On this page you can:
- obtain information about pre-school education (including nursery schools)
- understand the structure of primary and secondary education
- decide how to choose a school
- get information about what documents are needed to enrol
- find out about what is necessary when transferring a student from the UK to Portugal
- get information about international schools in Portugal and the UK
- find out about how to get advice in specific situations
- find out about spending one academic year of your secondary education course in the UK
- consult other useful websites
Q
How can I get information about pre-school education in the UK?
A
You can get information on pre-school education (sometimes known as 'early years education', 'nursery education' or 'pre-school education') in the UK by consulting the pages for parents and the particular country of the UK where you will reside or where you child will study:
Q
How long does compulsory education last in the UK?
A
In the UK, which includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, compulsory education lasts 11 years for pupils between the ages of 5 and 11 and is divided into primary and secondary education:
Primary Education
Primary education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 11.
- In England and Wales it lasts for 6 years (from 5 to 11 years old)
- In Scotland it lasts for 7 years (from 5 to 12 years old).
- In Northern Ireland it lasts for 7 years (from 4 to 11 years old).
Secondary Education
Secondary education is compulsory for pupils between the ages of 11 and 16. After 11 years of compulsory education (12 years in Northern Ireland), including secondary education, pupils take compulsory national exams: England, Wales and Northern Ireland – 'General Certificate of Secondary Education, GCSE'; Scotland – 'Standard Grade'
Find out more information about:
After compulsory education
After compulsory education, and before higher education, pupils attend two more years of regular or vocational technical education. The qualifications obtained after exams or the completion of equivalent courses, give access to higher education:
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland – 'General Certificate of Education, GCE 'Advanced level' ('A' level).
- Scotland – 'Access' (1,2 and 3), 'Intermediate' 1, 'Intermediate' 2, 'Higher' and 'Advanced Higher' exams. Find out more by consulting the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.
- UK and all over the world – IB Diploma (International Baccalaureate Diploma) is an alternative to 'A' levels offered by some schools, most of them international ones.
Compare qualifications from the whole of the UK by consulting the 'Qualifications Can Cross Boundaries' table.
Go to INCA (International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks Internet Archive) and choose ‘Comparative tables’, and find out more on the 'National Curriculum website'.
In Portugal, the comparisons can be found in the Decreto Lei 224/2006
Q
What should I do when choosing a primary or secondary school?
A
We suggest you take the following steps in your research:
1st - Location
Choose the region where you will live or where your child will study:
Find out about the specific characteristics of each of the four countries that make up the UK – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – by consulting 'Where to study in the UK' in 'Your study options' at 'Education UK' and the 'VisitBritain' site.
Although the pdf document 'Studying and Living in the UK' available on the 'Education UK' site in 'Study advice' and after in 'Useful reading', is not specifically for those looking for schools in the UK, it may be useful to consult the 'Study options' and 'Cultural issues' chapters, as well as the UK map.
We also recommend that you consult the British Council page about living England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
You may wish to consult the following BBC pages about England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
2nd - Consider the different types of schools:
Non-residential: state ('state funded schools') or private ('private', 'public schools' or 'independent').
Boarding: state ('state funded schools') or private ('private', 'public schools' or 'independent').
3rd - Help choosing schools, consulting country-specific pages:
You can also consult the following sites:
4th - Making contact
Q
Should I start by contacting the schools directly?
A
Yes, if you know which school your child is going to attend. If not, we recommend that you contact the local authorities of the region where you are going to live in order to get information about the schools and enrolment procedures.
Q
What are 'Local Authorities'?
A
Local Authorities (LAs), 'Education and Library Boards' in Northern Ireland, are part of local administration and are responsible for pre-school education, schools, adult education and services for young people.
Their responsibilities in the area of education include support for special education, school access and transport, school development, action regarding school failure, education for excluded students and pupil welfare. Some 'LAs' also deal with school admissions.
Find out more by consulting 'ParentsCentre'.
Q
How do I contact the 'Local Authorities'?
A
After selecting the region where you are going to live, simply consult one of the following pages:
Q
What school documents are necessary for enrolment at the school?
A
A certificate indicating the pupils qualifications is necessary or, in the case of primary school, a declaration from the school about their education. Please confirm with the British school if the qualifications' certificate or declaration can be accepted in Portuguese or if it is necessary to supply an authenticated translation. Schools generally accept the documents in Portuguese as pupils are placed based on age.
We do not translate or authenticate qualification documents. For more information, see our Portugal/UK equivalencies page.
Q
My child is attending a school in the UK but wishes to transfer to a school in Portugal. What do I have to do?
A
It is recommended that you contact the school your child will attend in Portugal in order to find out what is needed for enrolment and if documents in English will be accepted.
Understand the structure of the British education system better consulting the comparative table between the compulsory and secondary education systems in the UK and Portugal, published by the Ministry of Education in the Diário da República D.R. I Série-B, on 08/03/2006.
Q
What happens if the documents in English are not accepted?
A
For more information, see our Portugal/UK equivalencies page.
Q
What should I do with the declaration?
A
You should present the declaration to the school your child will attend in Portugal.
Q
Where can I get information about schools that follow the British national curriculum or the international curriculum and where they are found?
A
You can get this information by consulting the 'Council of International Schools' site. Simply specify which country you are interested in.
Q
Can I get advice on choosing a school, including special education schools?
A
You can use the services of Educational Consultants, who will give you advice about choosing a school according to your child's situation. This service sometimes incurs a fee. You can consult the 'Local Authorities' (LAs) for contact details or search the Internet with the words educational+consultants+uk or educational+consultants+special+needs+uk.
You can also consult the country-specific websites for information for parents:
Q
I would like to spend one academic year of my secondary education course in the UK.Where can I find information?
A
To find information about spending an academic year in the UK as part of your secondary education course you may search google.pt: *ano academico* *reino unido*.
Ministries of Education in the UK:
England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Quality Assurance in Schools
Consult other useful websites
Dyslexia: 'British Dyslexics'
Special Education: 'National Bureau for Students with Disabilities'
Gifted Children: 'The National Association for Gifted Children'
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