Primary and secondary

Primary

Primary level schools include:

• full primary schools (years 0 to 8) age range 5 to 13
• contributing schools (years 0 to 6), age range 5 to 11
• middle schools (years 7 to 10), age range 10 to 14
• intermediate schools (years 7 and 8), age range 11 to13

State composite schools, also known as area schools, cater for children from new entrants, aged five, through to senior secondary level. These are mainly located in rural areas.

School organisation

There are some differences between primary and secondary schools in classroom organisation.

At primary level, children are placed in a wide variety of learning situations. They are usually based in one classroom and may join with other classes for some activities. Class sizes vary but are generally smaller in the junior school.

The primary school day begins at about 9.00am and finishes at about 3.00pm, with breaks (intervals) mid-morning, lunchtime and for some, mid-afternoon.

Secondary Schools

Secondary schools educate students from year 9 to the end of year 13, an age range of approximately 13 to18.

School organisation

In secondary schools, students are usually grouped in form classes for administrative purposes, such as roll call.  Form classes can be made up of students from one level (for example year 11) or from all levels (years 9 to 13).

In years 9 and 10, typically students stay as a form class to study their core subjects, but split into different classes for their options. Depending on the school, classes are either streamed or mixed ability.

At senior level - years 11, 12 and 13 - students go to different teachers for each subject they have chosen to study.

Typical secondary school hours would be 8.45am to 3.15pm.