scitta

Hi,

While in Perth I noticed high school begins from year 8 to 12, and second language (other than English) was Italian.

However upon checking a high school website in Melbourne, it mentions that high school begins from year 7 to 12. And there was a mention of second language (other than English) was either French or Japanese?

Does high school year differ in different cities? Does the second language choice differ from school to school? Is second language compulsary?

Could someone with school going kids in Melbourne enlighten me please. Sorry so many questions, however we are looking at either Perth or Melbourne to make our move and hence studying all the options.

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Cheers, Sarah

jayr

This is but one of the many differences between states. You will also find that States have diiferent Public holidays (including when the Queen's Birthday is), require a state driving licence if you move interstae, have school terms that start at different times, school years that start at different ages...the list is endless

dotty

School years/ starting ages etc vary from state to state. They have been posted many times, search should find them.

Languages, if you can find a school teaching one, thats good, many are cutting languages out due to funding. Most likely time to get a language is early high school for the first couple of years till subjects get picked, then only those who excel go on.

Most kids we know doing languages do Indonesian or Japanese, because of OZ's close relations to Asia. Cant say I ever heard of many doing french here! but sure some people say they have. We got told by the schools Asian languages would be more useful in this part of the world.

ABCDiamond

We have got one local school that teaches German, another Indonesian and another Japanese.

Simone

Did you check out ALL high schools??

A friend of mine had Japanese in Perth (I think it was Padbury High, or near there), and I know it certainly wasn't the only school teaching it.
Also French.

I went to highschool in the southwest, where we had French, but wasn't very high standard. Then, the library assistant could speak Italian, so they started an Italian class too!


And yes, in WA Highschool is from 8 -12.

tinaj

High school starts year 8 up here in QLD and all the school I checked out study Japanese. Even my 4 year old is learning it!

dotty

Fair point tho is that is at a Private school, that is not the OZ government standard education.

Fees at some of the private schools here providing that type of education can easily reach $8000.00 per child per year in Highschool and around the $5000.00 in Primary.

JaneandJim

At our local high school, they study German. The brightest kids are even taught other subjects, like maths, in German. Joseph is doing Japanese at primary, though.

Jane

scitta

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Hi dotty, does this mean that second language option exists only in private schools.

Sarah

dotty

No, it means that doing a language at age four is not going to happen in a state school. Most state schools in my area start doing languages at grade 6, that interestingly is the policy for several private schools here too. Mrs D in Brisbane for example tho thought her school which is State will be offering a language from grade 2 so I can only assume it really pays to check around.
Most high schools do seem to offer a language in grade 8 and 9 prior to choosing subjects.

You can pay a lot of money say $6000.00 a year in primary to get subjects like languages and music started much earlier. I know this sounds very cheap in UK pounds but like everything in OZ wages that would be a lot of money if you had even just 2 children.

I am not familiar with Victorias education system, perhaps someone from there would put up when languages start, and if that is a private or state school.

Jacqui

My son was doing Japanese in grade 2 (state school). The school teaches Japanese and Indonesian, half the school learning each. The high school that takes in children from this primary school teaches only Japanese, but the teacher asked all the children individually how much they knew, and it appears they went right back to basics anyway so it didn't matter whether you had done it or not. What a waste of time this is! What is the point of learning Indonesian from year 1 only to find at year 8 you have to switch to Japanese? Those learning Japanese already have to go back to the beginning to allow for those that haven't learnt it. You would think the schools in the same area would all choose the same language My eldest daughter who now goes to a private school, is doing Japanese there too. She seems to be getting on much better now. I think in primary school the focus is not on so much the language, but how the Japanese people live etc.

We were thinking of moving up to Perth a few months ago, and I did have a look at some schools online. I noticed that one state school offered French, another German, others Italian, Indonesian or Japanese. Pity the poor kids whose parents move around a lot and have to keep starting a new language midway through their schooling.

scitta

Wow, this really has me head spinning, so many languages to choose from. Thought I would start my son on french this term so that he cud get a grip on it, however its a catch 22 situation here: ideal location to live in vs. schools nearby do not have the second language we would like to opt for, and vice versa.


Thanks once again for all the replies.
Sarah

MeganEkno

I have found that languages in schools are actually increasing and the languages that are on offer are more practical than when I was at school. I can only speak for Victoria.

My cousins are now doing languages in primary school (mainly Japenese and Indonesian which is more fitting living in the Southern Hemisphere than the German/French I had to do).

Most High Schools offer a choice of two languages and you will be able to find out which these are before you enrol your child. Language is compulsary up to year 10 and after that you can do it as an elective in your VCE years. You often gain bonus points towards your final score for taking on a language.

MrsDagboy

My boys primary school does French - dunno why, I would have thought Japanese would have been more suitable as well? When I was at school, we did no language in primary, only secondary but actually did 3 in year 8 - French, German & Japanese. You then chose one of them to specialise in if you so wished.

ABCDiamond

I did Latin when I was at school ! Didn't learn much though Never thought it would be useful, and I was right.