Published on 9 June 2022

Enrolling in School for 2023 

It may feel a little early to be considering enrolling for the 2023 school year, however it is crucial this is done early. Many parents often consider 'when is the best time to enrol my child', below is some information to help understand navigating this process. 

  • If you are considering an Independent private school or perhaps a Catholic school, it is best to enquire as soon as possible. The spots are highly sought after and competitive, so you need to consider enrolling as early as possible as cut off times end roughly in March 2022;
  • If you are considering enrolling your child into a public school that is deemed ‘out of area’ you need to make an application from term two but before end of August 2022;
  • If your child with a disability requires additional learning and support needs, it is recommended to enrol in term two of 2022 (the year before starting school);
  • If your child with a disability needs wheelchair access or if there is a potential for other significant changes to the school environment that may be required, it is recommended to notify your selected public school in term two, at least two years before starting school;
  • Finally, if you are enrolling your child into your local ‘in area’ public school, applying between April and August 2022 is ideal, this will ensure your child won’t miss any important transition or orientation programs that are held in term four of 2022. Some schools may hold programs throughout the year, so enquiring as early as possible is best to ensuring your child doesn't miss out;
  • However, remember, whatever your circumstance, your local public school has to accept your child if they turn up on the first day. Although this is not an ideal situation for a variety of reasons.

If you’re not sure which school you fall into by area, check out the NSW Department of Education ‘school finder’ page. This will tell you the school your child should be attending and also give you details about each school.

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