INCA Education around the world
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Australia
Queensland
Tasmania
Victoria
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Australia
1. Control and organisation
Australia comprises six States (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia) and two Territories (the Australian Capital Territory - ACT and the Northern Territory) and has a federal system of government. States and Territories have constitutional responsibility for school education, enrolment policies, determination of curriculum content, course accreditation and certification procedures, and methods of assessment.
2. Public sector/private sector education
Education in publicly-funded government schools is free. Private funding of education is mostly in the form of tuition fees paid to private schools. Commonly known as non-government schools, in addition to their privately raised income, private schools also receive some direct Commonwealth Government and State funding.
Private schools are an important feature of the education system and are free to determine their own curriculum and assessment procedures. In 2000, 31 per cent of all students (primary and secondary) were enrolled in private schools. The percentage was slightly higher for private secondary schools, which enrolled 36 per cent of all secondary school students. The majority of private school students attend schools with some religious affiliation, most commonly with the Catholic Church.
3. Language of instruction
The official language by custom and practice is English, which is the language of instruction.
4. Compulsory education
Individual State/Territory legislation requires all children between the ages of around 6 and 15/16 to attend either a government school or some other educational programme approved by the Government. In recent years there has been some growth in the home education movement, permitting parents to apply for approval to educate their children at home. This approval is granted by the Education Departments in the various States and Territories to a small proportion of parents or communities.
Generally, four 'bands' correspond to levels of education as follows:
· Band A - lower primary level education (Years 0-3, ages 5/6 to 8-9)
· Band B - upper primary level education (Years 4-6/7, ages 9-10 to 11-13)
· Band C - compulsory lower secondary phase education (Years 7/8-10, ages 11-13 to 15-16)
· Band D - post-compulsory/upper secondary level education (Years 11-12, ages 16-18).
Consequently, in most States there are 13 full years of education with Year 0 corresponding to the first full year of 'preparatory' or kindergarten education prior to Year 1 (see below).
5. Pre-compulsory education
Part-time, publicly-funded pre-school education is usually offered for up to two years before compulsory education begins (at around age 6). The second year of this provision - the year before compulsory education begins - is often known as the 'Preparatory Year' and is also often offered full-time (that is for five full days each week).
In some States and Territories the curriculum framework for the compulsory years applies to children in the pre-compulsory Preparatory Year. In addition some States have specific curriculum guidelines for the pre-school phase. Queensland's Pre-school Curriculum Guidelines, for example, are based on five foundation learning areas which are sense of self and others; health and physical understanding; social living and learning; cultural understanding; and understanding environments.
6. Post-compulsory education
At age 15-16, students may usually choose whether to continue in secondary school or to enter a range of technical or vocational courses at colleges of technical and further education, senior colleges or rural training schools.
At the post-compulsory upper secondary level, the curriculum is more likely to be specified in detail by an authority responsible for examining and certifying students. At these levels, students generally have more scope to specialise and a range of elective studies is usually provided. Although there are no compulsory subjects as such, the vast majority of senior level students do study English and mathematics throughout their senior secondary course.
7. Special needs education
Types of special provision available in Australia can vary widely, both between States and between individual schools. Most school systems do, however, encourage, wherever possible, the mainstream education of students with special educational needs.
8. School year
The school day normally consists of around five hours of tuition over five days each week (Monday to Friday). These hours of tuition are usually organised in a school day starting at around 9:00 am and finishing around 3 pm.
The school year comprises around 200 days, organised around four terms and beginning in late January. The annual five- to six-week summer break takes place in December and January.
9. Statutory curricula
Although individual States and Territories have responsibility for education, in most States and Territories nationally developed Statements and Profiles provide a common basis for curriculum development. Statements and Profiles are used in conjunction with school and system policies and serve as a reference point for the design of resource materials for schools, including materials for professional development. The Statements and Profiles cover eight broad Key Learning Areas: the arts, English, health and physical education (HPE), languages other than English (LOTE), mathematics, science, studies of society and the environment (SOSE), and technology.
Current curriculum research trials in a number of States are piloting the use of new curriculum clusters (such as life pathways and social futures; multiliteracies and communications media; active citizenship; and environments and technologies in Queensland) as 'organisers of the curriculum'. Such clusters are cross-curricular, encompassing the eight nationally-agreed Key Learning Areas.
