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School attendance

School attendance is compulsory throughout Australia between the ages of 6-15 years (16 years in South Australia and Tasmania). Most children start primary school at five years of age.

Each state and territory has developed its own approach to schooling, particularly in relation to the structure of Pre-year 1 education and the transition from primary to secondary schooling. Primary schooling in most states and territories begins with a preparatory or kindergarten year, followed by six or seven primary grades, then a further five or six years to complete a full secondary course of study. In total, states and territories offer 13 years of schooling (except for Queensland, which offers 12 years and in 2003 is trialling Pre-year 1 in a small number of schools).

Commencing in 2002, a half cohort (a full cohort approximates the number of persons turning five years of age by 30 June in the year preceding Year 1 schooling) of students in Western Australia have begun attending a Pre-year 1 level of schooling full-time. The year is called Pre-primary in Western Australia but parallels Kindergarten, Transition, etc. in other states and is now within the scope of the schools collection.

While the final two years of secondary schooling generally fall outside the compulsory stage of education, in 2002 some 88% of full-time secondary students remained at school until Year 11 and 75% remained until Year 12.

School organisation and operation

Primary schooling provides a general elementary program lasting for seven or eight years until Year 6 or Year 7. Students enter secondary schools at Year 7 in some state (or territory) systems and at Year 8 in others. Primary and secondary schools are usually separate institutions, but in some areas there are central or area schools which provide both levels of schooling. In Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, the final two years of government schooling are undertaken at separate secondary colleges.

Generally, schools in Australia have a considerable degree of autonomy. Most states and territories have established regional administrations which are responsible for matters such as planning school buildings and deploying staff, while a central curriculum unit provides general guidelines on course planning. Typically, individual schools determine teaching and learning approaches within the given guidelines and offer various course options. The assessment of students varies across states and territories, some having a completely school-based assessment system, while others combine school-based assessment with external examinations.

Primary schooling

In early primary education, the main emphasis is on the development of basic language and literacy skills, simple arithmetic, moral and social education, health training and some creative activities.

In the upper primary years the focus is on development of the skills learned in earlier years. English, mathematics, social studies, science, music, art and craft, physical education and health are studied. There are also optional subjects such as religious instruction, foreign and community languages, and music.

Secondary schooling

In some systems the first one or two years of secondary school consist of a general program which is undertaken by all students, although there may be some electives. In later years, a basic core of subjects is retained, with students able to select additional optional subjects. In other systems, students select options from the beginning of secondary school.

In senior secondary years, a wider range of options is available in the larger schools and there is an increasing trend towards encouraging individual schools to develop courses suited to the needs and interests of their students, subject to accreditation and moderation procedures. There is also an increasing emphasis on the incorporation of vocational programs into the senior secondary curriculum. School students may obtain certificates and undertake New Apprenticeships in VET as part of their senior school study and undertake some parts of their programs in the workplace.

Students reaching the minimum school leaving age may leave school and seek employment, or enrol in a vocational course with a VET institution, such as a TAFE institution or a private business college. For many VET courses, completion of Year 10 of secondary school is a minimum entry requirement. For those continuing to the end of secondary school (Year 12), opportunities for further study are available at higher education institutions, VET institutions and other educational institutions. For students continuing to higher education, eligibility to undertake university courses is almost always based on completion of a senior secondary school certificate.

Other schooling arrangements

Children may be exempted from the requirement of compulsory attendance at a school if they live too far from a school or have a disability. These children receive tuition through a variety of educational delivery mechanisms, including distance education, Schools of the Air, and use of computer and facsimile technologies.

Children of some Indigenous groups in remote areas of the Northern Territory, who live in small decentralised communities, receive schooling mainly in Homeland Learning Centres or Catholic Indigenous schools. They are taught by Indigenous teaching assistants supported by visiting teachers from established schools.

Boarding facilities are available at some non-government schools, mainly in the larger towns and cities. A small number of government schools, in particular those catering for groups such as Indigenous people, have residential hostels located close by.

Children may receive tuition at home, but they must have applied to their state or territory Department of Education for permission. They must be enrolled as a student at a day school and be available when required for assessment against the regular school year curriculum.

Special education is provided by government and non-government authorities in special classes or units in regular schools, by withdrawal from regular classes for periods of intensive assistance by special staff, or in specialist schools. In all states and territories, and particularly in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, parents have formed voluntary organisations to establish additional schools catering for their children's special needs. The Australian Government provides funds to states and territories, non-government authorities and community groups to assist in the provision of services and upgrading of special education facilities.

Schools, students, and teaching staff

There were 9,632 schools operating in Australia in August 2002, 72% of which were government schools. There were 152,982 full-time, plus full-time equivalent (FTE) of part-time, teaching staff employed in government schools (68% of all teachers), and a further 72,371 employed in non-government schools (table 10.8).

