Guide to Sydney Schools for Parents Moving to Australia.
This is a long post that covers all the information you need to know about schools in New South Wales. This post does not list schools in Sydney. I have a link to the NSW school directory on my expat resources and discounts page. Before you skip to the resources page, I highly recommend you read through the information below, then start looking at specific schools.
Start Researching Schools in Sydney NOW.
If you are moving to Sydney with children, you need to start researching schools NOW. Yes, even before you start looking at what Sydney suburbs you are considering living in. Start researching schools.
You also need to keep in mind the time of year you are moving and when in the school year that will be as far as enrollment, ie what school term. Schools often shut down between terms. This is especially true for end of the year holiday break. This is not a huge deal but it does mean that you will have to wait until the administration office is open to, not just enroll your child for school, but to even get a reply to a simple email.
I have included a few tables of NSW school term dates below. Individual school website should state office hours during breaks.
Why Emailing NSW Schools Directly Doesn’t Work.
When I first published this article, back in 2013, I recommended emailing the administration offices of schools in areas you were considering living in Sydney.
That turned out to be bad advice.
Many SMG readers did email schools in areas that they were considering living, before they moved to Sydney. Majority of those email went unanswered or, if there was a reply, it was usually very short and curt saying that they needed to have proof of residence within the school catchment zone before contacting the school.
That’s right. Even after you have arrived in Sydney and have started looking for a place to live, most public schools will not give you the time of day until you can present proof that you live in their catchment zone. Proof being your lease or a bill addressed to you at your new address.
This goes for public schools. Private schools will be more responsive since they do not need proof of living within a certain catchment zone. Check out this post on private primary schools in Parramatta that covers cost, age cut off and lists other resources.
Is it still worth email?
Sure. A quick email to a few schools really doesn’t take that much time and, if by some miracle, they reply and answer your questions, you’re ahead of the game. Don’t hold your breath though.
Before you email, be sure to read through the school’s website paying special attention to the enrollment information.
Most of the public schools in NSW have very similarly structured websites. There is usually an “Our School” tab at the top. Somewhere on the “about our school” page is enrollment info. That is where you will find a map of the school’s enrollment area. Some school websites do not have their school’s enrollment area on their site, but don’t fret, I got you covered.
I have a post with a map of all the NSW primary school enrollment zones, and another post here with a map of all the NSW high school enrollment zones. If you are on a mobile phone, then you will want to check out the enrollment zones later when you are at a desktop. The maps are large and it’s hard to zone in and out on a mobile phone.
Also on the enrollment page, there will be a link to the Application to Enroll in a NSW Government School. It’s the same application for all public schools in NSW for Australian citizens and permanent residence visa holders.
If you have a temporary or visitor visa, then you will use a different application. Yes, I will cover this in just a second, but let’s continue with the enrollment information and documents you will need for your enrollment appointments first.
The Documents You Will Need to Bring with You to Your Enrollment Appointment.
The enrollment information is usually broken down into three types of new students: those transferring from another NSW public school, those transferring from a school that is not a NSW public school and those that have not attended a NSW public school previously.
For students that have not been previously enrolled in a NSW public school, the documents you will need for enrollment are:
- Your child’s birth certificate or identity documents like a passport.
- Proof of address in the school’s catchment zone. These documents need to be the originals. Your residential lease and electricity bill are what you will need since you, most likely, not own property at this time. For those that own property in Sydney, a city council rates notice will also work as proof of residence.
- Immunization history statement based on the Australian Childhood Immunization Register (ACIR) family law or other relevant court orders (if applicable).
- You will also need to tell the school what visa you have.
Email the admin offices of schools in areas you are interested in living and ask about their school enrollment zones (or catchment zones), do they accept temporary visa holders, and anything else you can think of. Write up one master email and send it to several schools. If they reply and say they do not accept temporary visa holders then cross that area off your list and move on to the next. It’s better to know now than to be in Sydney and find out.
The Public School System in Australia
The Australian public school system, or government school system as they say here, is very good.
Australia ranked 25th in math, 16th in reading, and 14th in science. According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) survey in 2015.
The NSW public school system is the largest educational system in Australia.
There are over 200 primary (K – Year 6) and secondary government schools (Year 7 – 12). NSW has started following the Australian National Curriculum in 2013, making incremental changes each year forward.
You can check the NSW curriculum out here if you’d like. It might be a good idea to discuss it with your child’s current school teacher to get an idea on if the grade levels are similar.