10. Religious education
Education in government schools is secular, but normally makes some provision for religious education on a voluntary attendance basis. Some non-government schools are run or sponsored by religious organisations, the majority of these being Catholic schools.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work-related education or careers education
All students in all schools in Australia (from the mid-primary to upper secondary phases) have to study civics and citizenship education. Students learn about democracy and citizenship and study topics such as the history of the Australian constitution, the role of parliament, cabinet and the courts, freedom of speech, religion, the role and responsibility of the governor general and the history of indigenous Australians.
Health and physical education (HPE) and studies of society and the environment (SOSE) are two of the eight Key Learning Areas (see above).
12. Textbooks
In general, there are no centralised procedures for adopting curriculum materials in any State or Territory in Australia, and the great bulk of material for students is bought by parents at commercial prices. Occasionally, a government-funded project provides student material free for reproduction by schools.
13. Statutory system of assessment
School level assessment is treated mainly as a basis for reporting to parents, and may influence decisions regarding promotion to the next grade. However, promotion usually depends predominantly on social considerations.
At the primary stage, under the nationally agreed literacy and numeracy plan, children in Years 3, 5 and 7 of compulsory education in Australia are tested against agreed national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. This mandatory testing programme seeks to report student outcomes against the benchmarks and to collect data for reporting to parents/carers and schools, and for systemic reporting. This testing may, in future, be extended to include students in Year 9 (aged 14 to 15 years). (Almost all children in non-government schools participate in this testing in addition.)
14. Examinations and certification
All States and Territories have some form of external certification system in Year 12, students aged 18 and in the final year of school education. This has the double purpose of certifying compulsory and post-compulsory school completion, and ranking students for entry to tertiary institutions. The following website describes such school leaving certification across all States and Territories in Australia:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/acaca/index.html.
15. Initial teacher training
Initial teacher training in Australia is generally provided in universities and other institutions of higher education. There are three common paths leading into either primary or secondary teaching:
· A four-year undergraduate teacher education degree such as a Bachelor of Education.
· A double-degree programme whereby undergraduates study for two degrees concurrently, one of these being teacher education. Most universities offer this option over four years.
· An initial three- (or four-) year academic degree, such as a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts, to which is added a one- or two-year postgraduate teacher training course. Most postgraduates opt for the shorter one-year Diploma of Education.
There are nationwide moves to establish clearer, more consistent professional eligibility requirements for teaching, and a national framework for professional teaching standards. This is likely to have a significant impact on the preparatory courses in universities. In this respect, a national Teacher Quality and Educational Leadership Taskforce (TQELT) has recently developed a National Framework for Professional Standards for Teaching. This is available online at
http://www.mceetya.edu.au/pdf/national_framework.pdf.
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Queensland, Australia
1. Control and organisation
Australia comprises six States (Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia) and two Territories (the Australian Capital Territory - ACT and the Northern Territory) and has a federal system of government. States and Territories have constitutional responsibility for school education, enrolment policies, determination of curriculum content, course accreditation and certification procedures, and methods of assessment.In Queensland, school education is the responsibility of Education Queensland - the Department of Education. Parents' groups meet individually and as a joint parent committee with the Minister for Education. These regular meetings aim to ensure that all parent groups can communicate effectively with the Government. The four main parents' groups are the Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Association, which draws its members from parents of children in state schools; the Federation of Parents and Friends Association, representing Catholic parents; the Isolated Children's Parents Association; and the Queensland Independent Schools Parents Council.
2. Public sector/private sector education
Education in publicly-funded government schools is free. Private funding of education is mostly in the form of tuition fees paid to private schools - usually known as non-government schools. Non-government schools also receive some direct Commonwealth Government and State funding, in addition to privately raised income.
Private schools are an important feature of the education system and are free to determine their own curriculum and assessment procedures. In 2000, 31 per cent of all students (primary and secondary) were enrolled in private schools. The percentage was slightly higher for private secondary schools, which enrolled 36 per cent of all secondary school students. The majority of private school students attend schools with some religious affiliation, most commonly with the Catholic Church.
3. Language of instruction
The official language by custom and practice is English, which is the language of instruction.
4. Compulsory education
Individual State/Territory legislation requires all children between the ages of six and 15 or 16 to attend either a government school or some other educational programme approved by the Government. In recent years there has been some growth in the home education movement, permitting parents to apply for approval to educate their children at home. This approval is granted by the Education Departments in the various States and Territories to a small proportion of parents or communities.
