By law, children in England must attend school from the age of 5 to 16, although many start earlier at the age of 3 and extend their education further to 18, before entering university or college. Nine out of ten children in the UK are educated in the state system, which is funded by the government. The rest is educated in one of the "private" or "independent" schools (the most exclusive private schools like Eton and Harrow are confusingly called Public schools, which should not be confused with state schools, and education in Public schools is certainly not free!) Schools are called slightly differently in the "state" and "private"/ "independent" systems of education, however, the UK education system is generally divided into nursery (ages 3-4), primary education (ages 4-11), secondary education (ages 11-18) and tertiary education (ages 18+).
State education / state schools system
Most state schools, especially at the primary education level, include both girls and boys as pupils. These schools can be either non-denominational schools or church schools (i.e. catholic schools, Church of England school, Jewish schools etc). All state primary schools must follow the National Curriculum set by the government and enter pupils to sit the National Curriculum Tests (SATS) at certain ages.
Any child aged between 5 and 16 can attend state school in the UK as long as his parents are in the UK on a long-term visa (which includes work visa, business visas and student visas for more than 6 months). If the parents are based outside the UK, children under the age of 16 can only attend private boarding schools.
Independent Education / Private schools system
In the independent sector, private schools can be girls only and boys only schools, although now there is a definite trend to go co-educational. Unlike in the state sector, private schools are free to set their own curriculum and to decide whether or not they take part in National Curriculum Tests. An increasing number are choosing not to, and what this means in reality is that private schools pupils enjoy a broader, more varied curriculum that is not over-burdened with constant testing and the need to follow rigidly laid courses. Added to this class sizes are much smaller than in state primary schools, typically about 15 pupils in a class, so that teachers can give more time and attention to individual needs.
Private schools can be either day schools, "weekly boarding" schools (where pupils live during the week but go home for the weekend) or "boarding" schools (were pupils only go home during holidays). Most weekly boarding and boarding schools start from the age of 11, however some start from the ages of 7 or 9.
The school year is divided into 3 terms (autumn, spring and summer) with long holidays between the terms (which are usually called Christmas and Easter holidays) and "half-term" holidays in the middle of the term. The school year start in the beginning of September and finishes in summer, with the end of the school year being different for state and private schools: all state schools usually finish around 20 July, however private schools can set their own dates and may finish the school year at any time between the end of June and the end of July. Quite often private schools also have extended Christmas and Easter holidays, and the dates for private schools half-term holidays may vary from school to school.
Nursery Education (Ages 3-4)
This is the time when English kids can (but do not have to) start their nursery school. A nursery school is effectively a kindergarten and the emphasis is on group work, creative activity and guided play.
State nursery education only becomes available when a child reaches the age of 3, and a child can therefore start a nursery school in either autumn, spring or summer term, depending on when he reaches the required age. The admission process for state nursery schools depend on the rules of the relevant local authority (i.e. the area of England where the child is living) and may differ from one to another. It is important to remember though, that some UK local authorities require an application for a nursery place to be submitted more than a year before the child actually starts the nursery school. Failure to submit an application in time may result in the child not getting the place in a desired school and being put in on a waiting list.
Private nursery school can start as early as at the age of 2 and the admission process is different from school to school, with some schools requiring the application form to be submitted even before the birth of the child.
Primary Education
Ages 4-6 and 7-11(13)
State education / state schools system
In the state schools system at the age of 4 children start either an "infant school" or a "primary school", which will be a combined infant (4-6 years) and junior (7-11 years) school.
A child will start Reception class (i.e. the first year in either infant or primary school) when he turns the age of 4 and an application process for the place in Reception usually starts 6 months in advance, i.e. in the beginning of January of the year the child will start Reception class. Unfortunately gaining a place in a good state nursery school does not guarantee a place in the infant school of the same school. And although there are a number of very good state primary schools in England, there are a number of not so good schools as well, and all good schools are unsurprisingly very oversubscribed.
