What Grade Will My Child Be In?
Enter a birth date to see your child’s grade, year by year.
Public schools follow the DBE admission ages: Grade R at four turning five, and Grade 1 at five turning six, by 30 June. Independent schools set their own rules, and many publish a “year of entry” table, so check yours and choose the matching option above.
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How it works
Public schools in South Africa admit children to Grade 1 in the year they turn six, as long as they turn six on or before 30 June. A child with a birthday from 1 July onwards waits a year and starts in the year they turn seven.
Many independent schools use a different rule. A common one groups children by the calendar year they were born and starts Grade 1 in the year the child turns seven, so a child born in March 2019 starts Grade 1 in 2026 rather than 2025. Choose “Private: by birth year” for that, or “Private: other rule” to set your school’s own cut-off.
Grade R follows the same cut-off, one year earlier. From Grade 1, the calculator counts one grade per year up to Grade 12, assuming your child isn’t held back or moved ahead.
Looking up a whole year? See the grade tables for children born in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.
The ages come from the Department of Basic Education admissions page.
Figures last checked against official sources on .
Questions
How old must my child be to start Grade 1 in South Africa?
For public schools, the Department of Basic Education requires a child to be five turning six by 30 June of the year they start Grade 1.
How old must my child be for Grade R?
A child must be four turning five by 30 June of the year they start Grade R.
My child’s birthday is in July. When do they start?
A child who turns six after 30 June is too young for Grade 1 that year, so they start the following year, when they turn seven.
Do private schools follow the same rule?
Not always. Independent schools set their own admission policies. Some use the same 30 June cut-off, while others group children by birth year and start Grade 1 in the year a child turns seven, which can be a year later for children born from January to June. Choose your school’s rule in the calculator, and confirm with the school.