What To Know About NSW Schools Before You Move to Sydney
A few quick points of things you need to be aware of before you move to Sydney.
As you most likely already realize, the seasons are switched in the Southern Hemisphere. This affects the school year down under.
NSW school year starts last week of January and ends mid December, one week before Christmas.
The school year is divided into four terms with a 2-week break between Terms 1 and 2, Terms 2 and 3, Terms 3 and 4. Summer Holiday, around Christmas, is usually a 6-week break at the end of the school year.
NSW school holidays and term dates for 2020.
| Period | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 - Eastern Division | Tuesday, 28 January 2020 | Thursday, 9 April 2020 |
| Term 1 - Western Division | Tuesday, 4 February 2020 | Thursday, 9 April 2020 |
| Autumn Holiday | Monday, 13 April 2020 | Friday, 24 April 2020 |
| Term 2 | Monday, 27 April 2020 | Friday, 3 July 2020 |
| Winter Holiday | Monday, 6 July 2020 | Friday, 17 July 2020 |
| Term 3 | Monday, 20 July 2020 | Friday, 25 September 2020 |
| Spring Holiday | Monday, 28 September 2020 | Friday, 9 October 2020 |
| Term 4* | Monday, 12 October 2020 | Friday, 18 December 2020 |
| Summer Holiday - Eastern Division | Monday, 21 December 2020 | Tuesday, 26 January 2021 |
| Summer Holiday - Western Division | Monday, 21 December 2020 | Tuesday, 2 February 2021 |
*Year 12 students only go for three terms and graduate late September/early October. There is then a short break before students return for final exams which starts mid-October and ends in November. After passing their final exams, students then get their Higher School Certificate (HSC).
There are no middle schools in NSW. There is primary school (K – Year 6), then junior secondary school (Year 7 – 10) and then there is senior secondary school (Year 11 and Year 12).
Primary schools and secondary schools are usually on separate campuses. Junior and senior secondary schools are usually on the same campus.
Government operated secondary schools are made up of five or six primary schools within the same area.
NAPLAN testing in Australia.
National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Testing happens in May during Years/Grade 3, 5, 7, and 9.
Students cannot prepare for the test but don’t stress as it is a No Pass/Fail test. The purpose of the test is to assess the school, not your child.
You can look at NAPLAN results for picking a school, but be aware there are other factors in choosing a school.
Go to MySchool.edu.au to search for school results once you have narrowed down the area and schools you are looking at.
What academic year to enroll your child.
| Your child’s age on or before 31 July 2021 | School type | The estimated school year of your child in 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | No enrolment | No enrolment |
| 5 | Primary school | Kindergarten |
| 6 | Primary school | 1 |
| 7 | Primary school | 2 |
| 8 | Primary school | 3 |
| 9 | Primary school | 4 |
| 10 | Primary school | 5 |
| 11 | Primary school | 6 |
| 12 | Secondary school | 7 |
| 13 | Secondary school | 8 |
| 14 | Secondary school | 9 |
| 15 | Secondary school | 10 |
| 16 | Secondary school | 11 |
| 17 | Secondary school | 12 |
| 18 | No enrolment | No enrolment |
All schools in NSW have obligatory school uniforms.
- Doesn’t matter if it is a government school, faith based school (Catholic, Jewish or Anglican) or independent private school.
- There are separate uniforms for sports.
- Uniforms can often be purchased from the school or the school will direct you a shop that carries the school uniform. For younger students, you can often find “pre-loved” uniforms but for older students the price goes up and “pre-loved” is often not available.
- Uniforms include: hat, backpack, shirt, pants (trousers), skirts, dresses, sports jacket if required, and shorts.
- Black standard lace up shoes are the norm for school uniforms. Might want to purchase a couple of pairs before moving to Sydney as shoes are expensive in Sydney.
All NSW public schools have a no hat, no play policy.
If your child is not used to wearing a hat while out playing you might want to get them use to it now as schools in Australia are very serious about the No Hat No Play policy.
Class size for NSW public schools.
For primary and junior secondary schools, class sizes are between 25 to 30 students. In senior secondary schools, classes are smaller around 15 to 25 students.
If the school you are interested in has larger class sizes than the norm, ask if they have teacher assistants or an adult supervisor to assist the teacher. Some schools with larger class sizes will often have assistants aiding the main teacher in the class.
