Editing Education in Australia (section)

== Specialist organisational structures ==
=== Special schools ===
{{See also|Special education#Special schools}}
A [[Special education#Special schools|special school]] is a school catering for students who have special educational needs due to [[learning disabilities|learning difficulties]], physical [[disabilities]], developmental disabilities or social/emotional disturbance, or who are in custody, on remand or in hospital.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://myschool.edu.au/glossary/#s|title=Search: School type|work=My Schools|publisher=[[Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority]]|date=n.d.|access-date=5 September 2019|archive-date=28 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328061929/https://myschool.edu.au/glossary/#s|url-status=dead}}</ref> Special schools may be specifically designed, staffed and resourced to provide appropriate special education for children with additional needs. Students attending special schools generally do not attend any classes in mainstream schools. The schools cater for students with mild, moderate and profound intellectual disabilities, deaf and hard of hearing students, students with Autism and students with a physical disability.<ref name=ACD>{{citation|url=https://www.acd.org.au/government-specialist-schools-units/|title=Government specialist schools and units|publisher=Association of Children with a Disability|date=n.d.|access-date=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830140723/https://www.acd.org.au/government-specialist-schools-units/|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Class sizes at specialist schools are smaller than at mainstream schools, and there is a much lower ratio of teaching and support staff to students. Some specialist schools also have therapists on staff. Specialist schools generally already have an accessible environment and curriculum for their student population; this may mean that there are limited subjects on offer.<ref name=ACD/>

=== Selective schools ===
{{See also|Selective school}}
A [[selective school]] is a government school that enrols students based on some sort of selection criteria, usually academic. The term may have different connotations in different systems and is the opposite of an [[comprehensive school|open or comprehensive]] school, which accepts all students, regardless of aptitude.

In New South Wales, student placement in fully and partially [[Selective school (New South Wales)|selective high schools]] is highly competitive, with approximately 3,600 places offered to the 15,000 students who sit the Selective High School Test. {{As of|2019}} there were 47 fully or partially selective government high schools, including 17 fully selective high schools (some of which are co-educational and others provide a single-sex educational environment); 25 partially selective high schools (high schools with both selective and comprehensive classes); four selective [[agricultural school|agricultural high schools]]; and one [[virtual school|virtual]] selective high school.<ref name=list>{{cite web|url=https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7/what-are-selective-high-schools/list-of-selective-high-schools|title=List of Selective high schools|work=[[Department of Education (New South Wales)|New South Wales Department of Education]]|publisher=Government of New South Wales|date=2019|access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref> Of the 47 schools, 34 are located in greater metropolitan [[Sydney]]. Of the [[List of selective high schools in New South Wales|government selective high school]]s in New South Wales, [[James Ruse Agricultural High School]] is renowned for its academic achievements and competitiveness, as well as a near-perfect record of all students gaining university admission, especially in medicine, law and science. The school has outperformed every high school in New South Wales in the past 20 years in public university entrance examinations.<ref>{{cite news|author=Bolton, Robert|url=https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/is-james-ruse-the-best-school-in-australia-20181217-h197fx|title=Is James Ruse the best school in Australia?|work=[[Australian Financial Review]]|date=27 December 2018|access-date=30 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="SMH261120052">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/only-race-that-matters-is-the-rush-to-the-top/2005/11/25/1132703380790.html|title=Only race that matters is the rush to the top|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=26 November 2005|access-date=26 August 2006}}</ref><ref name="SMH">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/top-marks-again-but-class-is-over-for-highachieving-principal/2006/12/07/1165081092042.html|title=Top marks again, but class is over for high-achieving principal|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=8 December 2006|access-date=7 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://jrunion.mooh.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=200&Itemid=31|title=Principal's Notes|work=James Ruse Union|date=11 December 2007}}</ref>

In Victoria, selective government high schools select all of their students based on an entrance examination. As of 2011, there were four selective schools: [[Melbourne High School (Victoria)|Melbourne High School]], [[Mac.Robertson Girls' High School]], [[Nossal High School]] and [[Suzanne Cory High School]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/secondary/pages/selective.aspx?Redirect=1|title=Selective Entry High Schools|work=[[Department of Education (Victoria)|Department of Education]]|publisher=Victorian Government|access-date=26 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202043105/http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/secondary/pages/selective.aspx?Redirect=1|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> In addition, there are three special schools namely [[Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School]], [[John Monash Science School]] and [[Elizabeth Blackburn School of Sciences]] which cater to students opting for focused education in arts and science respectively.{{Citation needed|date=December 2017}}

In Queensland, there are four selective entry high schools. [[Brisbane State High School]]- established in 1921<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-21|title=History|url=https://brisbaneshs.eq.edu.au/our-school/history|access-date=2025-02-18|website=Brisbane State High School|language=en}}</ref>- which is partially selective, and the three Queensland Academies<!-- Shouldn't this be linked? There isn't a combined QA page though. -->, which are fully selective- formed during 2007 and 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-02-11|title=Our schools|url=https://qa.eq.edu.au/about-us/our-schools|access-date=2025-02-18|website=Queensland Academies|language=en}}</ref> All require entry based on academic entry tests, [[NAPLAN]] results, primary school grades, interviews and other considerations.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.qldacademies.eq.edu.au/history/index.html|title=Queensland Academies history|work=Queensland Academies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904071928/http://www.qldacademies.eq.edu.au/history/index.html|archive-date=2012-09-04}}</ref>

