Education Department of Western Australia

Welcome to Western Australia

Western Australia is the largest state in Australia and covers almost a third of the
continent. Perth is the capital and is situated on the banks of the Swan River in the south-west corner of WA. Perth is also one of the sunniest cities in Australia. It is surrounded by desert from the east and the ocean from the west.Western Australia has a population of around 1.8 million with over a half of it residing in Perth alone.

The Western Australian government school system - The system for the state is a comprehensive one including:

• Kindergarten and preschool education
• Primary education
• Secondary education

The Western Australian Department of Education & Training is the authority responsible for managing this system. The school year is divided into two semesters with four terms and includes a major break between December and January.

Types of schools

International students normally enrol in Senior Colleges if they are aged 16 and over. There are different schools for students with different needs and abilities and it is not easy to categorise them into one large sector.Non-English speaking students are provided with special English language assistance through English as a Second Language programs (ESL).

For more information contact AA Education