For Australian citizens and Permanent Residence (PR) visa holders, government schools are obliged to take your child but, unfortunately, this is not always true in highly populated areas. There are always exceptions to the every rule. Contact the school directly and ask as school enrollment numbers change year to year, term to term.
Types of schools in NSW.
There are three types: NSW Government operated schools (in the States these would be public schools), Private Faith (Catholic, Jewish, Anglican) schools and Independent Private schools.
Government schools have strict enrollment zones (or catchment areas) in highly populated suburbs of Sydney. I have a post all about catchment zones for high schools in Sydney that has a map that you can zoom in on areas of Sydney with the catchment zones for high schools in the area outlined. I also list almost every high school in Sydney with a link to their website.
If the school is full you can enroll in an “out of zone” school if you have what they consider a good cause but (yep, always a but) you will be last to enroll after the school has finalized its student number. So it’s a bit of a gamble.
The benefits to going to a government school with enrollment zones are: less travel time getting to school (There is no bus system for government schools in Sydney, only public transportation) and your kids will develop friendships with others that live nearby helping them to settle in better.
Catholic schools (the majority of faith schools) are an option that many 457 or 482 visa holders choose but they also have strict enrollment zones or as they call them, parish post codes. Catholic schools are private and range in tuition from $5,000 a year to $30,000. Ouch!!
Independent private schools do not have enrollment zones but do have long wait lists. They can also be very expensive and some require students to take a qualifying exam.
The NSW public school curriculum.
As I mentioned above, NSW has started following the Australian National Curriculum in 2013.
As it turns out that’s good news for you. Why? Well, the Board of Studies has developed a nice website that covers all the changes and when things will be implemented into the current classroom syllabuses. Here is a link to the Parents’ Guide to the new Australian Curriculum.
Take a look and see how it compares to what your child is learning now at their current level. Remember that the curriculum will have differences. For example, in Seattle I’m guess Australian history was not a priority nor is Aboriginal history covered.
Ok, that’s an obvious example but you know what I mean. Focus on the basics Math (which they say Maths here, making it plural, same as in the UK), English, Science etc.
Religious education and instruction are part of the curriculum.
I thought that it was odd that a government operated school would have Religious Education and Instruction as part of the curriculum being American and growing up with the separation of church and schooling in our public school system.
The NSW curriculum calls it “general religious education and special religious education” but from what I have read online the classes are typically Christian based.
NSW government schools are also have religious instruction (30 mins to 1 hr) from a recognized religious education provider.
You can opt-out your child from the religious instruction if you want by contacting the school directly. Students that do opt-out usually end up having quiet time in the library then join the class afterwards.
Some schools have Ethics class instead of Religious Education. I have the link to that below if you want to check that out. There is an example syllabus for you to look over on the Primary Ethics website.
NSW public schools advanced placement classes.
Primary schools offer opportunity classes (a.k.a. advance placement) for Years 5 and 6. Students can test into these classes during Year 4.
There are also selective high schools for high achievers. Year 6 students are required to take a Selective High School Test and then are interviewed by the school.
Students with a 482 visa and other temporary visas cannot qualify to take these classes. If you are applying for your Permanent Residence visa and are certain you will have it by either Year 3 for primary opportunity classes or by Year 5 for selective high school, then ask about letting your child take the qualifying tests.
For more info about Selective Schools in NSW click here..
English as a second language.
There are no English language entry requirements for primary school children from Kindergarten to Year 5.
For students in Year 6, going into high school, and Year 7 to Year 12, English language proficiency is a requirement.
If English is a second language for your family and your kids are not proficient, then they might be eligible to attend intensive English lessons that run for 10 to 12 weeks.
These classes are intensive and, for that reason, are kept small, a max of 18 students usually. Small classes means limited space. Start contacting institutes now to reserve your child’s space.
- Chatswood Intensive English Centre
- Marrickville Intensive English Centre
- Surry Hills Intensive English Centre
TAFE NSW Institutes also provide English Preparation for high school students.
What is the best time of year to move to Sydney to enroll in a public school?
I made the infographic below because I was having a hard time answering this question. Click on the image so that you can take a closer look.
Moving from the Northern Hemisphere to Sydney not only switches the seasons around but also the school year. The change in school year complicates things. From what I understand, children will end up spending an additional six months in whatever year they are currently in.
So the really question is: What time of year will make it easier for your child to adjust to their new school in Sydney?
The natural assumption would be to keep your kids in school until the finish back home then pack up and move. Seems easy enough. But there are a few things you need to consider with this plan.
