School EntryCALCULATORAUSTRALIA · ACT
Five by 30 April · Kindergarten · Source check: 21 October 2026
PLAN THE YEARS AHEAD
Plan school entry or estimate Year 12 completion for a child already at school. Birth dates stay in this browser.
THEIR NEXT CHAPTER
| School year | Year level | Age on 1 January | Age turning that year | Stage |
|---|
Children meet the standard ACT Kindergarten age rule when they turn five on or before 30 April in the entry year. Use the ACT rule for an ACT school, even if you are comparing it with a nearby NSW school.
Check the official ACT entry guidance ↗In Canberra and the ACT, Kindergarten is the first primary-school year. Use this page for ACT public-school standard entry, rather than applying the different NSW cutoff used in nearby communities.
A child born on 1 May 2022 has a standard ACT Kindergarten result of 2028. In NSW, the same birthday gives 2027 because the NSW boundary is later. This difference is especially relevant when families compare Canberra and Queanbeyan schools. The school's jurisdiction determines which standard rule to use.
Keep the two stages distinct when organising documents and conversations. ACT Kindergarten is the first primary-school year shown here. A preschool application or attendance record may be useful background, but does not replace checking the Kindergarten age boundary and the school's enrolment arrangements.
If a child has begun Kindergarten in NSW, the calculator's ACT first-entry year is not a direction to restart schooling. Ask the receiving ACT school to consider actual attendance, completed learning and school records. Explain both the child's birth date and the year level already undertaken; the class name alone may not settle placement.
For standard entry to ACT public Kindergarten, children must be five on or before 30 April in their entry year.
For standard Kindergarten entry, children must be five on or before 30 April in their starting year. ACT preschool is an earlier stage, so a preschool offer should not be treated as a Kindergarten placement.
The ACT Government enrolment page is the starting point for applications and the applicable Priority Enrolment Area information. Check the requirements for the family's actual residential circumstances before relying on a school preference.
A family moving between Canberra and surrounding NSW may find that the standard first-entry year differs. If the child has already attended school, provide their records to the receiving school and ask for a placement decision.
The standard result does not assess gifted early entry, approved exemptions or an individual delayed start. Ask the school or Directorate for the relevant process before changing the proposed year.
ACT compulsory education starts at age six. This is separate from the earliest standard Kindergarten cohort. If you are considering a later start, ask the school or Directorate how the compulsory requirement applies before changing your plan.
These fictional examples illustrate the boundary. They are not records of real children.
Example date of birth
Year 1: 2028. Standard progression shown.
Example date of birth
Year 1: 2029. Standard progression shown.
| Example birthday | First school year | Intake | Year 1 | Year 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 April 2022 | 2027 · Kindergarten | Term 1 | 2028 | 2039 |
| 1 May 2022 | 2028 · Kindergarten | Term 1 | 2029 | 2040 |
Yes. The standard age boundary includes 30 April.
Use the ACT result for an ACT school. NSW uses a different Kindergarten cutoff.
No. It is a planning projection through Year 12, assuming continuous standard progression.
No. Standard ACT Kindergarten uses 30 April; NSW Kindergarten uses 31 July. May, June and July birthdays can produce different first-entry years.
No. The result addresses the standard age rule. Residence, enrolment arrangements and school placement must be checked separately.
The standard projection continues through Years 1–12. It assumes one numbered year level per calendar year; actual transfers and alternative pathways need individual advice.
Keep the calculated year and intake handy when you contact the school. Ask it to confirm the plan before changing childcare, work or moving arrangements.
Standard entry rules checked 21 October 2026. Future entry projections run through 2032. Earlier birth years are supported as estimates using the current rule, not a verified historical rule. Compare the projected year level with the student’s actual year level. Confirm current enrolment requirements with your school.
READ & PLAN
