LIFESTYLE

EDUCATION

For families in transit or relocating to Melbourne, Parkdale and Mordialloc offer excellent access to education.

Preschool/Kindergarten

Private and community child care centers and preschools and a range of childcare initiatives are available. Both Mentone Grammar and Mentone Girls' Grammar offer kindergarten, i.e. one year prior to entering primary level.

Primary/Elementary School -- Years 1-6

School attendance is mandatory from 6 to 15 years of age in Victoria unless special exemption is applied for and granted. There are State-owned and run primary (elementary) schools in Parkdale and Mordialloc, Catholic schools in Mordialloc and Mentone (adjoining Parkdale) which teach Years 1 to 6. Two private schools, Mentone Grammar (boys) and Mentone Girls' Grammar, offer Years 1-6 too.

Secondary/High School -- Years 7-12

State Secondary Colleges (high schools) in Parkdale and Mordialloc (co-educational) -- pictured above -- and neighboring Mentone (girls only) teach Years 7-12.

Mentone also offers four private schools, Mentone Grammar for boys and Mentone Girls' Grammar (both with nominal Anglican Church links), and St Bede's College for boys and Kilbreda College for girls (both with Catholic Church links).

All schools are well served by trains and buses.

TAFE College -- Post-Secondary

TAFE (Technical and Further Education) Colleges offer post-secondary certificate, diploma and some degree courses, and short courses ranging from trade and professional basic qualifications and development to hobby courses.

TAFE Colleges at Moorabbin (Holmesglen TAFE) and Frankston (Chisholm TAFE) are readily accessible by train or car. Chisholm TAFE at Dandenong can be reached by car. RMIT TAFE in the CBD center is easily accessed by train.

University -- Tertiary

Universities offer courses leading to bachelor degrees, graduate and post-graduate diplomas, and master and doctoral qualifications.

Access to universities from the Parkdale and Mordialloc areas is excellent. Students travel by train to CBD- located universities, Melbourne University and RMIT University (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). The Monash University campuses at Clayton, Caulfield and Frankston are readily accessible by car; Caulfield and Frankston are also accessible by train and Clayton by bus.

The Catholic University at Oakleigh is accessible by bus or car.

Other universities can be accessed by car.