Moving during June or July.
Moving at the end of the school year in the Northern Hemisphere might be confusing for your child because they will have “finished” or graduated from a grade only to end up back in that same grade again in Sydney making them feel like they are being held back.
The example I use above is for a student in Year 4 back home.
Another good example of this is during the transition of Year 6 to Year 7, moving from primary school to secondary school.
Your child will have finished primary school back home only to end up back in primary school again in Australia for six months, then going on to secondary school.
This could be emotionally challenging for your child as most friendships will have been well established during primary school leaving your child feeling left out. Plus secondary schools are a conglomerate of five or six primary schools. Making new friends and settling into a large student population could be very stressful for your child.
Another option would be to put your child in Year 5 for six months then go on to Year 6 at the beginning of the school year in Jan. That way they will have a full year to make friends before the transition to high school. The downside of that is repeating a year and then, if you move back home, the repeated year gets compounded.
That example depends a lot on the child and how well the parent thinks they will adjust. For children that are younger, the adjustment is usually easier.
Moving during end of November and early December.
If you are able to plan timing of your move, I would suggest moving during the end of November (Thanksgiving Break in the States) or early December.
Yes, moving during this time still means that your child will be repeating six months in the same year (see infographic above) but since it will be in the middle of the school year back home, making the transition easier.
Even though the school year in Sydney is wrapping up, schools are still open and, since you’ve already done your homework (no pun intended), you have narrowed down what schools you are interested in.
Arriving at this time will allow you to schedule visits to those schools. But you need to do this before the schools close for summer holiday. If you arrive too late in December you will have to wait until January when the schools open again.
Some schools also have orientation days around this time giving your child time to see the school, meet other new students and their teachers. Check with the school and ask if they have anything scheduled.
The best part about this plan is its summer in Sydney. The long break will give you and the kids time to settle in. It might be best, if at all possible, to have one parent at home at this time to help with finding a place to live, unpacking, visiting schools and settling in with the kids.
The long break will also give you time to pick up school uniforms and get other supplies required by the school.
If you move during June/July, the kids miss their summer break completely making it feel like they’ve been in school FOREVER.
Repeating six months won’t really feel like repeat because of the difference in the school system and what the students will be learning. Most likely they will not be repeating school work.
What if the year your child ends up in isn’t a good fit for their level?
Bring it up with the school Principal. Many schools in Sydney are use to people moving from abroad. You can ask to have your child reassessed after a few months to see if a year older or even a year under would be a better fit. But this opens up the possibility that your child might not want to change, especially if they have already made friends.
Hi Lauren,
My son is about to finish grade 2 overseas (end of school year is May 2021) and he is 8years old and 5month, planning to come back Sydney in July 2021, is he going to be placed again in grade 2 or grade 3 according to Australian age group?
Thanks
The age cut-off is always confusing. Since your son is 8 years old on or before July 31, 2021, he will most likely be enrolled in grade or year 3. Wow, you’re moving soon. How exciting!
hello Lauren,
It feels so good if someone is there to answer your all queries regarding relocating to a new place, thanks in advance.
My question is, I m planning to move to Sydney in 1st week of august 2021, my elder son is in Year 10 in India and when we will reach there i think so he will have to repeat Yr 9 in sydney and my younger son will be in Yr 1, i needed a suggestion regarding which school i should prefer for my elder son so that he gets a good placement in the university. His liking subject is Technical or Engineering or Architecture based. We will plan the location according to the school. so please kindly suggest me . how to plan further, if any preparation to be done for selective exams.
thanks in advance.
and one more question, what is the process after year 12.
Hi There, Applications for selective high schools are open from 21 June until 16 July 2021 for placements in Years 8 to 12 for 2022. Unfortunately, you must be an NSW resident to apply. The best school in Sydney for technology is Cherrybrook Technology High School and you don’t need to be part of the selective program to enrolled. You do have to live in their enrolment area. It’s a highly sought after for their tech program. For more information on the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) and the selective school placement test. Each university has it own information about on to enrol and student qualifications. Here’s a link to UNSW and how to apply to give you an idea of what to expect.
It happened to my daughter. The school requested 100 points check ID and the confusing thing, the scoring was different between each school. For example the Australian driving license can worth only 5 points in a school while other treated as 15 points. Why? No clue and trust me the administration people does not care. In the end I enrolled my daughter with a school that can accepted my condition, which caused me about 2 months (check your spam mailbox as well though sometimes the reply did take a longer time) to get all that check ID. Luckily during that time my daughter still enrolled in her school in our home country.
