Education in Queensland is the responsibility of the Department of Education. The Queensland school system is based around Queensland state schools, independent schools and catholic schools.[1] Schooling in Queensland begins with a preparatory year (Prep) followed by 12 years of study. Primary schools teach Prep through to Year 6, while high school or secondary school is from Year 7 to 12. Prep became compulsory in 2017,[2] and is a full-time program.[3]
Upon completion of 13 years of schooling, students receive a Queensland Certificate of Education and an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank used for tertiary education entrance.[4]
My School provides information about individual schools in Australia. Many schools are finding it difficult to fill teacher vacancies.[5] In recent year Queensland has seen an increase in home schooling enrolments.[5] The state has seven distance education schools.[6]
TAFE Queensland is the statutory authority parent body for TAFE technical and further education training in Queensland. Queensland has eight main universities and two satellite universities across a total of 31 campuses.[7]
See main article: History of state education in Queensland. The first school in Queensland opened in 1826. It provided education for the children of convicts from the first settlement in Moreton Bay.[8] In 1860 the Education Act was enacted. It placed all primary education under one general and comprehensive system controlled by the Board of General Education.[8] Under the Act, education in Queensland is free, secular and compulsory.[8]
Warwick East State School, established in September 1850, is the oldest surviving primary school in Queensland.[9] The oldest surviving secondary school in Queensland is Ipswich Grammar School.[10]