Schooling Central

Information taken from: Common School Starting Age Report, Volume 2 - The State and Territory and system and sector findings, March 2006
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/mceetya/common_school_starting_age_report,15276.html#


Tasmania
First year: Prep
Min age: 5 years as at Jan 1st
---> A child who has turned five on or by 1 January in any year must start school in that year.
*Note that in Tasmania preschools are connected to schools, and the first year of part time, play based preschool education (called kinder in Tas) is also referred to as school. Children can attend kinder if they have turned 4 years as at Jan 1st.

Queensland
First year: Prep (not compulsory)
Min age: 4 years 6 months as at Jan 1
---> Children need to be five by 30 June in the year they enrol in Prep.

NSW
First year: Kindergarten
Min age: 4 years 5 months as at Jan 1
----> A child who has turned five on or by 31 July in any year must start school in that year.

Victoria
First year: Prep
Min age: 4 years 8 months as at Jan 1
----> turning 5 years of age by 30 April in the year of commencement

South Australia
First year: Reception
Min age: State has 'rolling enrolment'
---> 4 years 3 months as at Jan 1 BUT children cannot commence school until they turn 5 years of age in that year.
---> Children are enrolled at the commencement of any school term after turning 5 years of age.
---> Most children who start Reception in the second half of the year to stay on for another year of Reception the following year.
---> As a result of this, the effective minimum starting age is 4 years and 5 months

Western Australia
First year: Pre-primary (not compulsory)
Min age: 4 years 6 months as at Jan 1
---> turning 5 years of age by 30 June in the year of commencement

ACT
First year: Kindergarten
Min age: 4 years 8 months as at Jan 1
---> turning 5 years of age by 30 April in the year of commencement

Northern Territory
First year: Transition
Min age: System of continuous enrolment
--->4 years 6 months as at June 30 BUT children need to turn 5 years before they can begin
--->Intakes generally occur at the beginning of terms 1 and 2 but can occur throughout this time.
--->the final intake of children into primary school is Week 1 of Semester 2