Hi Lauren,
We are moving to Harrington Park in May.
The public school there is requiring proof of address and have insisted that 100 points is required to be eligible for admission.
Our dilemma is we only have the contract of sale and the rest of the documents like utility bills, centrelink payments to the new address, electoral transaction with the new address etc etc..
How can we provide all these documents when we haven’t moved in yet. We wanted to be prepared and organized so that our girl can have smooth transition into the new school..
I wrote to them and the reply was blunt meaning without providing these documents they cannot proceed..
Any help is appreciated..
Eagerly waiting for your reply
Ok, so this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a school asking the 100 points of ID. It’s usually a utility bill and lease or, in your case, I guess proof of home ownership (?). It’s true that without the documents they won’t continue with enrolment. Here’s a link to the current NSW public school enrolment form for permanent residents and citizens. In the Office Use Only section, you’ll notice that it asks for rates notice (city council), rental agreements, electricity accounts etc.
It looks like Harrington Park has their own points system. So, let’s see. You’ll have your “contract of sale with settlement to occur within the applicable school year” and that’s 40 points. For electric, water, and internet I bet you’ll be ok with downloading a statement online for your new residence and not have to wait to get a bill in the mail. That get us to 85 points.
Geez, they sure don’t make this easy.
You can either get homeowners insurance, or home contents insurance as they call it in Australia, or you can get a NSW driver’s license or a NSW Photo ID. If you have a PR visa you’ll have to get a NSW driver’s within 3 months anyway.
Either of those will get you to 100 points, but yeah, it’s going to take some time to get all that ready for enrolment. Sorry I don’t have better news for you. Seriously, that was a first.
the government school that you reside in (catchment) is required to take you child (they always leave used capacity for this reason) its really that simple and you do not even have to give them notice simply arrive and its done pretty much although it may be nice to give them as much notice as you can.
Thank you! we looking at MLC Burwood and Holy innocents primary school in Croydon NSW. Hopefully they come through and reply.
Two months is more than enough. It doesn’t take that long to enrol, but you do have to be in the country and have proof that you live in the schools enrolment area or catchment area. No school bus service for public schools in Sydney. Not sure about private schools though I’m pretty sure it’s the same. All students take public transport and get student passes.
Hello
Currently in Singapore ** PISA Score is impressive** LOL! Planning to move back to Sydney due to COVID by End of 2021; Daughter will be 5 in Jan 2023-Kindergarten .
1) how long does enrolment process take? its 2 months enough to confirm enrolment?
2) Do I have to be in the country to confirm enrollment?
3) planning to leave Nov 2021 so have enough time to settle in back/ do they have school buses service for private and public?
I’m an Australian moving back to Sydney with my family after many years in Canada and the US. The NSW Public Schools website makes it sound like you will automatically be given a place in your area school unless they are at their enrolment limit. Do you know if there any way to find out which schools are at their limit that might get you bumped somewhere else? I emailed one school so far and as you said no reply!
That’s a good question. Since you’re an Australian citizen, I doubt you would get bumped. As far as numbers go, the NSW Public School Finder will tell you how many current students are attending. Here’s a link to a search I did for Mosman Public School. Now I can’t find the cut off number but I did another search on MySchool.edu.au for Mosman Public School and in 2019 there were 668 students enrolled. According to the NSW Public School Finder, there are currently 655 students enrolled so room for more. I know that’s a mess work around but all I can find right now. But a great question that really should have an easy answer. I’ll keep looking.
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for this very informative post. My daughter will be turning 5 at the end of September 2021 and we’re planning to move from the UK to Sydney in November so we can get her enrolled in a school to start Kindergarten in Jan 2022. Are my calculations correct? I am an Australian citizen and wanted to email the schools before we arrive – will they respond to us if we don’t have a confirmed address until we arrive there?
Thank you
The age cut off is confusing. So, thinking it through, in 2022 she will be age 5 on or before July 31st 2022 which means, yes, she can be enrolled in Kindergarten in January. You can start narrowing down areas and schools now, but usually they don’t reply to emails until you are ready to enrol with proof that you live in the school’s catchment area. This isn’t the case for private schools if you decide on that option. There’s no reason not to email and see what happens, you could get lucky, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t hear anything back. Each school has all their enrollment info on their website along with an enrollment form. You can download that when you’re closer to your moving date and start going through what you need to bring into the school with you when you’re in Sydney.
