Page 22 - StudyTravel Magazine July 2014 Issue

secondary

SeCondary FoCuS AUSTRAliA
vacation courses in

Australia

Australian secondary schools not only provide term-time schooling for their pupils, but some also offer a
range of short-term options for students on vacation. Jane Vernon Smith looks at some of the choices.

ith significant differences At Woodcroft College www.woodcroft. hemisphere holidays at Eltham College
between the school year sa.edu.au in Morphett Vale, South www.elthamcollege.vic.edu.au in Victoria.
structure in Australia Australia, short-term students may enrol According to International Student
W and northern hemisphere at the school for between one week and Director, Judy Rothacker, the opportunity
countries, a number of independent schools six months. They should be in school years attracts a diverse range of students,
in Australia have come up with some eight to 12, and “must have a good grasp of many coming from its sister schools in
flexible short-term options for overseas English to be able to go into mainstream Montpellier, France, and Beijing, China,
students to attend classes during their own classes”, Director of International during their June/July break. The school
school vacations. In this way, students can Programmes, Louise Skull, explains. also works with agents to recruit individual
hone their English skills, get to know the She adds that enrolment numbers are students, and is currently interested
region and enjoy the local activities while kept low, at between five-to-10 participants in expanding in the German market,
also mixing with local pupils. per year, to ensure that they integrate with Rothacker observes.
Among these is St Paul’s School the local students. While the programme At Eltham, all visiting students are
www.stpauls.qld.edu.au in Bald Hills, currently attracts mainly Germans, the expected to study a component of English,
Queensland, which offers the chance for and have the opportunity to enter its
international students to enrol for between “Students generally at- Bridging English classes, where they are
one and 12 weeks, which as School tend this programme dur- taught English and Australian perspectives
Registrar, Michelle Davies, points out, as subjects. They mix on a daily basis with
means that they can come on a tourist visa. ing their school vacation” the local full-time students.
She explains, “Students generally attend The school offers a wide array of
this programme during their school vacation school has welcomed some Italians and sporting activities in which visiting students
break, so we normally have them visiting French over recent years, and, comments can take part, and boasts its own indoor
in February (Koreans and Chinese), March Skull, “We would love to expand the swimming pool as well as facilities for
(Japanese), April (Thai) and July/August programme into other European countries.” basketball, tennis, soccer and all-weather
(Italian, French, German, Korean, Chinese, Woodcroft prepares students for the hockey. Year 11 students who join the
Japanese, Thai, Taiwanese).” International Baccalaureate qualification, school in early June also have the chance
Students’ proficiency in English is so teaching in the classroom is based on to participate in an annual trip to Central
assessed on arrival, and those whose level this curriculum. Depending on the school Australia. “This is a wonderful tour of the
is sufficient may opt to join in mainstream year level and the time of year, visiting centre,” Rothacker enthuses, “including
classes. She adds that each week consists international students can also participate Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, The Olgas
of a minimum of 11 hours of English in school camps and excursions with local and, of course, Uluru.”
lessons, plus activities, such as sport, art and pupils – which include a summer trip to Not only are these programmes a great
cooking, and one full-day and one half-day Kangaroo Island, a three-day orienteering way for international students to immerse
excursion. The amount of integration with trip and a two-week outback adventure and themselves in a different culture, while also
native students will depend on the student’s leadership-training experience. gaining English language skills, but they
English level, but, says Davies, each will get For short-term programmes of between also provide an excellent opportunity to test
a minimum of three hours per week with an two and six weeks, individual applicants the water with a view to entering full-time
Australian student ‘buddy’. may also study during the northern education in the country. As Rothacker
observes, “Students do use this programme
Australian vacation options as a trial run to studying full-time. We also
another requirement highlighted by annie Weatherburn, Managing director and director of international offer [it] to the overseas cousins or relatives
enrolments at australian Boarding Schools international (aBSi) www.australianboardingschools.com.au, of local students.”
is for students already studying at an australian school, who need provision to cover the holiday period. Davies makes a similar point. Not only
as she explains, school holidays are often problematic for international students, as it is not always prac-
tical for them to return home three times a year. in response to this need, aBSi’s tasmanian members do students sometimes return full-time,
– the Hutchins School and St Michael’s Collegiate, both in Hobart – are keeping their boarding houses but the school also sees “students who seek
open during the term one and term three breaks. Weatherburn relates that aBSi is currently working to experience the Brisbane environment,
with all its members to explore ways to provide holiday programmes for students requiring them. PHotoS: St Paul ’S SCHool, Bald HillS
Meanwhile, for international students attending Queensland government schools, education to make a decision about university in
Queensland international www.eqi.com.au (eQi) already runs a range of holiday adventure programmes the future”. In this way, she observes,
during the australian school holidays. Fully guided and escorted by qualified education Queensland staff, “The programme raises both the school
these offer high school students “a safe way…to travel and sightsee” while studying in australia. Partici- profile and [that of] the local area.” jvs@
pants can choose from a variety of programmes, durations and dates, across the country.
hothousemedia.com

20 | Study travel Magazine | july 2014