WA:WA education system undergoes shake up=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2011
WA:WA education system undergoes shake up=2

The changes will come into effect in 2015 while pre-primary will also become compulsory
for all children from 2013.

Mr Barnett said making pre-primary compulsory would ensure all children had access
to a high-quality, full-time education program.

"In that year of schooling, children acquire the foundations of literacy and numeracy,
and while current pre-primary enrolment rates exceed 97 per cent, this move will ensure
not one child falls through the cracks," he said.

Dr Constable said many Year 7 students were celebrating their 13th birthday while still
in primary school.

"Students of this age all over the nation have demonstrated that they are more than
capable of succeeding in secondary settings, as have students in most Western Australian
Catholic and independent schools and a few public schools," she said.

About one third of WA Year 7 students are already learning in secondary schools, with
Catholic and most independent schools adopting the model in 2008.

There are also already eight public secondary schools that have Year 7 students on site.

Dr Constable said there had also been consideration made for families moving to WA
from interstate with children in Year 7 who might have to go back to primary school after
being in high school.

"This change will ensure that this is not a factor in discouraging families from settling
in this state," she said.

AAP anr/mjs

KEYWORD: SCHOOLS WA 2 PERTH

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