Frequently asked questions
What age does my child start school in Australia?
There is no single Australian starting age. Each state and territory sets its own date and its own name for the first year of school.
Direct answer
Check the state or territory, not a national age.
There is no single Australian starting-age cutoff. Each state and territory has its own date and first-year name. Check your jurisdiction's official rule before considering whether an earlier or later start is available.
Official sources for each state and territory
- Queensland school starting age: Queensland Government: Prep enrolments
- New South Wales school starting age: NSW Department of Education: Primary school enrolment
- Victoria school starting age: Victorian Government: Enrolling in Foundation (Prep)
- South Australia school starting age: SA Department for Education: Starting school
- Western Australia school starting age: WA Department of Education: Enrol at a Western Australian school
- Tasmania school starting age: Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People: Enrolling your child
- Australian Capital Territory school starting age: ACT Government: School age calculator
- Northern Territory school starting age: Northern Territory Government: Stages of schooling
What age does my child start school in Australia?
There is no single Australian starting-age cutoff. Each state and territory has its own date and first-year name. Check your jurisdiction's official rule before considering whether an earlier or later start is available. Compare the eight jurisdictions.
Should my child start school at five or wait until six?
Start by checking the options in your state or territory. Then think about how your child is going at home and in early learning, the support available at school, and what their educator sees. For some children, starting a year later may not be an option.
Is StartYear a school readiness test?
No. StartYear is educational decision support, not a diagnostic, clinical or psychometric test. Its directional Decision Plan is not a prospectively validated prediction of the best start year.
Does being the youngest in the class mean my child should wait?
No. Relative age is context, not a reason by itself to delay. Eligibility, the child's everyday experiences, available supports and legal alternatives all matter.
Can an educator contribute?
Yes. A parent can invite an educator to record their observations through a secure, one-use web link. Parent and educator answers remain separate; disagreements are not silently averaged into a score.
Is the free school-age check a recommendation?
No. The free check explains ordinary starting-age eligibility. Full StartYear considers structured observations and produces a broader Decision Plan. Neither substitutes for an enrolment decision by a school.
Can StartYear approve early entry or a school-start delay?
No. Where an approval, exemption or other exceptional pathway is required, the family must confirm it with the relevant school or education authority.
How much does StartYear cost?
Checking ordinary entry-age eligibility is free. Full StartYear is intended as a one-off in-app purchase for one child and one decision episode, with the exact price shown by Apple before purchase. There is no subscription.
What happens to my child's information?
StartYear uses parent and optional educator observations to prepare the Decision Plan. The approved policy explains Australian hosting, access and deletion controls. Do not send a child's personal information by ordinary email.
Can I download StartYear now?
StartYear is currently described as an iOS beta. This website will link directly to the public App Store listing once the live listing URL is verified.
A clearer beginning
Begin with a clear question.
Understand your child's options before exploring a wider Decision Plan.
