Societal & Cultural Knowledge

Vocabulary related to educational system in the UK

This page describes the educational system in England. The educational system in the Uk differs from the educational systems in the other parts of Britain.

The English educational system is divided into primary, secondary and higher education Children are required to start school at the age of five. Compulsory education lasts until the age of sixteen. Most pupils transfer from primary to secondary education at the age of eleven.

Students may then continue their secondary studies for a further two years (sixth form), leading most typically to an A level qualification, although other qualifications and courses exist, including Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications and the International Baccalaureate.

Higher education typically begins with a 3-year Bachelor's Degree. Postgraduate degrees include Master's Degrees, either taught or by research, and Doctor of Philosophy, a research degree that usually takes at least 3 years.


The most common patterns for schooling in the state sector in England

Age on  31st Aug	Year	Curriculum  stage	Schools
3	Nursery	Foundation Stage	Nursery school
4	Reception		Infant school	Primary school	First school
5	Year 1	Key Stage 1
6	Year 2
7	Year 3	Key Stage 2	Junior school
8	Year 4
9	Year 5				Middle school
10	Year 6
11	Year 7	Key Stage 3	Secondary school	Secondary school with sixth form
12	Year 8
13	Year 9				Upper school or High school
14	Year 10	Key Stage 4 / GCSE
15	Year 11
16	Year 12 (Lower Sixth)	Sixth form / A level	Sixth form college
17	Year 13 (Upper Sixth)