Fairfield Intensive English Centre

Intake area and associated schools

Each IEC has several local designated high schools within its catchment areas. A student's current residential address determines the local designated high school which then determines the student's local IEC.

Fairfield IEC supports students from schools across the suburb of Fairfield and surrounding suburbs, including students whose local schools are Bossley Park High School, Fairfield High School, Fairvale High School (shared with Cabramatta IEC), Prairiewood High School and Westfields Sports High School. You can check whether your address is within the intake area using the School Finder tool. Most schools have designated local enrolment areas, which may change over time.

Students attending the Centre may transition into Bossley Park High School, Fairfield High School, Fairvale High School, Prairiewood High School and Westfields Sports High School once they are ready to move into mainstream classes.

For more information about schools within the intake area or transition pathways, please contact the Centre.

Enrolment and referrals

Referrals to the Centre are made through the NSW Department of Education or local schools.

All students and families should contact the Centre to arrange an enrolment appointment before attending. Staff are available to assist with enrolment enquiries throughout the year.

How to enrol

Families who are Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents can complete the online enrolment application.

If you are unable to enrol online, you can complete the Application to enrol form and submit it to the school.

For more information, visit:

• Primary school enrolment

• High school enrolment

If your child does not live within the local intake area, you may apply for an out-of-area enrolment. Applications are considered in line with the department’s enrolment policy.

Families on temporary visas can find information about eligibility and application requirements through the Temporary Residents Program.

Learning and school experience

Students participate in an intensive English language program designed to develop communication, literacy and learning skills.

The program supports students to build confidence using English while continuing their education in a supportive learning environment.

Students follow a structured daily program that includes English language lessons, classroom learning and opportunities to participate in school activities.

Students build skills in:

• English language development

• reading, writing, speaking and listening

• classroom learning and activities

• understanding Australian school routines

Students are also supported to participate in school life and build connections within the school community. This may include excursions, cultural activities and opportunities to participate in school events.

These experiences help students feel confident and connected as they prepare to transition into mainstream schooling.

Regular attendance is important to support student learning and progress throughout the program.

• Transition to secondary school program

• As part of the transition to secondary school program, students in their final term of enrolment at an IEC may attend their local secondary school for to participate in an orientation program. This school experience program supports transition to secondary school, allowing students to familiarise themselves with the school community. It also enables the school to assess exiting IEC students’ level of English language proficiency and inform their decisions about class placements and the level of EAL/D support required for students to thrive in a secondary school class environment. Some secondary schools have EAL/D targeted or parallel classes, which cater for the additional EAL/D support that newly transitioned IEC students require.
• The transition to secondary school program also provides students and parents with information on further education and training options in Australia. IEC negotiates the prospective enrolments of their exiting students with receiving secondary schools at least 4 weeks before transfer.
• IEC arranges the transfer of student background information and relevant documentation to the receiving secondary school. An exit report for each student is sent to the receiving secondary school. Using the ESL Scales and EAL/D Learning Progressions, each report gives an assessment of the learning achievements of the exiting student. Schools also receive a recent unassisted writing sample to inform them of the literacy needs of transitioning students.
• In exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of their local secondary school principal, students may be able to enrol in their IEC’s secondary school if they do not live within the school’s boundaries. These students would need to apply as a non-local student and be considered based on the criteria outlined in the NSW DoE enrolment procedures policy.