The recommended year of placement in the high school will be decided by the Counsellor, in consultation with the teachers and Head Teacher. Choice of school year is a complex decision and factors such as previous education, age, progress in the Centre, and the time of Australian school examinations, are all considered. It is most helpful if documents (translated) from previous schools can be provided: it must be remembered that educational levels and qualifications are not necessarily the same from one country to another. The Education Department has a special office which assists in establishing equivalence.
Parents/guardians are given the opportunity to make an appointment to discuss this placement if they wish to.

The Centre will let parents/guardians know which is their most accessible single sex and/or co-educational secondary school and also those schools which specialise in particular subjects or courses. Most students will be placed in their local secondary school but parents/guardians may request placement in other non-local schools. Proof of address will be required to determine 'local' schools.

If parents or guardians wish to send their child to a private school it is the responsibility of the parents or guardians to arrange placement/enrolment and school experience at the particular private school.

The high school and year level will be decided at a meeting with parents before students leave the centre. No changes will be made by this school once the initial placement is made. Further changes of school will be the responsibility of the family to organise.

Some senior students may enter alternative educational options such as TAFE, AMES transition courses or work skills training when they leave the Centre. The School Counsellor, the post compulsory education teacher, Ms Ball will assist students in making appropriate choices and advise on enrolment procedures.

Parents/guardians will be asked to complete the following forms to assist in the student's high school placement.

Click here for CHOICE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS APPLICATION FORM to be completed by Parent or Guardian.

METROPOLITAN EAST REGION

CHOICE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS

All schools have a designated local area. All students living in that area will be able to attend that school. Parents however, have a right to apply for enrolment of their children in non-local schools. The numbers of non-local places at each school will depend on staffing and classroom space. Some schools will have no available non-local places.

Non-local placement may be requested for reasons such as:

Subject availability
Single sex or co-educational
Particular educational programs or philosophies
Special school resources or activities
Structure and organisation of school
Size of school
Particular disciplinary procedures
Attitude to school uniforms
Travel arrangements and/or distance
Brother or sister attends

Parents can appeal against decisions regarding non-local placement by writing to the district superintendent. Parents failing to obtain a non-local placement must enrol students at local school.

Click here for a FORM to be completed by Parent or Guardian if seeking Non-Local Placement

TRANSFERRING TO HIGH SCHOOL: SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

When you are ready to leave the Centre and go to an area High School, you will be placed in a school according to where you live, which year you are to go into, and whether you prefer a single sex or co-educational school.

In Week 7 or 8 of your final term at the Centre, you will attend your high school from Monday to Friday for school experience, to give you an idea of high school life and high school English. You will have a "buddy" from the high school to help you, and you will follow your buddy's timetable for those five days. At this time, your class teacher will help you enrol and choose suitable electives. This Centre will make checks every so often to find out how you are progressing at
your area high school.

Click here to view and/or download The School Experience Booklet

ELECTIVES
Each high school has certain core subjects that it requires the students to do:
English, Maths, Science and usually Geography or History. There are also
electives which students elect to do, such as Commerce, Art, Technics, Music etc.
When enrolling at high school the elective you prefer may be full, but your teacher will do his/her best to help you enrol in the electives most suitable to you.
In Years 11 and 12 students do 12 units (6 subjects). English is compulsory, but other subjects can be selected according to what your high school offers. Some - high schools specialise in certain subjects: e.g. Computers, Languages or Music.


SATURDAY SCHOOL
If you are graduating from the Centre and going to Year 11, it is important that you enrol in your language at Saturday morning school. Classes go from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. every Saturday and a wide range of languages is offered. In some cases you can study your language at 3 unit level or a year level above your high school year. Please see your class teacher to find out where to go to study your language.

Click here for more information about Saturday School.