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Schooling
in the United Kingdom
There are 3 main educational systems available in
the UK :
- State Schools
- Independent Schools
- International
Schools
At all British Schools, pupils take exams. GCSE (General Certificate
of Secondary Education) exams in numerous subjects are taken at age
16, and "A" (Advanced) level exams are taken the year the
pupil turns 18.
a)State schools
State Schools are maintained by local authority funding. Some secondary
schools have "opted out" and have "Grant Maintained"
status receiving money directly from the government. These are often
selective, either on religious grounds or with an entrance examination.
The national curriculum was introduced for state schools in the late
1980's and starts when children begin school at 5 and continues until
they have completed their GCSE's at the age of 16.
Primary School:
children enter at the beginning of the term during which they will
be 5
Secondary School:
children join at the age of 11
Sixth Form College:
for children who want to complete their education after the GCSE's,
and if a sixth form is not available at their Secondary School.
To obtain a place for your child, you have to contact the relevant
Local Authority. This education is free of charge.
b)Independent schools
These are also known as private or - rather confusingly- public schools.
They are all fee-paying and receive no government funding.
Preparatory (Prep) School:
children normally start at the age of 4
Public School:
children have to take a Common Entrance examination
Boys at the age of 13
Girls at the age of 11
Boarding Schools are quite popular, with a good number being co-educational.
Most independent schools require registration and interview and / or
examination. Many will have waiting lists.
Nursery Schools They usually take children at the age of two and a
half. Parents, when possible, tend to register their child for nursery
at birth.
c)International schools
There is a wide selection of international schools especially in London
and surrounding areas. These are all fee-paying, and only some receive
funding from the government.
American Schools: they provide a traditional American college
preparatory curriculum.
International Schools: they offer International Baccalaureate
in addition to American or British curriculum.
National Schools: they provide education for students of specific
nationalities with classes taught in their native tongue and according
to their own curriculum.
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