Posted June 8 2026
By Alasdair Spinner
Common questions we get from senior medical practitioners is about the schooling system in Australia.
My father owned and ran a childcare centre and still works in the independent schools sector. My eldest son went to government primary school in North West Sydney.
Australia doesn’t have a single national school system. Each state and territory runs its own — just as healthcare operations are devolved — and whilst they share the same national curriculum broadly, each state can amend it and the terminology can vary.
The three sectors
Australian schooling is divided into three sectors: government (state) schools, Catholic schools, and independent schools. In 2025, 62.8% of students were enrolled in government schools, 20% in Catholic schools, and 17.2% in independent schools. International schools (IB), Muslim schools and Steiner schools, for example, are categorised as independent.
Government schools are free. Catholic schools are subsidised but charge modest fees, often well below what independent schools cost. Independent schools range from affordable community schools to very expensive institutions.
Please note: independent school enrolments grew by 3.9% in 2024 (the strongest growth in more than a decade) against overall student growth of 1.1%. Much of that growth has been in lower-fee independent schools.
Structure
Primary school runs from a preparatory or ‘Prep’ year through to Year 6 or 7. Secondary school runs from Years 7 or 8 to Year 10, followed by two non-compulsory senior years in Years 11 and 12. Most students complete 13 years of schooling before moving on to university, vocational training, or work.
Schooling is compulsory from age 6. Students must complete Year 10, and after that must remain in school, training or employment until age 17.
Some terminology
The name of the first year of school changes by state.
NSW / ACT: Kindergarten
Victoria / Queensland / Tasmania: Prep
South Australia: Reception
Western Australia: Pre-primary
Northern Territory: Transition
From Foundation to Year 10, the core content in English, Maths, Science and Humanities is broadly comparable across the different states under the national curriculum framework, though each state adapts it. Victoria uses the Victorian Curriculum F–10, and NSW uses its own NESA syllabuses.
Secondary school starts at Year 7 in most states. In Western Australia, Year 7 has traditionally sat within primary school rather than secondary, so this is worth checking for the specific school you’re looking at.
Senior school qualifications
In Years 11 and 12, students work towards a state-based senior certificate. The names differ but all are equivalent for university entry:
NSW: Higher School Certificate (HSC)
Victoria: Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
Queensland: Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)
Western Australia: Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
South Australia: South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE)
Tasmania: Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)
ACT: ACT Year 12 Certificate
NB: Each certificate is recognised by all universities, higher education, and vocational training institutions across Australia.
NAPLAN
In Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, students sit NAPLAN — the National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy. Their results will have no bearing on future schooling; they’re used to compare performance at individual, state and national level.
School terms
Four terms rather than three, with the school year running from late January through to mid-December. Terms are separated by two-week breaks, with a longer six-week gap over Christmas and New Year. More regular breaks through the year, but a much shorter summer.
If you’re moving to Queensland with a child who finished Year 6 in the UK, they’ll be going into Year 7, the first year of secondary school. If you’re moving to WA, that same child may find Year 7 on a primary campus depending on the school. Catholic schools in most states sit between free government schooling and expensive independent options on fees.
If you’re looking at a role in a particular area and want guidance on local school options, feel free to get in touch and we will be delighted to help. We can put you in touch with schools themselves in particular suburbs you are interested in.