In Western Australia, selective secondary education (officially named Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)<ref>{{citation|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/portal/|title=Gifted and Talented Education|work=Department of Education and Training|publisher=Government of Western Australia}}</ref>) is operated by the Western Australian Department of Education through the Gifted and Talented Selective Entrance Programs for Year 7, and subject to limited placement availability for year-levels upward to Year 12.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/navigation/parents/places-for-years-8--9--10-and-11/|title=Placement Availability – GATE|work=Gifted and Talented Selection Unit|publisher=Department of Education, Western Australia|access-date=23 November 2016}}</ref> All applicants are required to sit the Academic Selective Entrance Test and possibly complete combined interviews, auditions and/or workshops depending on the program(s) applied for.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/navigation/parents/gifted-and-talented-programs/|title=Programs Information|work=Gifted and Talented Selection Unit|publisher=Department of Education, Western Australia|access-date=23 November 2016}}</ref> The programs are categorised into three strands: academic, language, and arts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/navigation/parents/how-to-apply-for-gifted-and-talented-programs/|title=Program Strands|work=Gifted and Talented Selection Unit|publisher=Department of Education, Western Australia|access-date=23 November 2016}}</ref> Eighteen government schools participate in the Gifted and Talented Programs, each specialising in one of the strands.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/navigation/parents/participating-schools/|title=Participating Schools|website=Gifted and Talented Selection Unit|publisher=Department of Education, Western Australia|access-date=23 November 2016}}</ref> All participating schools are partially selective and partially local intake, except for [[Perth Modern School]] which is fully selective.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/portal/|title=Information|website=Gifted and Talented Selection Unit|publisher=Department of Education, Western Australia|access-date=23 November 2016}}</ref>

=== Specialist schools ===
{{distinguish|Special education#Special schools}}{{See also|Specialist school}}
Schools that operate specialist education programs exist in all Australian states and territories. These schools are typically associated with the arts or elite sports programs. In South Australia, specialist schools cover the arts, gifted and talented programs, [[Languages other than English|languages]], [[agricultural school]]s, [[science, technology, engineering and mathematics]], advanced technology project schools, [[sports school]]s, and trade training centres.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.education.sa.gov.au/sites-and-facilities/education-and-care-locations/special-interest-schools-or-programs/list-secondary-schools-special-interest-or-specialist-programs|title=List of secondary schools with special interest or specialist programs|work=Department of Education|publisher=Government of South Australia|date=n.d.|access-date=5 September 2019}}</ref> In Victoria, examples of specialist government schools include those focused on science and maths ([[John Monash Science School]]), performing arts ([[Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School]]), sports ([[Maribyrnong Secondary College]]), and leadership and enterprise (The Alpine School).<ref name="VIC-types">{{cite web|url=https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/going-to-school/Pages/school-types.aspx|title=Types of school|work=Department of Education and Training|publisher=Victorian Government|date=11 June 2019|access-date=5 September 2019|archive-date=19 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319140032/https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/going-to-school/Pages/school-types.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> An alternative model is those sporting organisations that deliver specialist programs to a narrow selection of schools, such as [[Cricket Australia]]'s Specialist School Program to three Western Australian schools.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.waca.com.au/get-involved/kids-and-schools/specialist-school-programs|title=Specialist School Programs|publisher=WACA Western Australia Cricket Association|date=2019|access-date=5 September 2019|archive-date=5 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905113925/https://www.waca.com.au/get-involved/kids-and-schools/specialist-school-programs|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== International schools ===
{{See also|International school}}
In Australia, [[international school]]s promote [[international education]] and may be operated by the government of the country of origin, the government of the state or territory in which the school is located, or be operated as a private school. International schools include those schools that have received international accreditation such as from the [[Council of International Schools]], the [[International Baccalaureate Organization]], or the [[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]], or other similar organisations.<ref name="IASL school criteria">{{citation|publisher=International Association of School Librarianship (IASL)|url=http://www.tieonline.com/view_article.cfm?ArticleID=87|title=How to Define an International School|access-date=2017-01-12}}</ref> {{as of|2019}}, approximately 80 Australian schools meet that definition, with the vast majority being schools that offered one or more of the International Baccalaureate programs. Other schools are affiliated with specific cultures or languages, most notably [[French language|French]] (e.g. [[Telopea Park School]] (ACT), [[Lycée Condorcet (Sydney)|Lycée Condorcet]] (NSW), [[Auburn High School (Victoria)|Auburn High School]] (VIC)), [[German language|German]] (e.g. [[German International School Sydney]] (NSW) and [[Deutsche Schule Melbourne]] (VIC)), or [[Japanese language|Japanese]] (e.g. [[Sydney Japanese International School]] (NSW), [[The Japanese School of Melbourne]] (VIC) and [[The Japanese School in Perth]] (WA)) schools, including [[Supplementary Japanese Schools in Australia|Japanese supplementary weekend schools]]; or may generally be international in their outlook, including the [[International Grammar School]] (NSW) or the [[International School of Western Australia]] (WA).