To get the child into the desired state primary school, it is usually necessary to live as close to the school as possible, and in any event within the relevant school's catchment area (although the admission criteria may be different from school to school so it is important to check them for the particular school first). For church schools, it is almost always necessary (i) that the child is baptised in the relevant faith and attends the Sunday school at the affiliated church; and (ii) the parents attend the church at least twice a month for the 2 years immediately prior to the application form being submitted.
Schooling from ages 4 to 6 is called Key Stage 1 in England: children start Reception at the age of 4, transfer from Reception to Year 1 at the age of 5 and then continue to Year 2 at the age of 6.
At the age of 7, Key Stage 2 and proper learning begins - children start Year 3 and continue to Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 respectively. This is when some children transfer from infant school to junior school; however this is usually a straight-forward process because most infant schools are affiliated with junior schools nearby.
This time is also considered to be a good time to move schools because there are often more places in the Year 3 of a junior school than in a Year 2 of an infant school. The admission process here is similar to the admission process to Reception and it is important to live as close as possible to the school for non-denominational schools or to attend church regularly for church schools.
Independent Education / Private schools system
The equivalent of an infant school in the private sector is called a "Pre-Prep" school (for ages 4-6/7) which is then followed by a "Prep" or "Preparatory" school until the age of 11 or 13. Some independent schools mirror their state school counterparts but 8 is the traditional age for transition from Pre-Prep to Prep-school. It is also the youngest age at which most schools will accept boarders.
The word "Preparatory" relates to independent schools whose original purpose was to "prepare" pupils for entry to Public Schools on a competitive basis - by passing the Common Entrance Exam at ages 11, 12 or 13. However, there has been a major expansion of UK independent education and these days the schools are a lot more flexible in meeting the needs of parents and their children. The words "Public School" usually relate to the old traditional schools like Eton and Harrow, however, nowadays there are considerably more private schools and the term "independent school" is more generic now - there are well over 1000 Preps/Pre-Preps in the independent sector in England now.
The admission process is different for various private schools.
For some Pre-Preps and Preps it would be enough to simply register the child for the place (although sometimes this registration may need to happen even prior to the child being born, and for some most popular schools immediately after the conception).
For other Prep Schools, children need to sit Entrance tests in order to be admitted.
At the younger ages of 3 and 4 most Preps and Pre-Preps will just want to interview the parents and the child prior to making an offer. Often they will invite the parents to let the child spend a half day in a normal class, and the school will be observing if the child fits seamlessly into a class of children of similar ages.
For entry ages of 7 or 8 and older, Preps might start requesting entry tests before considering admission. These are likely to focus primarily on English but may also take into account general knowledge and maths. There is no standard approach here, so it is necessary to contact the relevant school well in advance of admission.
Even though the most important part of the education is the secondary school, choosing the right Prep school is very important. If the parents have their sights set on a particular senior school only, they might wish to find a Prep school which acts as a feeder school to the chosen senior school. And choosing a right senior school may the most important decision in life for the child - researchers have recently found that just five schools in England sent more pupils to Oxford and Cambridge over three years than nearly 2,000 others combined!
Eight is a key age for those considering elite independent senior schools. Schools may say it's a simple matter of taking verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests for which you cannot prepare; but the burgeoning of books, web-sites and tuition companies, promising success in the 11+ exam, show this advice is universally ignored. Entry particularly to boys' senior schools is from 13 but by age 10 a few leading ones have closed their books completely. If Eton, Radley et al are high on your list, start arranging visits when the child is 8. There are some official and unofficial entry criteria for the schools and it is worth considering all of them.
Ten is the perfect age to register for most other independent senior schools. By this age both parents and the Prep school (if chosen correctly) will have a fair idea not only of where the child's talents lie but also the type of environment that best suits him. If you are to choose the right school for your child make the most of all the opportunities to research schools - open evenings are a great starting point and will give a feel for a school.
