school starting age in New South Wales
everything you need to know about starting school in New South Wales (NSW) — the first year of school is called Kindergarten, and children typically start at age 4 turning 5.
school entry — Kindergarten
first year of school
Kindergartenin New South Wales, the first year of primary school is called Kindergarten. children typically start at age 4 turning 5.
cutoff date
31 Julyyour child must turn 5 by 31 July to start Kindergarten that year. school becomes compulsory at 6 years old.
pre-school / kinder program
program name
age: 3-5 yearspre-school (community or centre-based)
cutoff: no strict cutoff for pre-school — availability based
free kinder?
yesyes, 600 hours/year of subsidised pre-school for the year before school
can I delay my child starting school?
yes — parents can delay entry until the year the child turns 6, but must enrol by then as school is compulsory from age 6. speak with the school principal if considering delaying.
things to know about starting school in NSW
- •Children must turn 5 by 31 July to start Kindergarten that year.
- •If your child turns 5 between August and December, they start the following year.
- •NSW has a 'transition to school' statement from pre-school to help with the handover.
source: NSW Department of Education
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this guide is for informational purposes only. school starting ages and cutoff dates are based on publicly available information from NSW Department of Education and were accurate at the time of writing. rules may change — always check the official source for the latest. mini mode is not affiliated with any government department.