The short answer
Kindergarten: the usual entry rule
A child can ordinarily start public-school Kindergarten if they turn five on or before 31 July that year. School attendance is required by their sixth birthday.
What about public preschool?
NSW public preschool ordinarily accepts children who turn four on or before 31 July of the school year, with enrolment priorities and limited places.
Can my child start later or earlier?
An eligible child does not always need to start in the first eligible year. The sixth-birthday compulsory-attendance requirement limits the later option. Non-government schools and early childhood services can have different practical enrolment processes.
What should I do next?
Check the birthday cutoff, identify whether a genuine later start remains lawful, and ask the chosen school about local enrolment and transition arrangements.
StartYear can help structure this decision with parent observations and optional input from an educator, but it cannot approve a deferral, exception or school placement. Eligibility is not the same as readiness.
Official New South Wales sources
Check the latest published guidance before making an enrolment decision. The public rules summarised here were reviewed on 4 October 2026.