Compulsory primary education in Queensland covers children in Years 1 to 7, aged six to 12/13 years; the lower secondary phase covers Years 8 to 10, 13+- to 15/16-year-olds.
The Youth Participation in Education and Training Act 2003 will make it compulsory, from 2006, for young people to remain in school until they finish Year 10 (ages 15 to 16), or reach their 16th birthday, whichever comes first. Unless they are in full-time work, young people who have finished Year 10 or reached the age of 16 will then be required to participate in education and training for a further two years, or until they have gained a Senior Certificate (see below) (or equivalent level vocational qualification), or until they have turned 17.
5. Pre-compulsory education
Part-time, publicly-funded pre-school education is offered for up to two years before compulsory education begins (at age six). The second year of this provision is known as the 'Preparatory Year'.
Although many state/government-funded schools in Queensland do offer a full year of full-time education for children in the Preparatory Year (five- to six-year-olds), not all currently do. Following a pilot scheme, this is set to change from 2007, when a full year of full-time pre-Year 1 education will be available to all children throughout the State.
The pre-school curriculum is organised around Pre-School Curriculum Guidelines. These aim to provide a framework to support pre-school teachers' curriculum decision-making. The key components of the Pre-School Curriculum Guidelines are five Foundation Learning Areas: sense of self and others, health and physical understanding, social living and learning, cultural understanding, and understanding environments. Each Foundation Learning Area is described in terms of understandings and dispositions, learning processes, teaching strategies and learning outcomes.
6. Post-compulsory education
At age 15-16, students may currently leave school, continue in secondary school or enter a range of technical or vocational courses at colleges of technical and further education, senior colleges and rural training schools. Some changes will be introduced from 2007 (see above) with a view to increasing the numbers of students staying in education and training until completion of Year 12 (around age 18).
At the post-compulsory upper secondary level, the curriculum is more likely to be specified in detail by an authority responsible for examining and certifying students. At these levels, students generally have more scope to specialise and a range of elective studies is usually provided. Although there are no compulsory subjects as such, the vast majority of senior students do study English and mathematics throughout their senior secondary course.
7. Special needs education
In Queensland, students with special educational needs are either catered for in mainstream classes in ordinary mainstream schools or by special education programmes, which can include special schools, special education units or special classes attached to mainstream schools.
Special schools and special education units (or special education developmental units) provide programmes to students with special needs whose needs exceed the capacity of regular, mainstream schools, and who require an individualised education programme delivered by a specialist teacher or a team of special educators.
In Queensland, in the 1998-1999 financial year, there were 51 special schools providing programmes for students with high support needs. Although the programmes provided are individually tailored and different to those usually undertaken in mainstream schools, the same Key Learning Areas (see below) and key competencies are addressed, although at a developmentally appropriate level in an age appropriate manner. Programmes are documented in Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and delivered by special education teachers and support staff, including therapists, nurses and specialist advisory teachers.
8. School year
The school day normally consists of around five hours of tuition over five days each week (Monday to Friday). These hours of tuition are usually organised in a school day starting at around 9:00 am and finishing around 3 pm.
The school year comprises around 200 days, organised around four terms and beginning in late January. The annual five- to six-week summer break takes place in December and January.
9. Statutory curricula
Although individual States and Territories have responsibility for education, in most States and Territories nationally developed Statements and Profiles provide a common basis for curriculum development. Statements and Profiles are used in conjunction with school and system policies and serve as a reference point for the design of resource materials for schools, including materials for professional development. The Statements and Profiles cover eight broad Key Learning Areas: the arts, English, health and physical education (HPE), languages other than English (LOTE), mathematics, science, studies of society and the environment (SOSE), and technology.
A four-year curriculum research trial was completed in Queensland during the period January 2001 - January 2005. Entitled the 'New Basics', the trial involved 38 schools, which piloted four new curriculum clusters - life pathways and social futures; multiliteracies and communications media; active citizenship; and environments and technologies - as 'organisers of the curriculum'. The New Basics are cross-curricular - Queensland refers to them as 'transdisciplinary' - and encompass, amongst others, the eight nationally-agreed Key Learning Areas. Further information is available at http://education.qld.gov.au/corporate/newbasics
10. Religious education
Education in government schools is secular, but normally makes some provision for religious education on a voluntary attendance basis. Some non-government schools are run or sponsored by religious organisations, the majority of these being Catholic schools.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work-related education or careers education
All students in all schools in Australia (from the mid-primary to upper secondary phases) have had to study civics and citizenship since 1999 and the introduction of the 'Discovering Democracy' project. Students learn about democracy and citizenship and are examined each year to test their knowledge of the history and workings of government and the nation's democratic foundations. They study topics such as the history of the Australian constitution, the role of parliament, cabinet and the courts, freedom of speech, religion, the role and responsibility of the governor general and the history of indigenous Australians.