10.8 SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND TEACHING STAFF - August 2002
			Non-government schools
		Government schools	Catholic	Independent	Total	All schools
		%	%	%	%	'000
Schools		72.4	17.6	10.0	27.6	9.6
Students (FTE)(a)
	Males	68.9	19.5	11.6	31.1	1,688.1
	Females	67.9	20.1	11.9	32.1	1,626.8
	Persons	68.4	19.8	11.7	31.6	3,314.9
Teaching staff (FTE)(b)
	Males	66.3	17.8	15.9	33.7	73.7
	Females	68.7	18.9	12.5	31.3	151.6
	Persons	67.9	18.5	13.6	32.1	225.4
(a) Full-time students plus full-time equivalent of part-time students. (b) Full-time teaching staff plus full-time equivalent of part-time teaching staff.
Source: Schools, Australia, 2002 (4221.0).

10.9 STUDENTS(a), By category of school - August(b)
		1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
		'000	'000	'000	'000	'000	'000
Government schools
	Males	1,145.4	1,149.2	1,153.1	1,159.7	1,156.9	1,163.4
	Females	1,095.3	1,100.5	1,105.9	1,105.6	1,103.0	1,105.4
	Persons	2,240.7	2,249.7	2,259.0	2,260.3	2,259.9	2,268.8
Non-government schools
	Males	474.2	482.8	492.2	501.7	512.1	524.7
	Females	468.0	477.2	487.8	498.4	508.9	521.4
	Persons	942.3	960.0	979.9	1,000.1	1,021.1	1,046.2
All schools
	Males	1,619.7	1,632.0	1,645.3	1,656.5	1,669.0	1,688.1
	Females	1,563.3	1,577.7	1,593.7	1,604.0	1,611.9	1,626.8
	Persons	3,183.0	3,209.7	3,238.9	3,260.5	3,280.9	3,314.9
(a) Full-time equivalent students. (b) School census date.
Source: Schools, Australia (4221.0).

10.10 STUDENTS(a), By level/year of education - August 2002
				Non-government schools				All schools
		Government schools		Catholic	Independent	Total		Males	Females	Persons
		%		%	%	%		%	%	'000
Primary
	Pre-year 1(b)	70.7		20.3	9.0	29.3		51.7	48.3	204.3
	Year 1	72.0		19.4	8.5	28.0		51.3	48.7	265.5
	Year 2	72.4		19.2	8.4	27.6		51.3	48.7	268.6
	Year 3	72.3		19.2	8.5	27.7		51.2	48.8	267.9
	Year 4	72.2		19.1	8.7	27.8		51.1	48.9	269.0
	Year 5	71.8		18.9	9.3	28.2		51.2	48.8	267.8
	Year 6	71.3		19.0	9.7	28.7		51.1	48.9	269.0
	Year 7 (Qld, SA, WA, NT)	73.1		15.7	11.2	26.9		51.3	48.7	103.7
	Ungraded	85.9		2.1	12.0	14.1		65.9	34.1	16.9
	Total	72.0		18.9	9.0	28.0		51.4	48.6	1,932.6
Secondary
	Year 7 (NSW, Vic.,Tas., ACT)	61.8		23.7	14.5	38.2		51.2	48.8	161.4
	Year 8	63.2		21.5	15.4	36.8		51.1	48.9	263.2
	Year 9	63.8		21.1	15.2	36.2		50.9	49.1	257.4
	Year 10	63.6		20.9	15.4	36.4		50.8	49.2	251.2
	Year 11	63.3		20.4	16.3	36.8		49.2	50.8	228.3
	Year 12	61.8		21.3	16.9	38.2		47.3	52.7	199.8
	Ungraded	88.1		3.5	8.4	11.9		60.2	39.8	21.2
	Total	63.4		21.1	15.5	36.6		50.3	49.7	1,382.3
Total		68.4		19.8	11.7	31.6		50.9	49.1	3,314.9
(a) Full-time equivalent students. (b) Pre-year 1 does not include Qld.
Source: Schools, Australia, 2002 (4221.0).

10.12 APPARENT RETENTION RATES, From Year 10 to Year 12
		1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
		%	%	%	%	%	%
Full-time students
	Males	69.3	68.9	68.9	69.0	70.8	72.4
	Females	79.9	79.4	79.9	80.0	80.1	81.7
	Persons	74.5	74.1	74.4	74.4	75.4	77.0
Total students(a)
	Males	72.4	71.8	71.9	72.1	73.9	75.7
	Females	84.6	83.6	84.5	84.7	84.9	86.9
	Persons	78.4	77.6	78.1	78.3	79.4	81.3
(a) Includes part-time students.
Source: Schools, Australia (4221.0).