Starting primary school
This is a guide for parents and carers who want to enrol their child in a public primary school in NSW. It provides information on selecting a school, enrolling your child and what financial support is available.
Primary school begins in kindergarten and goes to year 6
To enrol, children must turn 5 before 31 July in the year they start school and must begin school by their 6th birthday
Public school education is free, but most schools request voluntary contributions to help cover costs
Getting children ready to start primary school can involve many steps over an extended period. These include:
- understanding catchment zones
- how to choose and find a school
- immunisation requirements
- what to do (and when) for a child with disability or learning needs
- transition to primary school programs
Once enrolled, there's after school care to consider, as well as:
- dealing with new routines
- playing your part with homework
- sharing safety information, particularly around pick-up time and location
- what's involved in becoming part of the school community
You can find out about school term and vacation dates at the NSW Department of Education