GEN: Australian School Sturcture

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@DYNAMITE.COM.AU>]

Just to add to Brian's explanation about the structure of Australian
schools, here in the Australian Capital Territory (which is similar to your
Washington, DC) we have five levels of formal schooling.
1. Preschool - available but not compulsory for all three and four year
olds. The kids learn a whole lot of basic stuff. including interactive
social skills in a 'formal' curriculum in an informal play-based setting
Very few children do NOT attend and the number of half-day sessions
increases as the child gets older, and those who have not been to preschool
are very easy to identify.
2. Primary school - compulsory from age 6, although most students start at
the age of 5.  We have reverted back to one intake a year (in February) and
children must have turned 5 before April 30 if they are to start in
February.  Many parents elect to keep these younger children in pre-school
until the following year, so your kindergarten class could have students
from 4.10 - 5.10. Some schools, particularly those in the independent
system, still have an 'infants department' but this is becoming a thing of
the past, particularly as we incorporate flexible learning models. Students
complete seven years at primary school, K- 6.
3. High school - years 7 -10
4. College - years 11 -12
5. Tertiary - university, TAFE etc

The system is currently trailing a middle-school model of Years 5 -10, which
is used in other states and parents have the option of moving their children
to this or keeping them at the primary school.

Cheers
Barbara

Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

T. 02 6205 6162
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@dynamite.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
"Together, we learn from each other."

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