Why I wrote The A-Z of Australian Schooling

If you've found your way to this website, chances are you're either new to Australia, supporting someone who is, or simply trying to make sense of Australian school life.

If that's you, welcome. I've been there.

Long before I wrote The A–Z of Australian Schooling, I had a passion for writing and helping people. Before moving to Australia, I completed a Diploma of Journalism and wrote articles for family magazines in my local area of London. I love telling stories, sharing information and helping people navigate life's challenges.

In 2009, our family made the life-changing decision to move from London to Sydney.

Like many families arriving in Australia, we were excited, nervous and full of questions. We had two young children and found ourselves trying to understand a completely different education system. We needed to navigate day care, preschool, school enrolment zones, uniforms, school terms and a whole new collection of words and phrases that often left me scratching my head.

I come from a family of teachers and considered myself reasonably knowledgeable about education. Yet despite speaking English and having a background that should have helped, I felt completely lost.

What are the schooling options? Where do you buy school uniform? What’s NAPLAN? What stationery do students need? And what on earth is a mufti day?

At the time, I couldn't find a single resource that explained Australian life in a simple, practical way. So, I started writing.

Between 2010 and 2012, I created a blog called Mum's Gone 2 Aus, which documented our family's relocation journey. It became popular. At its peak, the blog attracted around 30,000 visitors a day, and I went on to write several eBooks about relocating to Australia and navigating school life.

Those years were rewarding and I received messages from families all over the world who were preparing for their own move to Australia and wanted practical advice from someone who had recently experienced it.

Then life moved on.

In 2012, I returned to the corporate world, so writing took a back seat. I have no regrets about that decision. During the years that have followed we built our life in Australia - we bought a home, became Australian citizens and supported our children through the many stages of school life.

School drop-offs became school camps. School camps became subject selections. Subject selections became university applications. The years have flown by!

Today, my eldest has completed school and successfully transitioned to university and work. My youngest is about to finish school. I realise I have now experienced almost every stage of Australian schooling from the perspective of a parent.

I've seen the challenges, the milestones, the confusion, the excitement and the countless little moments in between.

I still work in the corporate world, however now that my children are older, I have a little more time to spare and am rediscovering my love of writing. I’ve published a children's book series. If you'd like to learn more about those books, visit Moji & Mila Adventures.

As I thought about what to write next, returning to Australian schooling and relocation guidance felt like a natural step.

I still vividly remember how overwhelming those early years felt. If it was challenging for me, a native English speaker with a family background in education, I can only imagine how difficult it must be for parents and carers who are navigating a new country, a new culture and also learning English at the same time. That's why I created The A–Z of Australian Schooling.

My goal is simple: to make life a little easier for others.

The book explains more than 160 terms, traditions, experiences and concepts that families, students, teachers and carers encounter throughout Australian school life. It's designed to be practical, easy to use and accessible.

It's not a book that needs to be read from beginning to end. Think of it as a companion. Keep it nearby and dip in whenever you hear a new term at the school gate, receive a school newsletter you don't quite understand, or find yourself wondering what a particular phrase means.

You'll find entries covering every stage of schooling, from preschool through to Year 12 and beyond.

Alongside the explanations, I've included Australian-themed illustrations for every term. Many were inspired by personal photographs and experiences from our family's journey, while others were carefully created using AI tools under my direction. My aim was to help readers gain a genuine sense of everyday Australian life and culture as well as understanding the terminology itself.

More than anything, I hope this book provides confidence and reassurance during what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming transition.

Australia has given our family incredible opportunities, lifelong friendships and a place we are proud to call home. I hope this book helps make your own journey a little easier and a little less confusing.

And most of all, I hope you come to love Australia as much as we do.