Health and physical education (HPE) and studies of society and the environment (SOSE) are two of the eight Key Learning Areas (see above).
12. Textbooks
Whilst there are no centralised procedures for adopting curriculum materials in any State or Territory in Australia, some elements of centralisation are found in Queensland. A network of teachers provides reviews of recommended curriculum resources to AccessED, a branch of Education Queensland, which disseminates this information to schools on a searchable database known as 'Classroom Resource Reviews'.
The great bulk of material for students is bought by parents at commercial prices. Occasionally, a government-funded project such as Discovering Democracy, see above, provides student material free for reproduction by schools.
13. Statutory system of assessment
School level assessment is treated mainly as a basis for reporting to parents. It may influence decisions regarding promotion to the next grade, but promotion generally depends predominantly on social considerations.
Under the nationally agreed literacy and numeracy plan, all children in Years 3, 5 and 7 of compulsory education in Australia are tested against agreed national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. In Queensland this mandatory testing programme is known as the Queensland Testing Programme and all eight- to nine-, 10- to 11- and 12- to 13-year-olds in government schools (along with almost all children in these years in non-government schools) participate. The testing programme seeks to report student outcomes against the benchmarks and to collect data for reporting to parents/carers and schools, and for systemic reporting. This testing may, in future, be extended to include students in Year 9 (aged 14 to 15 years).
At the secondary stage there are two assessment regimes for students aged 16 to 18 years. One is a system of internal, continuous, school-based, subject-specific assessment, moderated across the State by the work of review panels. The other is an external cross-curriculum test, the Queensland Core Skills Test (QCS Test) (see below).
14. Examinations and certification
In Queensland, Junior Certificates are issued to students at the end of compulsory education, Year 10, aged 15 to 16.
The Senior Certificate and Tertiary Entrance score (essential for entry to higher education) is awarded to those who have remained at school until the end of Year 12 (aged around 18), completed 20 semester units of Senior Certificate subjects, and taken the Queensland Core Skills Test (QCS Test). This is administered State-wide under standardised conditions and assesses achievement in 49 common curriculum elements.
15. Initial teacher training
The requirements to become a teacher in Queensland are completion of at least four years' academic study including a minimum of two years of professional studies in education. However, completing a university degree in teacher education, or some other course, does not guarantee employment as a teacher with Education Queensland. Candidates applying for permanent employment must also have an interview or undertake performance-based assessment. Following this, they are awarded a suitability rating of 1, 2, 3 or 4. Any applicants who have not undergone this assessment process are awarded a 'T4' rating, which allows them to obtain temporary or casual work only.
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Tasmania, Australia
1. Control and organisation
Australia comprises six States (Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia) and two Territories (the Australian Capital Territory - ACT and the Northern Territory) and has a federal system of government. States and Territories have constitutional responsibility for school education, enrolment policies, determination of curriculum content, course accreditation and certification procedures, and methods of assessment.
The Department of Education in Tasmania is responsible for primary and secondary education, library and information services, vocational education and training services, children's services, assessment and certification services and youth affairs. School Education Division within the Department determines educational policy relating to (publicly funded) government schools and colleges, and supports education through the development and coordination of leadership, curriculum frameworks standards and resources.
Tasmania is further divided into school districts, which represent the Department at the local level and assist schools in self-management. Decisions at the school level are made within a framework of State and national goals, policies and priorities. School responsibilities include the implementation of goals and priorities for learning; developing frameworks for learning and teaching practices; the allocation of resources; mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating and reporting on individual student progress and achievement; and achieving the goals and priorities established by the local community. The establishment of School Councils is optional; the decision is made by the school community based on its own nature and needs. Parents have a right to share in school decision-making.