Secondary Education
Age 11-13
State education / state schools system
Eleven is the prime time for most children in state schools to complete Key Stage 2, be tested and transfer to secondary school, regardless of result.
Most secondary state schools include both girls and boys as pupils, however there are a number of all-boys and all-girls state schools as well. These schools can again be either non-denominational schools or church schools (i.e. catholic schools, Church of England school, Jewish schools etc) and in most cases church schools have better results and much better discipline. There are also a number of selective schools at secondary level.
Effectively, all state secondary schools can be divided into:
1 - Comprehensive schools (admission is usually by distance from home to the school gate);
2 - Partially selective comprehensive schools (a percentage of pupils is admitted by test and/or music, arts or sports examination; the rest is admitted by distance from home to the school gate);
3 - Grammar schools (admission is only by test - usually maths and verbal/non-verbal reasoning, and sometimes essay);
4 - Church schools (admission is usually dependent on the child"s faith and attendance of mass in the relevant church by both the child and the parents for several years prior to the application deadline).
There are also a number of State Boarding Schools where the education is funded by the government, but the boarding element must be paid for. Admission to these schools is usually in accordance with the relevant school"s admission criteria, although in general State boarding schools select boarders according to boarding need and suitability to board, and the address of the child plays a big part in it (local children are given preference).
Unlike primary schools where there are many good and even excellent state primary schools, finding a good secondary school is a big issue, and inevitably most of the best state secondary schools are Grammars. The competition for entry into a grammar school is very strong (in some of the best ones, it can be more than 10 applicants for one place!) and only the brightest and best get in.
Independent Education / Private schools system
Same as in the state system, at the age of 11 most children will move schools - from Prep school to Independent Senior Schools.
Some schools though (mainly boys schools) only start at the age of 13, and if parents have their mind set on such a school (which are often the most elitist ones, such as Eton or Harrow) it is important to choose a right Prep School that not only continues until the child reaches 13, but also prepares for the 13+ Common Entrance examinations, which are more serious than the 11+ examinations are.
The Common Entrance examinations are used for assessing pupils who transfer from Prep Schools to Independent Senior Schools at ages 11+ and 13+ and are regulated by The Independent Schools Examination Board. The exam papers are set by examiners appointed by the Board. The answers are marked by the Independent Senior School for which a candidate is entered. All candidates must take compulsory papers in the core subjects, English, Mathematics and Science. In addition most Independent Senior Schools expect candidates to also take the exam papers in Geography, History, Religious Studies and a language. Candidates usually take the Common Entrance examination at their own school in the UK and overseas. If a candidate does not have English as a first language then bilingual dictionaries can be used in Mathematics, Science and Humanities. They are also allowed up to 25% extra time if they have not studied in an English speaking school for more than two years.
Scholarship candidates are selected by the Independent Senior Schools and they are required to sit the Common Entrance Scholarship Examination at the relevant senior school. Schools set differing standards / pass marks for entrance. Some schools use their own test papers. The Head of the child"s Prep School will usually know the requirements for the target Senior School (provided it is a good Prep school of course).
Information, registration forms and Common Entrance subject syllabuses for Independent Senior Schools need to be obtained in advance, and it is important not to miss the deadline for registration for the exam - this deadline in some schools can be as early as 3 years in advance!
Age 14-16
This is when the courses leading to GCSEs start.
GCSE (The General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14-16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some students may decide to take one or more GCSEs before or afterwards (most Russian pupils usually take a GCSE in Russian in advance, often as soon as they start secondary school). The International version of the GCSE is the IGCSE, which can be taken anywhere in the world, and which includes additional options, for example relating to coursework and the language used. Some schools in England now offer IGCSE as an alternative to GCSE, but this is not widespread yet, and there is no research as to which qualification is preferable by the leading universities.
