Secondary Education

In Australia, secondary schools are generally referred to as high schools. Most high schools in Victoria have been formally known by the name secondary college or just college since 1989, but they are still more commonly referred to collectively as “high schools”.

The exact length of secondary school varies from state to state, with New South Wales, Victoria and the Alice Springs area teaching Years 7-12, Queensland(see Primary Education), Western Australia, South Australia and most of the Northern Territory teaching Years 8-12 (Grades 8-12 in Queensland), and Tasmania and the ACT teaching years 7-10. Some schools in South Australia and the Northern Territory also have a Year 13 for students wishing more time to finish their leaving certificate. Tasmania and the ACT both provide senior colleges for years 11 and 12.

Each state has laws specifying the conditions under which children no longer have to attend school. Generally, children must remain enrolled in high school until age fifteen or completion of Year 10.

At the end of high school, students have an aggregate mark or rank calculated, based upon both school assessment and/or final exams (see university admissions). Selection for entry into tertiary education courses is usually based upon such an index.

Usually, students choose to undertake their state’s version of the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE), however there are competing systems, such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma and the higher levels of Accelerated Christian Education.

Syllabi and assessment are specified and overseen by the relevant authority in each state. In Victoria this is the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), in NSW the Board of Studies, in Queensland the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA), in Western Australia the Curriculum Council, and in South Australia the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA).

Additionally, students wishing to enter most medical (including dental) courses must also complete the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT).

School governance has been influenced by the work of Caldwell and Spinks. In essence the thrust of the work of these researchers and thinkers has been to enhance local self management of schools. Introduced across Victoria between 1992 and 1995, school self management dramatically enhanced the role of the principal and the school council. At the time of introduction, the changes in governance were linked with politically inspired budget cuts and the unholy wedding thus achieved has sullied the reception of self management, particularly with teacher unions.

Selective government schools are common in New South Wales, but rare elsewhere. They accept only the most academically talented students. Largely because of this, these schools are usually among the top achievers in the SSCE exams. The prestige of these schools mean that their vacancies are well sought after, and their entry exams are highly competitive. They are often seen as an educationally equal, but much cheaper alternative, to private grammar schools.