2. Public sector/private sector education
Education in publicly-funded government schools is free. Private funding of education is mostly in the form of tuition fees paid to private schools - usually known as non-government schools. Non-government schools also receive some direct Commonwealth Government and State funding, in addition to privately raised income.
Private schools are an important feature of the education system and are free to determine their own curriculum and assessment procedures. The majority of private school students attend schools with some religious affiliation, most commonly with the Catholic Church.
3. Language of instruction
The official language by custom and practice is English, which is the language of instruction.
4. Compulsory education
Individual State/Territory legislation requires all children between the ages of six and 15 or 16 to attend either a government school or some other educational programme approved by the Government. In recent years there has been some growth in the home education movement, permitting parents to apply for approval to educate their children at home. This approval is granted by the Education Departments in the various States and Territories to a small proportion of parents or communities.
In Tasmania, education is compulsory until around age 16 and primary schools cover Kindergarten/Pre-school (age 4+) to age 11-12. Prior to January 2004, all children began compulsory primary education at the age of 6. Since 2004, all children who are at least 5 years old on 1 January must be enrolled in the Preparatory Year in a primary school or be provided with home education. Secondary education in Tasmania covers students aged 12-13 to 16-18 in 'high schools' or, in rural areas, in schools catering for the full age range and called 'district high schools'.
Home education is a legally supported alternative to enrolment at school, provided that the parent is registered as a home educator in respect of the child. This means that the parent meets the requirements for undertaking home education, as described in the policy statement on home education.
5. Pre-compulsory education
Before commencing Year 1 (compulsory primary education, age 6), many 4- to 5-year-olds attend pre-compulsory Kindergarten/Pre-school part-time for one year. Since 2004, every 5-year-old has been expected to receive one year of compulsory full-time education in the Preparatory Year before commencing Year 1. Children begin Kindergarten if they are 4 years old on 1 January.
The 'Flying Start Programme' for this phase establishes the curriculum framework for all children from Kindergarten to Year 2 (4+ to 7+). It focuses on literacy, numeracy and social skills, provides a continuum of learning and has a cross-curricular focus.
6. Post-compulsory education
In Tasmania, post-compulsory upper secondary education is provided in secondary schools catering for students aged 12-18 which are called 'high schools'. At the post-compulsory upper secondary level (16+), the curriculum is more likely to be specified in detail by an authority responsible for examining and certifying students. At these levels, students generally have more scope to specialise and a range of elective studies is provided. In 1998, approximately 19 per cent of the total Year 11/12 (aged 16-18) enrolment in (full- and part-time) upper secondary education in Tasmania, was enrolled on accredited Vocational Education and Training programmes (VETs).
7. Special needs education
Types of special needs provision available can vary between States, districts and individual schools. Most school systems do, however, encourage the mainstream education of students with special educational needs. In addition, in Tasmania, the Open Learning Service School provides a teaching and learning programme which covers the eight Key Learning Areas of the curriculum (see below), and is offered to students unable to attend normal mainstream school for reasons of isolation, pregnancy, other medical reasons, or other exceptional circumstances. The education programme is delivered in a variety of ways including teacher home visits, regular telephone and mail contact, and activity days in regional centres. The content of the learning programme is negotiated by teachers, parents and students. Learning materials include print-based items, videos, audio tapes, computer disks and commercially-produced materials. Students are able to link with their teacher using e-mail and the Internet.
Since 1997, additional funding has been provided by the State Government to support the creation of additional teaching positions to support gifted students. In addition, coordinator positions for gifted students have been created in every district State-wide. Support includes professional development, teacher assistance, the coordination of mentor programmes, and related activities. Some trialling of flexible class groups and early admission processes has also been undertaken in selected schools.
8. School year
Exceptionally, in Tasmania, there are three main terms in school education (there are four terms in all other areas of Australia). Term one runs from mid February to late May/early June, with a 10-day break for Easter in the middle, and is followed by a 10-day holiday; term two runs from mid June to early/mid September, followed by a 10-day holiday; and term three commences in late September and ends just before Christmas. The long, summer holiday lasts from Christmas until mid February.
9. Statutory curricula
The eight nationally agreed Key Learning Areas (KLAs) - the arts; English; health and physical education (HPE); languages other than English (LOTE); mathematics; science; studies of society and the environment (SOSE); and technology - form the basic statutory curriculum subjects in Tasmania. The curriculum framework under which these subjects are taught is known as the Essential Learnings Framework. The five essential learnings or curriculum organisers of this framework - thinking; communicating; personal futures; social responsibility; and world futures - aim to provide a focus for teaching and learning the Key Learning Areas.
