HOW DO AUSTRALIAN PARENTS CHOOSE SCHOOL FOR THEIR KIDS?

As a parent, you would want nothing but the best for your child. When it comes to making a choice about a good school for your kids, parents have numerous factors to consider.  Choosing the best school for your kid is definitely a choice you’d want to get right. While children always meet new school years with fervent enthusiasm, it is your moral duty as parents, to educate your children. Going to a quality school will help in building your child’s confidence and teach them the importance of teamwork and social bonding. School helps guide young children through a daily routine, which is of utmost importance as we direct them toward the workplace which leads them to become productive human beings.

It is a defining feature of Australian education: to choose a school for your kid. One reason is because more parents have to make choices between public and private schools, which is not so prevalent in other OECD countries. A substantial amount of thought must be put into choosing a school for your kid. Recent research shows that there is a generalised state of anxiety among parents as media reports are raising concerns that the quality of Australia’s education system is declining. So, while these concerns are rather legitimate, making a choice about a school shouldn’t be so hard. There are many ways that Australian parents can employ to choose a fine school for their kids.

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First and foremost, as any human being would operate, a person’s society and overall circle comes to play a big part in this. Parents often contact their friends, neighbours or family members living in the same area to enquire about schools for their kids. It is a strategic practice where parents make optimum use of their location and connections to get their kids into a good school. Some families often move to areas that have worthy school options in order to help them gain both accessibility and social advantage. Australian researchers have even gauged that house prices increase nearly A$ 20,000 for every 1% increase in the proportion of top-ranked secondary students in local schools. Secondly, every school has their own NAPLAN score, parents can look and compare the NAPLAN score of schools and get their kids enrolled into that school that has their desired NAPLAN score. The NSW Government also has a student selection process where students take entry test to get into schools of their choice.

The NSW has more than 45 selective schools. Also, a strong cultural acceptance can be seen at NSW, where families from linguistic backgrounds other than English constitute 83% of enrolments in NSW selective schools. Also keeping in mind, the financial, cultural and social background of families, not all parents can act out of their own free will because of the presence of other constraints as well. There are many Australian families that do not have the privilege to choose a school for their kid. A 2013 Grattan Institute Report showed that around half Australian schools had little contention from neighbouring schools, and were essentially the only available local choice. Education has a massive impact on child’s overall growth, so it becomes normal for parents to worry or get anxious in the school selection process.

The Australian Administration offers a wide variety of schools that parents can choose from and get their kids enrolled into. They are as follows:-

1. Public Schools: They are run by state and territory government agencies. According to research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, two-thirds of Australians were enrolled in public schools in the year 2019.
   
   
2. Catholic Schools: Run by the Roman Catholic Church in Australia, Catholic schools are Australia’s second largest education provider.
   
   
3. Independent or Private Schools: These are often run by an Elected School Council or Governing Board. They receive funding from the Government or fee is charged to students, which may vary according to the school. They may be less or exorbitant, depending on the facilities provided and remuneration needed by the school.
   
   
4. Online School (Distance Education): This type of schooling has gained prominence due to the current situation of COVID-19, although it has been available for many years. Students and parents are opting for this education trend- study from home, under the instructions of qualified teachers.

There is no doubt that proper schooling is the foundation stone of your child’s development. This guide may help you in making a proper and educated decision regarding the choice of school for your kid in the Australian schooling system. However, finally, one must keep in mind that your choice must be tailored to your needs and values, there is no wrong or right choice.