Schools K-12

If you are a parent interested in Australian schooling for your child, or you are a student looking to study in Australia at a K-12 school, there are a few differences in schooling you should know about the education system.

Schooling in Australia is compulsory for children from the ages of 6 to 15 (16 in South Australia and Tasmania). Most children start school when they are younger than 6 and remain at school beyond the age of 15. Below is a comparison of Australian to North American grade levels. 

Australian Education Term  Grades  North American Equivalent 
Early years of schooling or infant school Preschool to Year 1  Preschool, Kindergarten 
 Lower primary  Year 1 to Year 4  Primary or elementary
 Upper primary  Year 4 to Year 7  Primary or middle school
 Secondary school  Year 7 to Year 10  Junior high or high school
 Post compulsory  Years 11 and 12  High school, secondary or CEGEP
 
In Australia, parents can choose from government (public) and non-government (private) schools. Government schools operate under the direct responsibility of the relevant State or Territory Minister, while non-government schools, often religious, are established and operate under conditions determined by government registration authorities.

Currently, there is no national curriculum, but government schools follow 8 Key Learning Areas, which are common throughout schools in Australia.

My School is a source for detailed information on over 10,000 schools in Australia.  Developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), this website publishes nationally comparable data on Australian schools.

There are no school league tables or ranking systems but Australian students consistently score highly in international assessments.

The academic calendar begins in January and ends in December. It is divided into four terms. Each state/territory education department sets its own academic calendar.