School start calculator
When will my child start school?
How Scottish school starting ages work
In Scotland, children born between 1 March and the end of the following February start P1 together, in August. That makes most children between 4½ and 5½ when they start. Children whose 5th birthday falls after the first day of the August term and by the end of February can defer P1 for a year, and they get an extra year of funded early learning and childcare.
Secondary starts with S1 after P7. National 5 exams are usually sat in S4, Highers in S5 and Advanced Highers in S6.
About the grown-up milestones
University, career, home buying and pension dates are illustrations, not predictions. We use a four-year Scottish honours degree, the average first-time buyer age in Scotland (about 30), and the State Pension age under current law (68 for anyone born after April 1977), which the government is reviewing.
Always confirm start dates and deferral with your council. Next: find schools near you or see the league tables.