Mum2R - What state are you in (don't worry about answering if you don't feel comfortable)? The state that you are in makes a difference to how old your kids will be when they start school.

In Queensland the school year is based on birthdays from 1 July to 30th June either having already turned 5 (if their birthdays fall in the last half of the year) or about to turn 5 (if their birthdays fall in the first half of the year).

Kids who have turned 5 or about to turn 5, start prep. They start grade one a year later (either just having turned 6 or about to turn 6).

Prep is not compulsory in Queensland but kids that don't do it would start well behind everyone else in grade one. All it means is that if there aren't enough places available, school don't have to take students into prep. Completely sucks!

Prep is also full time and has only replaced a half time pre-school program in the last 3 years. The age of each grade was also done on birthdays 1 January to 31st of December so Qld has seen significant changes in the last few years to try and pull it inline with other states, but still a completely different system to other places.

I agree Trill, a national schooling program would be good.