In secondary schools, GCSE courses are taken in a variety of subjects, which are usually decided by the students themselves at the end of Year 9. The study of chosen subjects for GCSE begins at the start of Year 10 (age 14-15), although some subjects start earlier, for example Maths, English and Science, mainly because these courses are too long to be taught within the traditional 2 years. Final examinations are then taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16). The number of subjects a student studies at GCSE level can vary. Usually somewhere between eight and ten subjects are studied, though it is not uncommon for more, or fewer, subjects to be studied.
At the end of the two-year GCSE course, candidates receive a grade for each subject that they have sat. The pass grades, from highest to lowest, are: A* (pronounced 'A-star'), A, B, C, D, E, F, G and U.
GCSEs are part of the National Qualifications Framework. A GCSE at grades D-G is a Level 1 qualification, while a GCSE at grades A*-C is a Level 2 qualification. As one would expect, GCSEs at A*-C (Level 2) are much more desirable, and most universities will not even consider any grades below C (although it has to be added that even C will be unacceptable for good universities anyway, and the best universities will only consider pupils with straight A* and A).
Those who fail a course are given a U (unclassified) and the subject is not included on their certificates.
In many subjects, there are two different 'tiers' of examination offered:
Higher, where students can achieve grades A*-E, or a U
Foundation, where they can achieve grades C-G, or a U.
In most schools, pupils will be divided into groups by ability in the subject, and often only several "top" groups will be taught at a level which will allow them to take the Higher tier of examination, the rest will follow the course of studying which will lead only to the Foundation tier. It is not unheard of the cases where a clever pupil has been put into the lower ability group, for example, in maths (either because the child was feeling unwell on the day all pupils took an ability test and could not perform well; or, even more often, an international student misunderstood the task or used the methods learned at school in his country of origin and the results of his calculation were not counted), was number one in his class all the way through until the exam and then only received a grade C (which means all leading universities are closed to him) simply because the Foundation tier exam is different from the Higher tier exam, and it is impossible to get any higher grade than C.
Accordingly, it is very important for the parents (and children themselves) to watch carefully to what ability group in the subject the child was allocated and to what tier of the examination will the course they are studying lead to.
State education / state schools system
In state secondary schools, GCSEs are compulsory in the core subjects, i.e. in English, mathematics, science and physical education. Students must also study some form of information communication technology (ICT), and citizenship, although these subjects do not have to be taught for any examination (or even be discrete lessons).
For the reasons above, virtually all students take GCSEs in English, mathematics and science. In addition, many schools also require that students take English literature, at least one modern foreign language, at least one design and technology subject, religious education (often a short, or 'half', course), and ICT. Students can then fill the remainder of their timetable (normally totalling ten different subjects) with their own choice of subjects. Short Course GCSEs (worth half a regular GCSE) or other qualifications can also be taken, although these are not advisable for those considering a university.
Independent Education / Private schools system
Private schools do not have to follow the national curriculum which is compulsory in state schools, but usually set their own compulsory GCSE subjects which, as a standard, include English and English Literature, Mathematics, Triple Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) and a Foreign Language. Most private schools have a good range of optional CGSEs to choose from, including different Foreign Languages (the usual of French, German, Spanish and more rare one, such as Russian, Arabic, Latin and Greek) History, Geography, Computer Science, Religious Studies, Drama, Design Technology, Art and Music.
Start of the GCSE is the last chance for those not satisfied with their child"s current school to move schools, as it is very rare for a good school to accept a pupil in the middle of a GCSE course. Private schools differ a lot, and it is extremely important to choose the correct one for the child at the outset.
Age 17-18
Compulsory education currently ends at age of 16, though many pupils stay on beyond the minimum leaving age and continue to the so-called Sixth Form to do A-levels or the IB.
Sixteen is also a popular time to transfer from school to college or from one school to another -it is a popular time for girls to swap single-sex girls education for co-ed. Boys change schools at this stage too, but usually to pursue a course of choice - perhaps linear rather than modular A-levels or the IB.
