The student population of WELS consists of a diverse mixture of cultures from all over the world. Students generally remain in the school for two or three terms before exiting to mainstream schools or alternative educational pathways. Most students are new arrivals to Australia on permanent visas. However WELS also caters for full fee paying students and some places are also available for students on temporary visas.

Classes
Prior to placement in appropriate classes all students in WELS are assessed to identify their individual needs and skills. Teaching programs are then developed to meet the needs of individuals and groups of students.

The teaching programs developed for students vary according to factors such as:

• the age and prior schooling of students
• students' literacy levels in their own language
• students' English language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking
• the social and/or emotional needs of students