In NSW, every child is entitled to be enrolled at the government school that is designated for the intake area within which the child's home is situated, and that the child is eligible to attend.
The NSW Department of Education is the government department that oversees school services within the state.
Find a NSW Government preschool or kindergarten
Preschools are government approved services and provide early education and care for children aged between 3 and 6. Some are licensed to take children as young as 2 years of age.
The majority of preschools operate in line with public school terms, but can have varying attendance patterns.
Most preschools are community-based not-for-profit services. They employ professional teachers and educators who run their programs, and manage the preschool in collaboration with parents on the management committee.
You can use the online tool to find preschools or kindergartens that are stand alone or part of a school. You can search by location (state, region, suburb, town, or postcode).
Enrol in a NSW government preschool
A preschool provides educational programs for children the year before they start kindergarten. The NSW government currently runs preschool classes in 100 government schools, predominantly catering for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The school year begins late-January/early-February. You can enrol your child at the beginning of the school year if they turn 4 on, or before, 31 July that year.
The NSW Department of Education website has a section on preschool enrolments with all the information you should require to enrol.
More information
- Commemorative birth certificates are not acceptable.
- The enrolment application form must be completed in English. Translations of the form are available to help you, if required.
- Fees for preschool classes vary across the government schools and are set according to the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) value of the school.
- Applications for the next school year are taken from Term 2 onwards of the current school year.
Find a NSW public primary school or high school
If you're looking for a NSW public school close to your home, you can use the online School Finder tool to search by:
- level of schooling (primary or secondary)
- enrolment area
- individual school.
Depending on the information you enter, the tool will display your home address and local school enrolment area, on a map. You can then select a school icon and get general and specific information such as the school's contact details and transport routes.
By applying the filters available, you can also search for individual features such as:
- primary schools:
- outside school hours care
- opportunity classes.
- secondary schools:
- academically selective
- defined gender
- specialty, such as creative and performing arts, sports
- those with intensive English centres.
Enrol in a NSW public primary school
NSW government primary schools educate children from kindergarten to year 6, and the school year begins late-January/early-February.
You can enrol your child in kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn 5 on or before 31 July that year. They must be enrolled by their sixth birthday.
Public schools are free to attend for Australian citizens and permanent residents.
Schools can assist with enrolment inquiries throughout the year.
The NSW Department of Education has all the information you should require to enrol.
Enrol in a NSW public high school
NSW government high schools educate children from year 7 to year 12, and the school year begins late-January/early-February.
The Year 6 to Year 7 transition expression of interest process takes place during Year 6.
Public schools are free to attend for Australian citizens and permanent residents.
Primary schools manage the annual Year 6 to 7 transition into high school process using the Department's online enrolment system.
High schools can assist with enrolment enquiries throughout the year.
The NSW Department of Education has all the information you should require to enrol.