as far as i'm aware prep is still not compulsory In reality she is only "required" to start compulsory schooling at Gr 1 in 2015 but I believe unless you get appropriate authority (don't ask me who exactly that involves - teachers, child health, parents or combination) you personally can not just make the decision that she will be delayed a year and start prep in 2015 instead. prep is a full five days but at the majority of schools it is very play based with only a small amount of formal "teaching" (eg learning sounds - again in a play or activity like manner). My second child is a june baby and he is coping quite well at the level they are doing. he did attend kindy and childcare for a couple of days a week though in the year before prep and that certainly helped.