Starting School in Sydney: Preschool, Kindergarten and the 31 July Cut-Off
For a family arriving in Sydney with a young child, two things cause the most confusion: what the words mean, and when a child starts school. In New South Wales, Kindergarten is not what most Americans or Europeans expect, and the starting age turns on a single date. This post explains both, and how families find a good preschool in time.
The words mean different things here
In New South Wales, “preschool” is the early childhood program for the year or two before school, and “Kindergarten” is the first formal year of primary school. Bennett’s Australia consultant May O’Kane points out that this is the reverse of how the words are used in Victoria and Queensland, where kindergarten (or “kinder” and “kindy”) comes before school and the first year of school is called Prep.
So a Sydney child in Kindergarten is in their first year of primary school, the equivalent of kindergarten in the US or Reception in England, and a family moving between Australian states will meet a different name for the same year.
The 31 July rule
A child can start Kindergarten in NSW if they turn five on or before 31 July of that year, and every child must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday. Because the school year starts in late January or early February, the youngest children in a Kindergarten class are about four and a half on their first day.
The window between the earliest and latest starting age means that children in the same Kindergarten class can be well over a year apart in age. Families with a child born in the first half of the year often have a real choice about when to start, and May encourages them to think about their own child’s readiness rather than the date alone. The NSW Department of Education sets out the rules on its primary school enrollment page.
Preschool and long day care
Preschool is separate from primary school. It comes in several forms:
- Public preschools, run by the NSW Department of Education at some government primary schools, for children in the year before school. They do not charge fees, but places are limited.
- Community preschools, usually run by not-for-profit organizations, often for school hours on a few days or sessions a week.
- Long day care centers, which open long days, from early morning to early evening, and suit families who both work.
Hours vary widely, from a couple of sessions a week to full days, so it is worth matching the setting to your family’s working pattern before comparing anything else.
What it costs, and Start Strong
Apart from public preschools, preschool in Sydney is not free, but NSW helps with the cost through its Start Strong program. For 2026, a child at a community preschool can receive up to A$3,565 a year in fee relief (more for some families), scaled to the hours they attend. Support for children in long day care is smaller and depends on age. A child needs to be three on or before 31 July of the year, attending an eligible program and not yet at school, and the state does not consider citizenship or residency when it funds community preschools. The current amounts are on the Start Strong page.
How to find a good preschool in time
May’s advice is to think beyond the obvious questions of hours, distance and what is included, and to start early:
- Search the preschools near your new home and read their ratings and reviews.
- Call more than one, and ask about staff turnover as well as the program.
- Find out whether they have availability for your child’s age group.
- Contact them as soon as you can, even if you do not need a place right away.
Places for some age groups fill well ahead, so a call made before the move can make the difference between a preschool near home and a long drive across the city.
When your child moves up to school
Once your child is approaching Kindergarten, the choice between a public school in your intake area and an independent or Catholic school comes into play. Our posts on enrolling in a Sydney public school on a 482 visa and Sydney private school waiting lists explain each route, and entry to independent schools is generally easier in the early primary years than later on.
How a Bennett consultant helps
A Bennett consultant helps you understand the options for your youngest children, from public and community preschools to long day care, explains when your child can start Kindergarten, and helps you plan the move from preschool to school so that the right school is in reach of the home you choose.
Our Sydney education consultants work with families of preschoolers every week.
Get in touch with a consultant who knows Sydney’s preschools and schools, for an hour of clarity →
Bennett International Education Consultancy works directly with hundreds of families each year across the globe. We support families by helping them make informed decisions about the best-fit schools for their children; with our guidance, they secure placement in preschools, private day schools, public/state schools, boarding schools, colleges and universities, including schools with particular programs, such as special needs support.
