Education in Australia

Finding a good school is always of paramount importance to parents, no matter how many times they have relocated, but parents will be reassured by the quality of education on offer in Australia. The school year is divided into four terms (three in Tasmania) with the first term of the academic year running from the end of January to the end of March/April (depending on the state). The longest holiday period falls around the Christmas period, at the end of the fourth term.

“In Australia, we don’t have a national curriculum, so in every state there are variations to curriculum offerings, school starting ages, and terminology about year levels is slightly different,” explains Pauline Duncan from Knowledge Box, a Melbourne-based Education Consulting Service. “Relocatees should check the relevant Federal and State Education Department websites for specific information pertaining to where they may be living and the stage of schooling their children are at. Our education system is very strong and there are many options available, such as government schools, independent schools and schools with specific religious affiliations, as well as a number of curriculum and programme offerings.

“Childcare options include early learning centres, kindergartens and a range of private options through nanny or au-pair services. If a relocatee has younger children, this is certainly an area where advice or specialist help would be useful to understand the system and application procedure.”

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