluntary annual fee to cover extra activities and / or specialist funds. Parents may also have to purchase books etc. Most public schools are co-educational.
Most private schools fall into one of two categories: schools administered by the Catholic Education Office, and independent schools of other religious persuasions administered by their own boards. Private or independent schools have their own fee structures. These can differ greatly from one school to another.
There are a number of 'specialist' schools including:
- Selective high schools. These provide opportunities for high achieving students. Entry is through a Selective High School test, together with evidence of overall academic merit. Competition for places is high.
- Technology High Schools. These offer courses in technology (including rural and marine technology) and are often closely linked to local TAFE colleges.
- Sports High Schools. These provide opportunities for students to excel both academically and in sport
- Creative and Performing Arts. These allow students to specialise in subjects such as dance, drama music and visual arts whilst studying other core subjects
- Language Schools. These offer facilities to support talented students in their study of languages
- Schools for Specific Purposes. These provide education to students who require intensive levels of support
Preschool
Preschool generally commences at age four in Australia but is not compulsory. Many Australian children between the ages of three and five receive some form of preschool education at formal preschools, day care centres or playgroups. Places at formal preschools are limited, so early registration is advised. Preschools provide educational programs through which four and five year old children can develop their abilities, skills and knowledge of the world.
Preschool attendance is usually part-time, typically providing a choice between morrning or afternoon sessions.
Primary school
Primary school education begins for most children at the age of five. The first year of primary school is typically known as Kindergarten (K). During this first year of school, children learn basic reading and writing, and get a better understanding of what behaviour is acceptable and how to relate to other children and adults. This introductory year is not separate from Primary school. The core subjects in all primary schools are based on the eight key learning areas; English, Health and Physical Education, Language other than English, Maths, Science, Society and Environment, Technology and The Arts. The overall curriculum is organised into stages :
- Early Stage 1 – Kindergarten
- Stage 1 – Year 1 and Year 2
- Stage 2 – Year 3 and Year 4
- Stage 3 – Year 5 and Year 6
Secondary/high schools/secondary colleges
Students enter the secondary school system at around twelve or thirteen. During the first four years of secondary study, core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science are compulsory. A broad range of elective subjects is also offered, including computing studies; languages; art; music; drama; commerce; history; geography; and technical subjects.
The secondary curriculum is also organised into stages:
- Stage 4 – Year 7 and Year 8
- Stage 5 – Year 9 and Year 10
- Stage 6 – Year 11 and Year 12
At the end of Year 10, students sit the School Certificate examinations. Year 10 marks the end of the compulsory schooling period where students are between 15 and 16 years of age.
Children progressing on to Year 11 and Year 12 work towards the Higher School Certifcate (HSC). Internal school exams (known as Preliminaries) are taken at the end of Year 11 and are a pre-requisite for the Year 12 Higher School Certificate.
To qualify for the HSC, students must complete a Preliminary pattern of study of at least 12 units and an HSC pattern of at least 10 units. Many subjects count as 2 units and a wide range of subjects are avaialble, including extended subjects for the more academic students. Availability of subjects will differ from one school to another. Students must study :
- At least 4 subjects
- At least 2 units of English
- At least 3 courses with a unit value of 2 or more
Students may take a maximum of six Preliminary / HSC units in science.
In addition to standard Board endorsed courses studied through the school, many schools also ofer a range of Vocational and Educations Traning (VET) courses. Such courses typically have industry support, are designed to meet industry training needs and are recognised through the Australian Qualifications Framework. Such courses are classifed as Category B courses and are often studied at a local TAFE (Technical and Further Education) colleges linked to the school.
The results of the HSC (derived from a combination of end of year examination results and ongoing assessments) are used to calculate the Universities Admission Index (UAI). This is based on an aggregate of scaled marks in 10 units units of courses made up of:
- The best 2 units of English; and
- The best 8 units from the remainder (with the exception that only 2 units of Category B courses may count towards the UAI).
An individual student’s UAI represents a ranking, giving a relative percentile positioning against other students. Whilst the correlation is not direct, a UAI of, for example 99, would denote that a student were in the top 1 – 2 %. of students overall. UAI’s range from 30 to 100.
Thie UAI grade gives a guide to aptitude and academic achievement for admission into various tertiary programs and degree courses. Offers are made by universities on the basis of final year results and the availability of places in the student's preferred course and institution. Some courses of study have limitations on entry numbers for each year and entry requirements can vary from institution to institution.
A number of schools in Australia also now offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) to students in their final years of schooling. The merit of the IB program is in its 'portability'. For students whose families are on short term work assignments to Australia, the IB program can allow them to gain entry into their chosen university in their home country, or to gain placement in some universities in the United States of America.
University / Other Tertiary Education
Sydney is well served by a number of Universities and other further education colleges. These include :
Technology and Further Education (TAFE) Institutions
TAFE Institutions offer a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses . Fields covered include hospitality, tourism, construction, secretarial skills, visual arts, computer programming and community work.
TAFEs generally award qualifications up to the level of advanced diploma which is below that of Bachelor degree in the Australian Qualifications Framework. In many cases TAFE study can be used as partial credit towards Bachelor degree level university programs.
Universities
There are several Universities in Sydney offering a range of courses. The standard university qualification is the Bachelor Degree, a worlwide recognised qualification. Bachelor degrees typically involve 3 years of study, with a fourth year being required for the award of an Honours Degree.
A number of Universities also offer Master’s degrees and Doctoral degrees.
Term Dates
The school year is divided into four terms. These typically run as follows :
- Term 1 – End January / start February through to mid April
- Term 2 – Start May through to end June
- Term 3 – Mid July through to end September
- Term 4 – Mid October through to late December
Exact dates will vary from year to year and from school to school.
| 
