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Original poster

School system in Australia

27 replies

Lelophants · 01/02/2021 12:58

Completely odd question I know but when does the school year start and which birthdays are the oldest/youngest in the year?

I know it's not September. Trying to work out when my ds would start on our imaginary move down under 😂😂😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Lelophants · 01/02/2021 12:59

Is it Jan to December?

If so, my November born boy would be one of the youngest in the year right?

OP posts:
stopchewingeverything · 01/02/2021 13:03

The school year is Feb to Dec. However, the age cut off is different...its July to June so those born in July are the oldest in the year and those in June the youngest. Not sure if this is the case for every state but it is in WA.

Thedramasummer · 01/02/2021 13:07

SA is if they turn 5 by April, they start at the end of the prev Jan. they also do mid year reception in some schools which basically means they do a year and a half of reception.

When we moved from Uk my kids were already in primary school and the school we enrolled them in allowed us to keep them in the same yr group they had been in the uk.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
Thedramasummer · 01/02/2021 13:10

So May born are the oldest and April are the youngest. Most will start school when already 5 rather than just turned 4 like England.

Which state would you be moving to in your imagination? Just do a search for school enrolment in....

Original poster
Lelophants · 01/02/2021 13:20

This has somehow made me more confused 😂 when does the year generally start then? I didnt realise it was different state wise.

Melbourne?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lelophants · 01/02/2021 13:21

Also I've read that USA is the same as UK except you actually start end of August not September. So if you're born end of August are you the oldest in the year?

OP posts:
Spaghettio · 01/02/2021 15:29

In Queensland I'm pretty sure it's cake set year for age - so a November birthday is one of the youngest in the year.

I was born and grew up there and that's how they did it then.

Lots of things vary from state to state so you might need to check the education department for your planned destination.

Spaghettio · 01/02/2021 16:15

Ffs! Calendar year. Not cake..... 🍰

Thedramasummer · 01/02/2021 20:28

School years all tend to run end of jan to beginning of Dec

Thedramasummer · 01/02/2021 20:32

Victoria is the Same as SA, a child must turn 5 before April 30th to start that school year in Jan( so if your child has a Nov birthday, they would be roughly the middle age group)
Worth noting children also don’t need to be i school until they are 6.

LadyCatStark · 01/02/2021 20:40

The year started today! I’ve seen lots of back to school pics today from people I know in Australia. I don’t know what the cut off is for birthdays but DS is in year 7 and shares a birthday (in May) with a girl who has gone into year 6 today in Australia.

Original poster
Lelophants · 02/02/2021 20:39

Wait to school year is end of Jan to Dec, but April is the oldest in the year and March youngest?

OP posts:
Cocogreen · 02/02/2021 20:50

I’m in Melbourne. Term 1 starts end of January. Four terms with 3 x 2 week holidays and five-six weeks from late December. Term 4 ends on varying dates depending on public or private or primary or secondary.
The first year of school in Victoria is called Prep, kids can be 4 - 6 years old. Then Grades 1- 6. My own example: daughter born March 1 so could have started the year she was 4 and 10 months but we held her back til the following year so she was 5 and 10 months. Son’s birthday is October 15, so he started the following year at 5 and 3 months.

Cocogreen · 02/02/2021 20:54

Meant to add: the discussion around starting age used to be HUGE ( my kids are in their 20s now) because legally they’re able to start so young, but occasionally you’ll have someone turning 7 in Prep because the parents have held out as long as they can, especially with boys.

Thedramasummer · 02/02/2021 20:55

@Lelophants

Wait to school year is end of Jan to Dec, but April is the oldest in the year and March youngest?
So April is the youngest and May is the oldest in South Aus. This means that you don’t have someone who is just turned 4 starting. It’s similar in Scotland ( who’s year runs aug to June but enrolment is March being oldest and feb being youngest)
CaterpillarMilkshake · 02/02/2021 21:09

If it’s anything like us (across the ‘ditch’), the school year is very end of Jan / beginning of Feb - mid Dec. Schools start on different days, so for the past few days until Friday 5 Feb, there are/will be lots of pics of kids heading back to school for the ew academic year.

Generally speaking, kids born in July are the oldest, and in June are the youngest in the class.

However, you don’t have to start school until you turn 6, and some people decide to, for example, hold their June (and even May) born kids back a year, so that they’re one of the oldest in the class.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 02/02/2021 21:11

If you delay starting can you skip a year later ? Ie if you have a vey brighg child are they "stuck" in the year below forever because you started them late?

Cocogreen · 02/02/2021 21:54

Re skipping a year: from my experience in the state system - no they won’t skip a year and put them up. They’ll give them extension work and if there’s a gifted/talented program in place they could access that.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 02/02/2021 22:01

Thanks thats the real disadvantage isnt it. People hold back here but its less common I think.

Cocogreen · 02/02/2021 22:46

We held back our daughter because while she was very bright, early reader, very articulate etc her social skills were not up to dealing with the playground jungle! That extra year gave her time to mature a bit - we never had a day of school refusal which I saw a bit with some of the younger ones who were exhausted and overwhelmed.

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 02/02/2021 22:57

I can so see how that would be a benefit when they're young. We thought about it but I'm so glad we didn't though - at 11 my duaghter was top of her year and struggled a bit being v bright (also autistic) . She would have stood out so much more if shedbeen in the year below.

I love the idea of a softer start but not being held back. Im not sure its possible!

TryingNotToPanicOverCovid · 02/02/2021 23:00

But I'm sidetracking! Sorry OP

Thedramasummer · 03/02/2021 00:34

I think you see it as holding a child back because it’s uncommon in england ( although becoming more accepted and easier to arrange for summer born)

Try think of it as starting school when they are ready. They won’t know any different. They will be given work to do at their level.

Think of it if a child in England born 1st of Sept starts school, you wouldn’t ask that they get moved up year groups if they excel.

Gremlinsateit · 03/02/2021 05:13

Depends which state or territory your imaginary dream house is in Smile

glitterfarts · 03/02/2021 05:33

Melbourne is in Victoria state. Rules vary state by state.

All of Australia school year runs to the calendar year as their summer holidays generally are 20ish Dec to end of Jan.

Kids start into Prep. The youngest will be 4 and 9 months. The oldest will be 6. Cut off to start on Feb 1st is that you must be turning 5 by April that year. But many parents choose to "hold their child back" if born Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr and start the following year when already 5.
DD1 classmates all just started y7 (first year of high school /secondary) but in the UK she is in Y8 as July born.

Its very rare to skip ahead a year or repeat a year. Many kids turn 18 in the final year of secondary.

UK has a strict cut off date where you must start in a set year, Australia doesn't.