Go to school in Australia

You’ve been going to school most of your life. But going to school in a different country can be a bit scary. That’s because schools in different countries have their own system, rules and even their own language.

You can read all about living and working in Australia in the October issue of Spot on. Here are some things you need to know if you plan to go to an Australian high school.

Language

Teens in the UK, the US and Australia all speak English. But they often use different words to talk about the same things.

In Australia people go to Kindergarten for one year, primary school for six years (years 1 to 6) and high school for six years (year 7 to 12).

They call pupils students.

They call classes, which are about 45-minutes long, periods.

They call the short mid-morning break recess.

They call the certificate you get at the end of school the Higher School Certificate in New South Wales and the Victorian School Certificate in Victoria.

They call the head of the school at private schools a headmaster or headmistress. They call the head of a public school a principal.

A day in your life

You will probably have to wear a uniform, especially if you go to a private school.

You will start school at around 9 a.m. You will have a short break for recess and a longer lunch break.

Your day will be divided into periods and double-periods. In each period you will study a different subject.

You will have to do some subjects, such as English and Math, but can choose from a selection of other subjects.

You might have a free period but you’ll probably have to spend it in the library studying.

You will finish school at around 3 p.m. Then you might be able to spend a few hours doing extra-curricular activities like sport, arts, music and drama.

If you got in trouble, you might get detention and have to spend the hours studying at school instead.

Don’t be surprised if a student tells you what to do! Many schools have prefects. These are older students whose job it is to make sure other students follow the rules.