Page 653 - Week 02 - Thursday, 20 March 2014
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schools that go from year 7 through to year 12 without the need to change campuses. We also have 12 specialist schools and education centres, including four that cater specifically for students with disabilities and special needs. In the non-government sector, there are 46 schools that range from early learning through to year 12 offering single-gender and co-educational schools, day students and boarding options.
In Canberra, curriculum choice is broad and varied and it is of great value to have schools that deliver an ACT-based year 12, a New South Wales higher school certificate or, as more schools are now offering, the International Baccalaureate. Canberra is unique in its demographic. Unlike many other cities, Canberra has a significant percentage of transient families either through overseas diplomatic families here on relatively short-term posting or Australian families whose children remain in Canberra while they are on overseas assignment, while others have parents who come here on public service transfers. For them, the availability of a curriculum choice such as the IB is a very important consideration. It means that their child’s schooling can be transferred with minimum disruption when and if they move or return overseas.
As a defence wife, I understand and appreciate the difficulties these families face when moving children from state to state and even overseas. There are currently seven schools in Canberra offering the IB program, three non-government schools and four government schools, two of them at the primary school level. Canberra has schools that offer an ACT-based curriculum that leads to a year 12 certificate. We have government and non-government schools that offer the International Baccalaureate from primary school through to university entrance and we have schools that offer New South Wales-based HSC.
Students from both government and non-government sectors achieve impressive university entrance scores, and each year there is healthy competition amongst schools and, I suspect their principals, to see whether it is a student from Narrabundah College, Canberra boys or girls grammar, Radford or Bergmann that tops the territory in tertiary entrance scores. It is that variety of options that is critically important for parents when determining what type of schooling is best for their child, because it is what best suits the individual child that is of paramount importance.
I know many families have children in both government and non-government schools. For them and for many families, the decision is not based on affordability solely, social status or even geographic proximity. It can be what languages are being taught. It may be what after-school care options are available or what reputation the school has on such aspects as discipline, bullying or engaged teaching staff.
It is pleasing to see so many of our public primary schools offering a wide choice in languages: Japanese, Italian, French, Indonesian, Mandarin, to name a few. It was not that long ago that such choice was only available in high school or at the Telopea Park French School. Government and non-government schools in Canberra provide a smorgasbord of opportunities for parents to choose, and it is critical that parents do their homework to sort out what each sector offers and what unique features are available at that school.
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