School year calculator
England admissions use a 1 September cutoff: a child starts Reception in the September after their fourth birthday, and the school year runs from 1 September to 31 August. BabyData works out the September your child starts Reception and the academic year from their date of birth. Summer-born children (April to August) are the youngest in their year, and parents can ask the local authority about delaying entry. This is an England guide; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different cutoffs, so confirm with your local authority admissions team.
When will my child start school?
The September your child starts Reception and the England school year, from their date of birth.
How this is worked out
England admissions use a 1 September cutoff. A child starts Reception in the September after their fourth birthday, and the school year runs from 1 September to 31 August. A child born on or before 31 August belongs to that year's intake; a child born on or after 1 September moves into the next school year.
School year window = 1 September to 31 August
Reception starts the September after the child turns 4
Children born in the summer (April to August) are the youngest in their year. Parents of summer-born children can ask to delay entry to the following Reception year; talk to your local authority about that.
An England guide. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use different cutoffs and dates. Always confirm with your local authority admissions team.
Names and Family Data Desk, BabyData
BabyData's editorial desk builds and documents the tools, citing the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind every number. Pregnancy-related tools are editorially reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.
Last reviewed: 12 June 2026