Secondary School

(Called High School or Secondary College)

Learning is accomplished in secondary schools through a variety of methods including investigation, experimentation, evaluation and participation rather than memory alone.

Secondary schools are most commonly comprehensive. Furthermore, specialist secondary schools offer programmes that are academically selective or specialize in specific areas. During the first two years of secondary schooling, a general programme is undertaken by all students.

In later years students must take a core group of subjects and may also choose from a range of additional subjects. All students take compulsory "core" subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, human Society and Its environment, Languages Other Than English, Technological and applied Studies, Creative Arts and Personal development, Health and Physical Education.

Senior secondary education – Year 11 and 12 – offer several types of programmes which prepare students for future study, employment, and adulthood. The programmes build upon students’ achievements in the earlier years of secondary school and provide learning experiences appropriate to the wide range of abilities and needs of students. These programmes and subjects are known by different names in each State and Territory. Completion of Year 12 represents 13 years of education for the majority of students.