Starting School in the Canada
Key Points
- Children in most Canadian provinces start school if they have turned 5 by a specific cut-off date, which varies by province.
- The first year of school is called Kindergarten in most provinces.
- In most states, the cut-off date is aligned to the calendar year, so children start in the year they turn 5.
Preschool
A child’s early education in Canada starts with preschool or daycare, which can begin from ages 2-3 years up until the child is 5.Preschool in Canada is not part of the formal government education system and is run by childcare centres, daycares, nurseries, or playgroups. There is no formal curriculum for preschool.
All provinces in Canada offer some form of subsidy to assist with the costs of preschool.
Primary School
Primary school in Canada generally starts with Kindergarten, where children start in the year they turn 5. The specific cut-off date for eligibility varies by province.
For example, In Ontario, children must turn 4 by December 31st to start Junior Kindergarten that year. While in Quebec children must be 5 years old by 30th of September to start in that year.
Parents in some provinces have the option to defer the start date until their child is 6 years old, which is when compulsory education begins.
Secondary School
Secondary school in Canada typically commences with Grade 7 or Grade 8, depending on the province, and runs through to Grade 12.
Most children start secondary school at the age of 11 or 12 years old. Secondary runs for 6 years and finishes most commonly when the child is 18 years old.
In most provinces, secondary school starts at age 12 or 13 and finishes when the student is 17 or 18 years old.
School Term Calendar
The school year in Canada generally starts in early September each year and runs through to the end of June the following year.
The school year is typically divided into two semesters or three terms, depending on the province, with breaks for holidays such as Winter Break in December and March Break in the spring.