Schools in the UK can be either state funded or independent. State funded schools in the UK are administered by LEAs (Local Education Authorities).

Primary education

In the UK children begin school at 5 years old. Primary school lasts 7 years, after which pupils go on to secondary school at the age of 11.

Secondary education

Secondary school is compulsory from 11 to 16 years old. At the end of this period, pupils take their GCSE (General Certifiate of Education) examinations, which generally take 2 years to prepare. After this, pupils can stay on for another 2 years and then sit their A Levels, which are necessary to continue to university level.

KEY STAGES

British school education up to the age of 16 is divided into Key Stages:

key stage 1: up to 7 years old

key stage 2: 7-11 years old

key stage 3: 11-14 years old (pre-GCSE)

key stage 4: 14-16 years old (preparation for GCSEs)

For information about the school programme up to the age of 16, have a look at the national curriculum website at www.nc.uk.net. For details about the A Level curriculum look at the site www.edexcel.org.uk.

For more detailed information on the British school system, look at our information sheet.