10. Religious education
Religious instruction for students may be provided at a government school with the approval of the Department of Education. The total number of hours of religious instruction provided at a government school may not exceed one hour per week.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work-related education or careers education
All students in all schools in Australia (from the mid-primary to upper secondary phases) study civics and citizenship. Students learn about democracy and citizenship and study topics such as the history of the Australian constitution, the role of parliament, cabinet and the courts, freedom of speech, religion, the role and responsibility of the governor general and the history of indigenous Australians.
Health and physical education (HPE) and studies of society and the environment (SOSE) are two of the eight Key Learning Areas (see above). In Tasmania, SOSE also incorporates an ethics component - Asian and Aboriginal studies.
12. Textbooks
Learning materials are prepared by a variety of agents including the curriculum sections of education departments, academics, commercial publishers and teachers' subject associations. In Tasmania, parents have always paid school levies as part of their contribution towards the education of their child. These cover such items as school excursions, some textbooks and other materials required throughout the year. Parents have the right to expect that, if the charge for books is incorporated into the levies, it will be clear which amount is for books and stationery.
13. Statutory system of assessment
Under the national literacy and numeracy plan, all States in Australia have agreed to report the performance of children in Years 3, 5 and 7 of compulsory education against agreed national literacy and numeracy benchmarks. In Tasmania, this information is obtained from the Literacy and Numeracy Monitoring Programme. Schools are required to report individual students' results in the Programme to parents/carers, along with comparisons of State-wide levels. Since 2005, these reports have been linked to the Essential Learnings Framework (see above) and, in particular, the key element outcomes, 'Being Literate' and 'Being Numerate'.
14. Examinations and certification
Parents are informed about their child's progress at school via a Record of Development which grows over time from Kindergarten to Year 12 (ages 4/5 to 17-18). When a student moves to another school the student record card is usually forwarded to the new school. Cards for students completing primary schooling need not be provided to secondary schools unless this has been arranged in particular cases.
The Tasmanian Record of Achievement is a collection of records made by senior students (ages 14-17/18) from some of the items in their Record of Development and elsewhere. Students compile records according to their needs at the time. These might include showing parents the type and quality of their performance and achievement, or the record may be used in seeking employment or acceptance in further education.
In upper secondary education in school (16- to 18-year-olds), most students take four or five subjects for Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) examinations. Success in these examinations is used to calculate a tertiary entrance score for university aspirants. Students in Years 11 and 12 of post-compulsory upper secondary education (aged 16-18) can also take accredited Vocational Education and Training Programmes (VETs), the successful completion of which provides an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate.
15. Initial teacher training
The University of Tasmania offers two initial teacher training courses: Bachelor of Education or Bachelor of Teaching. The Bachelor of Education degree course lasts for a minimum of four years full-time and prepares students for teaching in early childhood education and in primary schools. The Bachelor of Teaching is a two-year postgraduate pre-service teacher training course taken after the completion of a first degree. The course is intended to provide teaching practice and skills to enable the beginning teacher to cope with the early years of teaching and to lay a foundation for further professional development in both the theory and practice of education. There are two routes through the degree, depending on whether students wish to become an early years/primary school teacher or a secondary school teacher.
The Teachers Registration Board has been established to ensure that "all children in Tasmanian schools are taught by skilled and qualified teachers, who are of good character." Those persons seeking a career as teachers in Tasmania must secure registration, provisional registration, or a limited authority to teach before commencing employment. The Board assesses an applicant's teacher training studies in conjunction with the length, location and timing of her/his teaching experience to determine the category of registration to be granted, subject to a satisfactory character check.
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Victoria, Australia
1. Control and organisation
Australia comprises six States (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia) and two Territories (the Australian Capital Territory - ACT and the Northern Territory) and has a federal system of government. States and Territories have constitutional responsibility for school education, enrolment policies, determination of curriculum content, course accreditation and certification procedures, and methods of assessment.
Education in Victoria is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Training. Within the Department, the Office of School Education covers the policy development, regulation and management of the Victorian (publicly funded) government school system. Within the frameworks established by the Office of School Education, individual schools have responsibility for decisions regarding course planning, curriculum organisation, classroom practice, the amount of time allocated to the Key Learning Areas of the curriculum (see below), the full range of subjects offered, and specific issues related to school culture, such as the development of attitudes, values and beliefs.
