When do children start school in Victoria?
In Victoria, children can start Foundation (prep) if they turn 5 by 30 April of that year and must be in school by age 6. Families of children born in the first months of the year often weigh up whether to start or wait another year.
The skills that matter most
Self-care
- Toileting independently, including managing clothing and washing hands
- Opening a lunchbox, containers and wrappers
- Putting on shoes, a jumper and a hat
Fine motor skills
- Holding a pencil and drawing simple shapes
- Using scissors and glue
- Writing or recognising their own name
Gross motor and body control
- Sitting on the floor or a chair for short periods
- Joining in with playground games and running, jumping and climbing
Regulation and social skills
- Separating from parents and coping with a new routine
- Following simple group instructions
- Taking turns, sharing and asking for help
- Coping with noise, crowds and transitions between activities
How a paediatric OT helps
- School readiness assessment: a clear picture of your child's strengths and the skills to work on
- Targeted play-based therapy: fine motor, self-care, attention and regulation
- Sensory strategies: for children who find noise, crowds or sitting still hard
- Transition planning: visual stories, visits and routines to prepare for the first weeks
- School liaison: recommendations for teachers, with your permission
Start early: the year before school is the ideal time. Starting OT in term 2 or 3 of kinder gives your child time to build skills before orientation days.
Get ready for school with OT
Exercare's occupational therapists visit children at home, kinder or school across north-east Melbourne and beyond, with no waitlist. One NDIS intake form gets you started.
Funding
If your child has an NDIS plan, paediatric OT is usually funded from Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living Skills (Category 15). For children younger than 9, families usually start with an NDIS early childhood partner. We can also complete a self-funded functional capacity assessment to support an NDIS application.
Evidence referenced in this article
- Enrolling in Foundation (Prep). Victorian Government.
- Starting primary school: autistic children. Raising Children Network.
Written by the Exercare allied health team. This article is general information only and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Exercare provides mobile exercise physiology and NDIS occupational therapy across south-east and eastern Melbourne.
Frequently asked questions
When can my child start school in Victoria?
Children can start Foundation if they turn 5 by 30 April of that year. School is compulsory from age 6.
Does my child need to read before starting school?
No. Teachers focus on independence, regulation and fine motor skills far more than reading at the start of Foundation.
When should we start OT for school readiness?
Ideally during the year before school, so there is time to build skills before orientation.
Can you help us decide whether to delay school?
An OT assessment can give you useful information about your child's skills to discuss with the kinder teacher and school.