school starting age in South Australia
everything you need to know about starting school in South Australia (SA) — the first year of school is called Reception, and children typically start at age turning 5.
school entry — Reception
first year of school
Receptionin South Australia, the first year of primary school is called Reception. children typically start at age turning 5.
cutoff date
no strict cutoff — continuous intakeyour child must turn 5 by no strict cutoff — continuous intake to start Reception that year. school becomes compulsory at 6 years old.
pre-school / kinder program
program name
age: 4 years oldpreschool (one year before Reception)
cutoff: children start preschool at the beginning of the term after turning 4
free kinder?
yesyes, 12 hours/week of free preschool in the year before school
can I delay my child starting school?
yes — SA has flexible intake — children start Reception at the beginning of the term after they turn 5. parents can discuss timing with the school principal.
things to know about starting school in SA
- •SA has a unique continuous intake — children can start Reception at the beginning of the term after turning 5, rather than only at the start of the year.
- •This means some children start mid-year, which is unusual compared to other states.
- •If your child turns 5 late in a term, they start at the beginning of the next term.
source: SA Department for Education
view all state school starting ages
the complete state-by-state guide
this guide is for informational purposes only. school starting ages and cutoff dates are based on publicly available information from SA Department for 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.