NZ is the only country where children can start school immediately on their 5th birthday. There is some talk of changing this to four entries per year, at the beginning of each school term after the child's 5th birthday. This would mean that some children could remain in Early Childhood Education for up to a few months after they are 5. There could be a cost implication for parents, but remember that 20 free hours is available until the child is 6.