State or Private Education
State or Private Education?
This is a very individual decision based on a number of factors – you have total freedom within Australia to either have your children educated within the Government systems, or in a private school. In 2004, about 67% of Australian children were educated in Government schools and 33% in the independent system - in terms of the latter, about 20% were in Catholic schools, and 13% in independent private schools. Please see the table below for more details.
To gain admission to a State school you must generally live within the boundaries of a school district although some of the very best, selective State schools choose their students through entrance exams. Private schools have no geographical boundaries but may apply entrance tests and have waiting lists.
In terms of academic results, it is the selective state schools and private schools which have long produced the best academic results. There are various reasons postulated for this superior performance – including better facilities, different cultures and higher teacher to student ratios. Whatever the reason, the popularity of private schools has been growing steadily over the years at the expense of Government schools.
Should you wish to have your child attend a private school on return to Australia then you should begin to organise that process, and contact the schools in question, at the earliest opportunity. Whilst an expatriate life doesn’t always allow the sort of certainty that this process requires, nevertheless you should make every attempt to plan ahead – the sooner you place them on a waiting list the better. Note that you will be asked to pay an enrolment application fee, usually somewhere between $100 and $200, and then probably an amount upon receiving confirmation of your child being offered a place .
The table below provides some background regarding the proportion of children attending Government, Catholic and Independent schools in the major cities.
|
CITY
|
GOVERNMENT
|
CATHOLIC
|
INDEPENDENT
|
| MELBOURNE |
57.2%
|
22.7%
|
20.1%
|
| SYDNEY |
58.0%
|
25.8%
|
16.2%
|
| BRISBANE |
57.2%
|
21.6%
|
21.1%
|
| HOBART |
59.5%
|
22.1%
|
18.5%
|
| CANBERRA |
58.4%
|
28.1%
|
13.5%
|
| PERTH |
58.0%
|
21.4%
|
20.5%
|
| DARWIN |
71.4%
|
12.5%
|
16.1%
|
Source: ABS Census Data as analysed by Independent Schools Council of Australia (2001)
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