Australian schools are similar to schools in other Western countries.  The school day typically starts at 9am and finishes at 3pm.  Students enjoy a short morning break and a longer break in the middle of the day.  In nearly all Australian schools, uniforms are compulsory.

In high school, students have a different teacher for each subject.  In most cases, students are allowed to choose their subjects in their second year of high school (year 8 or 9, depending on the state), although English, Maths and in some schools, Science, are compulsory subjects.  Popular electives include physical education, drama, film and television, art, home economics, manual arts and Languages Other Than English (LOTE).

Most schools offer vocational education or school based traineeships, where students can pursue further study (normally in the construction and hospitality industries) while still attending school.  Students typically spend one day a week at a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institute or vocational college.  Some schools even run a bakery or restaurant, allowing students to receive real life training.

In some areas, such as schools by the beach, the school offers unique subjects that are relevant to the area – many schools on Moreton Bay offer sailing or boating as a subject, while some schools on the Gold Coast offer surfing.  The Australian educational system is becoming increasingly relevant to the needs of the area, the nation and the student, and is providing more real life educational situations.

• Australian Schools