How this calculator works
School entry is decided by the date of birth and an entry rule, and the two countries on this page use different rules. In the United States, kindergarten entry is set by state law and often by the district: a common rule is that a child must turn five on or before 1 September, but other districts use 1 August, 31 August, 1 October or another date. In England, a child starts Reception in the September of the school year in which they turn five, which means a child born from September to December starts about five years later and a child born from January to August starts about four years later. The page assumes the school year begins in September and measures age on 1 September, then advances one stage per school year. It describes a standard progression; early admission, deferral, a skipped grade or a repeated grade changes the real answer.
Formula
the school year is September to August. Current school year = the as-of year if the as-of month is September to December, otherwise the previous year. For the United States, start year = the year the child turns five on or before the cutoff, otherwise the following year. For England, start year = birth year + 5 for births in September to December, and birth year + 4 for births in January to August. Stage index = current school year - start year.
Worked example
A child born on 15 October 2020 in a United States district with a 1 September cutoff turns five on 15 October 2025, after the cutoff, so kindergarten starts in 2026. On 1 November 2026 the child is in the 2026-2027 school year and in kindergarten, aged five on 1 September 2026. In England the same birth date falls in the September to December group, so Reception starts in 2025 and the child is in Year 1 during 2026-2027. A child born on 1 May 2020 in the same United States district turns five on 1 May 2025, before the cutoff, so kindergarten starts in 2025; on 1 October 2024 the child is not yet in kindergarten.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the kindergarten cutoff in my state?
It varies. Many states use 1 September, while others use 1 August, 31 August, 1 October, 1 December or another date, and some leave the decision to districts. The Education Commission of the States lists the state statutes, and your district is the final authority for a particular school.
How does the English Reception rule work?
Reception begins in September of the school year in which the child turns five. For the September 2025 intake, the cohort is children born from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021. A child can defer entry, but a Reception place is not guaranteed if they wait until the following year.
Why does the page use 1 September as the school year start?
Most schools in Canada, the United States and England begin the year in early September, so it is a reasonable common reference. A district that starts in August shifts the measured age by a few weeks, which can matter only when a birthday falls between the two starting dates.
What if the child is young or old for their grade?
The page reports the standard progression for the entry rule. A child who started early, was deferred, skipped a grade or repeated one will not match the timeline. Enter a known grade and school year on the what grade was I in year page to anchor the real progression.