Babies to Grade 12: what each level means
Daycare groups, Grade 000, 00 and R, and when school becomes compulsory.
South African schooling has more steps before Grade 1 than many parents expect. This guide explains each one and how SchoolPath works out the year your child would usually start.
Before school: babies, toddlers and playgroup
Daycares and play schools often group children as babies, toddlers and playgroup. Many daycares take babies from about 3 or 4 months old, and they often take children at any time of year rather than only in January.
There is no official age rule for these groups. SchoolPath counts back from Grade R to estimate the usual year, and marks these years as estimates. Each daycare sets its own ages, so check with the one you are interested in.
Grade 000, Grade 00 and Grade R
These are the preschool years, also called early childhood development (ECD).
- Grade 000 is usually the year a child turns 4.
- Grade 00 is usually the year a child turns 5.
- Grade R (the reception year) is the year before Grade 1.
Grade 000 and Grade 00 have no official age rules, so SchoolPath shows them as estimates. Grade R does have a rule: a child can start Grade R in the year they turn 5 by 30 June. Most children do Grade R in the year before Grade 1, and schools must give preference to children turning 6 by 30 June.
Grade 1
School is compulsory from the year a child turns 7. A child can start Grade 1 a year earlier if they turn 6 by 30 June.
If your child could start early, SchoolPath shows both years: the usual year and the earliest year. Starting early is a choice, not a requirement. Talk to your child's teacher or the school if you are unsure.
Primary school and high school
Primary school runs from Grade R or Grade 1 to Grade 7. High school starts with Grade 8, seven years after Grade 1, and ends with Grade 12, known as matric.
Some schools, called through schools, run from the early years all the way to Grade 12. Children usually move up inside the school without applying again, but check each school's rules.
Where these rules come from
The Grade R and Grade 1 rules come from the national age requirements for admission to public schools. You can read them on the Department of Basic Education website. Independent schools and preschools may set their own ages.