2. Public sector/private sector education
Education in publicly-funded government schools in Australia is free. Private funding of education is mostly in the form of tuition fees paid to private schools. Commonly known as non-government schools, in addition to their privately raised income, private schools also receive some direct Commonwealth Government and State funding.
Private schools are an important feature of the education system and are free to determine their own curriculum and assessment procedures. Nationally in 2000, 31 per cent of all students (primary and secondary) were enrolled in private schools. The percentage was slightly higher for private secondary schools, which enrolled 36 per cent of all secondary school students. The majority of private school students attend schools with some religious affiliation, most commonly with the Catholic Church.
3. Language of instruction
The official language by custom and practice is English, which is the language of instruction.
4. Compulsory education
Individual State/Territory legislation requires all children between the ages of 6 and 15/16 to attend either a government school or some other educational programme approved by the Government. In recent years there has been some growth in the home education movement, permitting parents to apply for approval to educate their children at home. This approval is granted by the Education Departments in the various States and Territories to a small proportion of parents or communities.
In Victoria, although six-year primary education (Years 1 to 6) commences at age 6 and ends at age 12, most children start primary school at around age 5 in the non-compulsory Preparatory Year (sometimes known as Year 0). Children can attend government schools if they reach the age of 5 by 30 April in the year they wish to enrol. (The school year commences in January/February.) All children between the age of 5/6 and 15/16 must attend school or be receiving approved alternative education.
Secondary schools in Victoria are generally called 'secondary colleges' and cater for students in Years 7-12 (aged 12-13 to 17-18). In rural areas, there may also be schools which cater for the full 13-year range (Preparatory, aged 4/5+ to Year 12, aged 17-18). Some secondary colleges offer school-based apprenticeships or traineeships in the later years of this phase.
5. Pre-compulsory education
Part-time, publicly-funded pre-school education is offered for up to two years before compulsory education begins (at around age 6). The second year of this provision is usually known as the 'Preparatory Year'. Pre-compulsory education in Victoria usually comprises: pre-school, for 3.5/4- to 4.5/5-year-olds, and Preparatory Year (or 'Prep') for 4.5/5- to 5.5/6-year-olds. The Preparatory Year - although not compulsory for children - is commonly regarded as Year 0 of compulsory education and is almost universally undertaken. This is followed by Year/Grade 1.
6. Post-compulsory education
At aged 15-16, students may continue in secondary school or enter a range of technical or vocational courses at colleges of technical and further education, senior colleges and rural training schools. At the upper secondary level, the curriculum is more likely to be specified in detail by an authority responsible for examining and certifying students. At these levels, students generally have more scope to specialise and a range of elective studies is usually provided. Although there are no compulsory subjects as such, the vast majority of senior students do study English and mathematics throughout their senior secondary course.
Students in upper secondary school education in Victoria (aged 16+) are commonly following courses for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) certificate (taken in Year 12, at around age 18) or for the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) (see below). Compulsory subjects of study depend on the exact VCE or VCAL course(s) being pursued, although English is usually compulsory for all students following a VCE course, and all students working towards the VCAL must take at least one literacy and one numeracy unit.
7. Special needs education
In Victoria, all children except those with the most severe special needs attend (regular) mainstream schools and classes. Children with special needs are usually assisted by an 'aide' for some time during the school week.
The State Department of Education and Training intends that programmes of study for students with special needs should be clearly related to the mainstream curriculum and assessment frameworks (see below), but tailored to specific, individual need.
8. School year
The school year comprises around 200 days, organised around four terms and beginning in late January. The annual five- to six-week summer break takes place in December and January.
9. Statutory curricula
In Victoria, the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) has generally provided the basis for curriculum planning in schools from Preparatory (age 5+) to Year 10 (age 15-16), and for reporting on student achievement. It sets out the major areas of learning to be covered and describes the learning outcomes to be achieved by students. Its content is organised into the eight nationally agreed Key Learning Areas: the arts, English, health and physical education (HPE), languages other than English (LOTE), mathematics, science, studies of society and environment (SOSE), and technology.