A-level (The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education) is the highest school qualification offered by the schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A-levels are studied over a two-year period and are recognised as the standard for assessing the suitability of applicants for academic courses in English, Welsh, and Northern Irish universities. The passing grades for A-levels are A*, A, B, C, D and E.
A-levels differ between the "traditional" ones (such as English and Maths) and the newer, more vocational ones (such as Business or Media Studies, Psychology, Law and Accounting). They also differ between linear (a two-year course with one set of exams at the end) and modular ones.
A modular A-level consists of four (or six for natural sciences) modules studied over two years. Normally, two modules are assessed in the first year, and make up a stand-alone qualification called the "AS-level" (or Advanced Subsidiary level). Another two modules are assessed at the end of the second year, which make up the "A2". A2 modules do not form a qualification in their own right; the satisfactory completion of the AS and A2 modules in the same subject is required to constitute a complete A-level. Modules are assessed by exam papers marked by national organisations and internally assessed coursework.
The number of A-level exams taken by students can vary. A typical route is to study four subjects at the first year and then drop down to three at A2 level, although some students continue with their fourth subject. Three is usually the minimum number of A-levels required for university entrance, with some universities specifying the need for a fourth AS subject. There is no limit on the number of A-levels one can study, some students do obtain five or more A-levels (although this depends on the school - some do not allow taking more than 4 subjects). It is permissible to take A-levels in languages one already speaks fluently, or courses with overlapping content.
The IB (The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - IBDP) is a two-year educational programme that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by a group of international educators. Administered by the International Baccalaureate (IB), the IBDP is currently taught in English, French or Spanish. In order to participate in the IBDP, students must attend an IB school. IBDP students complete assessments in six subjects from the six different subject groups, and complete three core requirements. Subjects are assessed using both internal and external assessments, and courses finish with an externally assessed series of examinations, usually consisting of two or three timed written examinations. Internal assessment varies by subject (there may be oral presentations, practical work, or written works) and in most cases is initially graded by the classroom teacher, whose grades are then verified or modified, as necessary, by an appointed, external moderator.
Generally the IBDP has been well received. It has been commended for introducing interdisciplinary thinking to students. In the United Kingdom, The Guardian newspaper claims that the IBDP is "more academically challenging and broader than three or four A-levels"; however, a pledge to allow children in all areas to study the IBDP was shelved amid concerns that a "two-tier" education system was emerging as the growth in IB was driven by private schools and sixth form colleges.
The IB is mainly taught by private schools in the independent sector; only one state school in England currently offers the IB program to its students.
The choice of school at this age is even more important - the student and his parents need to factor in the perfect course and ensure option choices are possible and viable. Linear, modular, vocational...a minefield to be passed with care; the exploding curriculum highlights key choices, their benefits and pit-falls.
A wrong decision at this stage can have significant consequences for future degree and career choices. If a child is aiming for Oxbridge it must avoid (barring the odd exception) 'studies' and 'ologies'. If a career in the media beckons, English is likely to open more doors than the less taxing 'media studies', and economics will lead to greater entrepreneurial opportunities than business studies... So subjects and subject combinations need to be carefully considered at this stage!
State education / state schools system
At this stage, pupils who decide to do A-levels can either stay in their existing school for Year 12 and Year 13 (provided the school offers the A-level course and the required subjects) or move to a different school or a Sixth Form College.
A Sixth Form College is an educational institution in England where students typically study for A-levels. There are currently over 90 sixth form colleges in operation in England and Wales. Most perform extremely well in national examination league tables. In addition, they offer a broader range of courses at a lower cost per student than most secondary schools.
Independent Education / Private schools system
Almost all private schools offer either A-levels or the IB, and some schools even the choice between the two. It is fairly common to move schools at this stage and the choice of subjects on offer and a number of university offers to pupils of a particular school are to be taken into account.