Wow this is a lot of infomation. Its very much appreciated.
I always wondered what years freshman & Sophomores were.
I will definatly have a look at some Preschools in the San Carlos/ Redwood city area & if you know of any with a good reputation I have open ears for all the info I can soak up.
Also if others are reading this and have any info on what the cost of pre school would be or even can recommend a preschool in the area and or have had pleasent experiences from in the past. This would be of great value to me to know where to start looking.

Thanks again for your helpful insite to how it all works.
Kindregards
Kiddlywinks

Greetings! I've been to NZ and Fiji, but haven't yet made it to Australia...It's on my list of places to visit someday! Anyway, I don't live in San Carlos (I'm near Chicago, IL) however I can give you a general overview of the U.S. education system:

Much of the confusion comes from the fact that public and private schools both operate "side by side" in the U.S.; Another confusing thing is that every state can set up its own guidelines for public schools, so long as they follow federal regulations.

A simplified explanation about private schools versus public is that parents pay tutition at private schools, but the public schools are mostly funded through taxes paid by a big community, and not just from the family of the student who is going to the school. Private schools may set their own rules, if they don't receive any government funding. For example, they may not have the same age restrictions for a child to begin to attend school, as a public school does. PUBLIC schools in the U.S. are generally intended to provide for the education of students from grades Kindergarten through 12th, which is typically age 5 to 18.

Some states will say that kindergarten is optional, however children must begin to attend school by the time they turn age 7. A few states do provide public preschool opportunities for 3 & 4 year olds. There are exceptions, though, because there is also a provision for children who might have learning disabilities, to be able to get public help even before that. AS A PARENT, YOU MIGHT FIND PRIVATE PRESCHOOL AND DAYCARE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN FROM INFANCY ON UP TO AGE 5, but unless your child is disabled, you will have to pay for them yourself.

Once your child is old enough to enroll in Kindergarten (generally the child must turn age 5 by a certain date, like Sept. 1st) then if you want your child to attend a PUBLIC school, they will be considered in elementary school through the end of 5th or 6th grade. (Again, it seems to depend on the state/school district.) In a few places (usually less populated areas) there may be grammar schools that include grades K-8th all in one building. Middle school, which is also called "Junior High," is usually 7th & 8th grade, although a few schools also include 9th grade in the same building. MOST people consider high school to be grades 9th-12th; 9th graders are called Freshmen, 10th graders are Sophomores, 11th graders are Juniors, and 12th graders are high school Seniors.

After high school, there is no obligation that the government has to continue to pay for a child's education. If a parent wants the child to attend college/university classes, it is up to them to pay tuition again, although a bright student may be able to get scholarships and other financial grants to reduce the out-of-pocket costs.

I hope this helps explain things for you. Basically, most children attend private preschools part-time beginning around age 3, as most schools also require that the children be toilet-trained. Daycare centers will handle younger children, even in diapers. You might be interested in joining the Parents of Preschoolers Group at community.greatschools.net/groups/11534