Education and Schools
Australian schools in general are regarded as of a high standard and are normally well equipped and in good condition. Western Australia - and Perth in particular - offers an excellent range of educational opportunities for children, depending on locale and a child's particular needs.
The state system is of a very high standard and its schools are generally equal in terms of the quality of care and the education they provide. All families with school-age children should bring copies of each child's two most recent reports, their birth certificates and if possible, by way of an introduction at their new school, a letter from either their current school principal or teacher. These should be ready to hand on arrival in WA so don't pack these important documents in with the furniture!
Migrants with children have an additional item to add to their Things to do List - enrol their child/children into a school. This can be carried out free of pain. Most people in this position settle into a suberb and part of their research includes the schools available. Parents can then research to see what the schools can offer in terms of facilities and activities and also how well the pupils have performed.
Some families may decide that in coming to WA they would like their child or children to enter a private school. The private schools in WA are, like those elsewhere in the world, expensive and heavily booked in advance. Fees for private secondary school for both boys and girls are approximately $2,000 per term. Current estimates suggest that after uniforms, books and similar a parent can expect the cost for a senior student to come pretty close to $10,000 for a full year.
Despite this high cost, the pressure on the available places in the private sector is intense and, although sympathetic, few schools make allowances for the fact that a family has been moved unexpectedly. Places for boys in the primary school years (age 6-12 years) of most private schools are almost unobtainable and it is becoming increasingly difficult for both boys and girls of all ages as population outstrips the number of such places available.
Even so, places do become available in the secondary years, and enquiries often bring a positive response. Generally, Western Australia is served by an excellent schools system comprised of both state-operated and private institutions.
Australians take education seriously and Australian universities receive more taxpayer funding than many of their international counterparts. School education is compulsory from ages 5 - 15.
The school year begins in February and is divided into four terms. Over Easter there is a ten-day break and the June/July winter holiday usually amounts to two or three weeks. In term three, there is a two-week September holiday. The Christmas or summer holidays run from mid December to the end of January when many families head to the beach or bush.
Students attend school from Monday to Friday each week. School hours are generally from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm each school day.
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