school starting age in Tasmania
everything you need to know about starting school in Tasmania (TAS) — the first year of school is called Prep, and children typically start at age 4 turning 5.
school entry — Prep
first year of school
Prepin Tasmania, the first year of primary school is called Prep. children typically start at age 4 turning 5.
cutoff date
1 Januaryyour child must turn 5 by 1 January to start Prep that year. school becomes compulsory at 5 years old.
pre-school / kinder program
program name
age: 4 years oldkindergarten (optional year before Prep at some schools)
cutoff: 1 January (must turn 4 by 1 January for kindergarten)
free kinder?
limitedlimited — some schools offer kindergarten but it is not universally free
can I delay my child starting school?
yes — parents can delay Prep by one year. Tasmania has the earliest compulsory age (5), but you can discuss timing with the school.
things to know about starting school in TAS
- •Children must turn 5 by 1 January to start Prep that year.
- •Tasmania has the earliest compulsory school age in Australia (5 years).
- •The early cutoff date of 1 January means TAS children are among the oldest when starting school.
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 Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People 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.