From 2006, the CSF will be replaced by a new curriculum framework covering the same age range. Known as the "Victorian Essential Learning Standards", this new curriculum framework identifies three core and interrelated strands for the Preparatory to Year 10 curriculum. Each strand - physical, personal and social learning; discipline-based learning; and interdisciplinary learning - has a number of domains which describe the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours students need to prepare for further education, work and life. Physical, personal and social learning includes health and physical education, interpersonal development, personal learning, and civics and citizenship; discipline-based learning comprises the arts, English, humanities (economics), humanities (geography), humanities (history), languages other than English (LOTE), mathematics and science; and interdisciplinary learning includes communication, design, creativity and technology, information and communications technology (ICT) and thinking. Further information is available at: http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/index.html
10. Religious education
Education in government schools is secular, but normally makes some provision for religious education on a voluntary attendance basis. Some non-government schools are run or sponsored by religious organisations, the majority of these being Catholic schools.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work-related education or careers education
All students in all schools in Australia study civics and citizenship. Much of the underlying knowledge of civics and citizenship is currently found in the studies of society and environment (SOSE) Key Learning Area. Health and physical education (HPE) is also currently one of the eight Key Learning Areas included in the Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) in Victoria (see above).
12. Textbooks
In Victoria, textbooks are not approved by an external authority before they can be used in schools. The Department of Education and Training does, however, publish course advice for Preparatory to Year 10 students (aged 5 to 16) in all Key Learning Areas to assist government school teachers. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) also publishes curriculum outlines, assessment specifications and other material to assist teachers in implementing the curriculum and assessment frameworks.
13. Statutory system of assessment
All 5-year-old children starting compulsory education in Victoria take compulsory literacy tests (reading and writing) in their first month at school.
In line with the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan and the, soon to be replaced, Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) (see above), there is State-wide assessment known as the Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM), for all students in Years 3 (aged 8-9) and 5 (aged 10-11) in English (literacy) and mathematics.
Each year schools are required to provide parents with at least two written reports on student achievement. The Curriculum and Standards Framework (CSF) currently provides seven levels for reporting student achievement over the years of compulsory education. The levels are associated with the years of schooling as follows:
Level 1 - end of Preparatory, age 6
Level 2 - end of Year 2, age 8
Level 3 - end of Year 4, age 10
Level 4 - end of Year 6, age 12
Level 5 - end of Year 8, age 14
Level 6 - end of Year 10, age 16
Level 6+ - enrichment for those exceeding Level 6.
14. Examinations and certification
The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is an upper secondary certificate - available in a wide range of individual subjects or subject combinations - and the course is usually completed over a minimum of two years (students aged 16-18). There are 43 study areas or subjects, with options available within several of the subjects. Most subjects have four units, each lasting one term/semester or half-year. Students must complete at least 16 units over the two years. The results from the VCE determine the tertiary entrance score (TE score). This tertiary entrance ranking is the major determinant of whether or not a student is accepted on the university course of their choosing. Employers also place great value on the overall results of the VCE.
The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is an upper secondary certificate which has been developed to offer flexibility to students who find that the VCE does not meet their needs. The VCAL includes the compulsory study of English and mathematics, work-related competencies, and an industry-based component, and is designed to develop students' knowledge and skills to allow them to progress to further studies or into employment.
15. Initial teacher training
Teachers in Victorian government schools must have at least four years of tertiary education that includes an approved course of teacher training. There are three main pathways to qualify as a primary teacher in Victoria: a four-year undergraduate teacher education degree (such as a Bachelor of Education); a double-degree programme where students study for two degrees at the same time, with one of these being a teacher training course; or completion of an academic degree, followed by a one- or two-year postgraduate teacher training course. Additionally, teachers training for the secondary phase can use their experience in industry in a vocational area and link this with a teaching qualification. This is most applicable to teaching in the technology studies or vocational education areas.
Victoria has, for many years, had a registration board for non-government school teachers and has now established, by statute, an Institute of Teaching, which will set standards of eligibility for all teachers in the State. The Institute is an independent representative professional body for the teaching profession, which registers all teachers to ensure only qualified people are employed in Victorian schools; provides advice to teachers to assist their professional learning and ensure that programmes are of the highest quality; approves teacher training courses that qualify future teachers for entry to the profession; and investigates instances of serious misconduct to protect the integrity of the profession. Before commencing employment, all prospective teachers and all teachers currently employed in Victorian primary, secondary and special education schools must be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
