4th and final part!!

Register at a local school

To enrol a child(ren) in a school first telephone and make an appointment to enrol. You'll need to take with you: visa documents, proof of date of birth, hand over file from from their old school detailing their education to date, any reports etc. You may also be required to produce immunisation documents so check when you make the appointment or take them along anyway. Also, if there is a strict catchment area, you will be asked to provide a copy of your rental agreement.

The Australian education system

The responsibility for education is divided between State and Territory governments and the Australian Government, therefore situations will differ slightly from state to state so the info below offers a rough guideline only. For information on the area you are settling in please visit the relevant state education portal using the links below:

Victoria - Redirect Notice for the Department of Education and Training

School Type Age Grade

Pre-School 4 n/a
Primary School 5-12 Kindie/Prep to Y6
Secondary/High School 12-16 Yr7 – 10
College 16-18 Yr11-12
University 18+ n/a

Sometimes secondary/high school and college run into one

Schools referred to as public are schools run by the state and not privately run schools as in the UK.

In most states school is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 15, through primary and secondary/high school.

The school year in Australia runs from late January/early February to December. With the exception of Tasmania who has 3 terms, all states have a 4 term year. There is a long summer holiday during December/January and a break of between 10 days and 1 month between each term. The school day runs from around 9am to around 3pm.

Subjects and Examinations

Primary school and the first four years of secondary school teach the core subjects such as Maths, English and Science, with elective subjects also becoming available in secondary school. Students in years 11 and 12 are encouraged to specialise in subjects of their choice. Students satisfying requirements for their final year will be given an overall grade which compares them with final year students in their state or territory. The results of this grade can help them get into university if they wish. Several schools are now offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) which is recognised in universities in other countries too.

Attendance requirements

Many schools have a uniform and it will be expected that your child wears a uniform if there is one.

Free lunches are not usually provided by state schools, there is often a canteen on site selling food and drink, although most students take their lunch to school with them.

School buses are not the norm for public schools, it is your responsibility to get your child to school.

Corporal punishment is not used in many schools across Australia - children are encouraged to respect their peers and teachers.

Some schools will require that your child's immunisation record reaches a certain standard.

Private schools

There are a wide selection of private schools around the country for a variety of budgets. There are also a lot of catholic schools which are usually private and often a lot cheaper than other private schools. As a general observation, private school fees in Australia tend to be lower than in the UK. The choice between state and private schools is a personal one and a constant debate.

If we decide to send our children to a private school in Australia there are regional independent performance rated lists available by searching on a search engine using private school rating and the area you are looking at as search criteria.

Have a list of questions covering the areas that we feel important, then we can ask the same things at each school and make an informed decision.

Many schools will ask us to wait until we arrive to register, but some will hold a place for us if you contact them and discuss our intentions in advance.

Find a doctor: some doctors bulk bill, which means that you don't get charged anything by the doctor - you sign the form at the end of the consultation and you pay nothing out of your own pocket. The doctor then claims your fee direct from Medicare.

You can visit any doctor we like and move around each time if we want to.

Find a dentist
Scott Robertson, Benton’s Square, Mornington or Mount Eliza Dr Scott Robertson, dentistry and information for all your dental needs in Mornington East, Victoria, Australia

Tom Byrne, Vale Street clinic, Mornington: (03) 5976 1176

Mornington Peninsula Dental clinic, 354 Main Steet, Mornington (Megan Healey) :
Dentist Mornington Peninsula VIC, Dental Clinic Mornington Peninsula Victoria, Dentists Mornington Peninsula, Dental Clinics, Cosmetic Dentists, Teeth Whitening, Fillings, Veneers, Root Canal, Crowns, Bridges, Implants, Orthodontist

Apply for Family Tax Benefit (Centrelink)

Visit a mortgage broker

House buying is fairly simple. Lots more properties are failing at auction, or being sold prior. If you want the house, you….

.* pay 10pct deposit

.* sign a contract (making any changes you feel necessary such as having a building inspection)

.* agree settlement date

.* hand over conveyancer/solicitor details

.* Wait for c/s to tell you how to pay, or what cheques need to be drawn up.

Move in!

Once a contract is signed, it is binding, unlike UK gazumping tactics!

Get a dog permit :

Application form:
City of Melbourne - Pets and animal management - Dog registration

To have a copy of this form sent to you, contact The Lost Dogs' Home on (03) 9329 2934.

The application form provides general information and outlines fees and payment options. New applications can be paid via mail or in person at the Melbourne Town Hall (90-120 Swanston Street or The Lost Dogs' Home (The Lost Dogs Home ) Gracie Street, North Melbourne

And the most important one of all.......

SPIDERS: Moretein bomb and then get pest control in too (no huntsmen’s in my house!!!). You can buy a pack of 3 cans of moretein. You open a can, leave one in each room of the house and then vacate the property for a few hours.

WHERE TO SHOP

When you first get here, you have absolutely no idea where to go for things (beds/TVs/toasters etc etc etc). So before we came over I trawled the t'internet and came up with the list below. Anyone with any other recommendations let me know and I'll add to the list.

This is a list I used when we first came over:-

Electrical Goods:

Good Guys
http://www.thegoodguys.com.au/portal...rtal/tggwebcms

Retravision
http://www.retravision.com.au/

Go-Lo
http://www.crazyclarks.com.au/

The Electric Discounter (online)
http://www.theelectricdiscounter.com.au/

Allied Appliance
http://www.alliedappliance.com.au/

Big Picture People
http://www.bigpicturepeople.com.au/

Harvey Norman
http://www.harveynorman.com.au/

JB Hi-Fi
http://www.jbhifi.com.au/

Myer
http://www.myer.com.au/

Furniture:

Freedom
http://www.freedom.com.au/

Domayne
http://www.domayne.com.au/

IKEA
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/preindex.html

Sydney’s
http://www.sydneys.com.au/

Fantastic Furniture
http://www.fantasticfurniture.com.au/

Supermarkets:

Coles
http://www.coles.com.au/

Safeway (Woolworths)
http://www.woolworths.com.au/

Beds:

Forty Winks
http://www.fortywinks.com.au/

Bedshed
http://www.bedshed.com.au/

Bev Marks
http://www.bevmarks.com.au/info/general/Home/get/0/0/

Snooze
http://www.snooze.com.au/bedding/default.aspx?show=all

Department Stores:

Adairs (on-line)
http://www.adairs.com.au/

David Jones
http://www.adairs.com.au/

Domayne
http://www.domayne.com.au/

kmart
http://www.kmart.com.au/

Myer
http://www.myer.com.au/

Target
http://www.myer.com.au/

BigW
http://www.bigw.com.au/

DIY

Bunnings
http://www.bunnings.com.au/

Mitre10
http://www.mitre10.com.au/

BBQ’s

Barbeques Galore
http://www.barbequesgalore.com.au/

Bunnings
http://www.bunnings.com.au/

Happy shopping!


Good luck to all who are at the start or in the process of moving over.

Dolly