Thanks so much for the comment and kind words. Also a good reminder for me to update the dates in the post for the new year. Oops.
Lauren
Hi Lauren,
Planning to move to Australia (NSW )in june2022 .My son who is academically gifted would be 13 then. What are the chances for him to get into selective school then?
Really worried if he misses the chance to get into selective schools , as so far he is doing exceptionally well in academics .Will really appreciate your reply on the same.
Much Thanks
Hi Anna,
Applications for selective high schools are open from 21 June until 16 July 2021 for placements in Years 8 to 12 for 2022. Well that won’t work since you need to be a NSW resident at the beginning of the school year here in Australia to apply. He could apply for 2023 when you are a NSW resident. Unfortunately, he’s placement would be dependent on vacancies from students leaving the selective high school. So not impossible but also doesn’t sound great. Here’s a link to more info about the application process.
Sorry, wish I had better news for you.
This has been very helpful!!!
Many thanks.
Any advice on kids around 3yrs???what affordable options do I have for them as far as daycare is concerned ?
Affordable daycare options are not easy to find in Sydney, if they exist at all. Daycare in Sydney is expensive, shockingly so. I have a post about daycare in Sydney here that has more info and links to some resources to help you with your research.
Thanks for the information. I found most of it in one place :)
My son turns 5 in Jan-2020 and we have moved to NSW in Aug-2019. Is there any school/montessori/any other establishment which will enrol him for the 4 months before school starts in Jan-2020? He is used to going to school for 2 years already in India and cannot stay at home for these 4 months. I have been trying to find this information on other sites, but haven’t been very successful. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the information . My child goes to grade 6 from March in India and he is born on 21st December 2008 . How flexible the schools in Australia will be to accommodate him in grade 6 there as he does not want to repeat a year there if we are planning a move this year somewhere in May
Schools in NSW usually first look at the cutoff age of the new student for grade placement. Afterwards, it is possible to change grades, but only after the school gets to know the new student and at what level they are at. So it sounds like you want your child to be placed in 6th grade in Sydney when you move in May. Based on age only, your child will need to be 11 years old when you move to be placed in 6th grade. But again, that’s initial placement. Hope that helps.
A have an entry age question. What is the maximum age a child will be allowed to enrol in Year 10 in NSW government schools??
Interesting twist on the enrollment question. So if a child is 15 on or before July 31st, then they will most likely be placed in Year 10. If they turn 16 on August 1st, they will still be enrolled in Year 10. I would guess that the maximum age would then be 16. Schools in NSW look at age for initial placement, but that can change once the school gets to know the student better.
Thanks for ur great info…. plz reply to my ques that my son has to take admission in class 8 in Australia in 2019… is any entrance test thr for admission in school?
For public schools in NSW, placement of students is generally by age. There are entrance tests for Selective High Schools and for students moving to Sydney with English as a second language, year 6 and above, English proficiency is required. Private schools may have different requirements for new students. It depends on the school.
We are moving to Australia Feb 2019. My daughter turned 8 November 2018 and is halfway through second grade in the US. Will she go into grade 2 or 3? Do they usually place by age or academic level?
First, I need to point out that this post is specific to public schools in NSW and other states/territories in Australia may have a different age cut off date for academic school year. So for public school enrollment for NSW schools, your daughter will be 8 years old on or before July 31st, 2019. When you move to Sydney in February 2019, she will most likely be placed in 3rd grade. Public schools place students by age, but this doesn’t mean that your daughter cannot be moved into another grade, either up or down, once the teacher and school get to know you daughter and her academic level. If you feel your daughter needs to be moved into another grade, you can bring that up to with the teacher after a certain period of time.
This gives a lot of handy info that we need to know if we are planning to move our family to Sydney… Thanks a ton for the post ???
You’re welcome. I’m glad it was helpful.
Hello, this piece is quite helpful!!
My child turns 5 years by May, 2019. Does that mean she doesn’t get to be enrolled when school opens January 2019?
I plan to move to Sidney by march 2019 and have older kids who are primary school ready, will they be allowed to enroll into schools since schools would have resumed before we come in.
Looking forward to your reply as this will really relieve some anxieties I have right now.
Thank you.
Since she will turn five before July 31, you should be able to enrol her in Kindergarten in Sydney when you arrive in March. Your old children will be able to enrol in primary school also in March. You can enrol you kids in school at anytime of the year. Sorry that wasn’t clear in the post.