The education system in the UK covers a wide range of subjects, from primary education to secondary education and higher education. In this article, we explain some of the key features of the UK education system, including the age and grade children are learning, as well as the exams pupils take across the country. Here are some key features of the UK education system, including age, school level, education level and number of pupils in each class. [Sources: 0, 2, 5]
The education system in the UK is divided into three main categories: primary education, secondary education and higher education. The country borders the North East, South East and South West of England and Wales, as well as the Midlands and North West. [Sources: 1, 10]
In England and Wales, the national curriculum is for all children under five, but in Northern Ireland there is something called the Common Curriculum and in Scotland it is almost equivalent. Is the Curriculum of Excellence program. In Scotland, children attend schools under the auspices of the National Education Service (NES) or the Education and Training Board (EYFS). These schools are state-funded state schools, unlike those funded by the British government, and are free for all students. Private schools (also known as independent schools) – these are private schools in the UK, such as private academies, private schools and private universities, and some of them are “free” for pupils or part of a government funding programme, such as a school for children with special needs or children from low-income families. In England and Wales, the EEFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) is applicable to children aged 5 and over. [Sources: 1, 7, 11, 16]
British schools are called state-run schools (so-called public schools) in the UK, and private schools are called “private schools.” [Sources: 8]
Also note that children leave school as soon as they are 16 and can go to a Scottish university at 17. The pupils attend primary school and in their first year attend secondary school. Students attend secondary schools as long as they are in the same school for at least two years or up to four years. Students are in their second year at a private school or primary school. [Sources: 8, 15]
While children are entitled to free education, the barriers for adults in further education and higher education are financial, as they do not need to have access to education or work. However, children must continue to receive full-time education and follow the national curriculum, and examinations or qualifications are not mandatory. When children attend independent or privately funded schools, most of them go to school until the age of 18 and then stay in school. Almost half of pupils go to university after leaving school, but if they stay in a free school until they are 18, they cannot go to university. [Sources: 11, 13, 14, 18]
Parents can find a local preschool service by following the government’s website, and if they are enrolled in the preschool program, the kindergarten they choose will receive state-funded places. A number of parents choose a home education, but full-time education does not have to be in school. Once children reach compulsory school age, they can be educated at home at their parents’ request, as long as they have sufficient free or low-cost childcare. [Sources: 1, 6]
The requirements and procedures for home tuition vary from state to county, and parents can teach their children at home without obtaining permission. Children and relatives living in the US receive child-care money, but not school. In the United States, tuition is mandatory in all public and private schools except public high schools. [Sources: 3, 9]
The law states that full-time education is compulsory, but the duration of compulsory education can be determined by the government, with the minimum age for compulsory education – the retirement age – being determined by a law of Parliament. The national curriculum, adopted in the Education Act 2002 and revised most recently in 2014, stipulates that it does not prescribe teaching hours or specify the number of years of training. [Sources: 1, 3, 4]
Full-time education is compulsory for the age groups 5 to 18 years and also in the following terms: primary, secondary and higher education. In the first year of secondary education, full-time education can be compulsory from the age of 5 to 18 and then again from 12 to 17. [Sources: 3, 5]
There are a number of tests taken by secondary school pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but the most important is at 16, when pupils are taking GCSE. Learn more about what secondary education in the UK means to you and what you will be involved in. Once students enter secondary school, they must begin their first year of full-time education and then move on to the second year to complete a GCSE, usually from 12 to 17. [Sources: 10, 17]
British citizens and foreigners living legally in Britain receive free state schools from the Government. In some cases, children are allowed to study in private schools while attending an independent fee-paying school. [Sources: 7, 12]
Sources:
[0]: https://www.expatica.com/uk/education/children-education/the-uk-education-system-106601/
[1]: https://kids.kiddle.co/Education_in_the_United_Kingdom
[2]: https://www.ourkids.net/pl-en/comparison-of-british-and-american-education-system.php
[3]: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/united-kingdom-england_en
[4]: https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/education-leaving-age/
[5]: https://revisesociology.com/2017/07/05/education-united-kingdom-facts/
[6]: https://www.justlanded.com/english/United-Kingdom/UK-Guide/Education/The-UK-s-education-system
[7]: https://bic-immigration.com/immigration-news/choosing-a-uk-school-for-your-child/
[8]: https://www.learnenglish.de/culture/educationculture.html
[9]: https://www.state.gov/family-liaison-office/education-and-youth/homeschooling-and-online-education/
[10]: https://www.internationalstudent.com/study_uk/education_system/
[11]: https://www.hmc.org.uk/about-hmc/projects/the-british-education-system/
[12]: https://www.expatarrivals.com/europe/united-kingdom/education-and-schools-united-kingdom
[13]: https://www.migrationexpert.co.uk/living_in_uk/education_in_the_uk
[14]: https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5844485/homeschool-my-child-uk-education/
[15]: https://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/uk/school
[16]: https://www.k12academics.com/Education%20Worldwide/education-united-kingdom
[17]: https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1620/United-Kingdom-SECONDARY-EDUCATION.html
[18]: https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/united-kingdom/reception-conditions/employment-and-education/access-education/