BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

MADE BY: ANASTASIJA KURŠUKAITĖ

HOW DOES NATIONAL CURRICULUM WORK?

The National Curriculum in England and Wales is constructed in five Key Stages:
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• Key Stage 1 - Foundation year and Years 1 to 2 - for pupils aged between 5 and 7 years old
• Key Stage 2 - Years 3 to 6 - for pupils aged between 8 and 11 years old
• Key Stage 3 - Years 7 to 9 - for pupils aged between 12 and 14 years old,
• Key Stage 4 - Years 10 to 11 - for pupils aged between 15 and 16 years old, and
• Key Stage 5 - Years 12 to 13 - for pupils aged between 17 and 18 years old.
PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN ENGLAND

State schools in England follow the National Curriculum, which divides into Key Stages 1 and 2 from Reception
to Year 6. Learning areas are broad and include literacy, numeracy, arts, technology, and humanities.
Parents need to be aware of four key assessments. First, when pupils start Reception, teachers do a baseline
assessment. After that, at the end of Year 1, they will take a phonics screening test. Children will also sit End of Key
Stage Tests and Assessments (SATs) in Years 2 and 6 to measure their learning progress.
Traditionally, schools in the UK provide lunch. In England, these meals are free for students in Reception, Year 1 and
2. From Year 3 onwards, parents must apply for the income-assessed free school meals through their local council
otherwise they pay extra.

 Secondary school education in England

Typically, children start their secondary education around 11 or 12. Most state secondary schools
across the UK are comprehensive, meaning they accept students of all abilities.
Additionally, certain local authority areas in England also have grammar schools. Grammar
schools are selective state secondary schools that select their students based on ability. Prospective
students must complete entrance exams, known as the Eleven Plus (11-plus). There are 163 grammar
schools across the UK.
Except for Scotland, Year 11 students across the UK education system write the General Certificate
of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. The difference between England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
is that English GCSEs are graded from 1 to 9 (9 being the highest).
PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Usually, the primary stage in the UK education system starts from four or five and covers about seven years of
schooling. After primary school, students attend secondary school. Even though compulsory education includes about
12 years until the age of 16, most students complete two more years to apply to universities.
CHILDCARE
Across the UK, attending preschool or nursery is voluntary. Still, children above three can access some free childcare
hours per week. Read on how each region funds these hours.
 RECENT EDUCATION REFORMS IN THE UK

There have been two recent reforms to the UK education

system. First, in 2014 England changed its GCSE grading
system from the A to G system to a 1 to 9 numerical scale, 9
being the highest. Second, Wales introduced a new curriculum in
2022. Learn more about the curriculum under the Welsh section.
EDUCATION IN ENGLAND

Many state-funded schools, called faith schools, have a Christian religious character. For example, out of the
378 denominational schools in Scotland, only 11 are independent. Still, you can search for independent faith schools
with the Catholic Independent Schools Conference’s (CISC) search tool or the New Christian Schools’ directory.
However, Jewish and Islamic schools tend to be independent.
 MONTESSORI SCHOOLS IN THE UK
Most montessori schools only cover pre-primary and primary age. Their teaching approach follows the educational theories of maria montessori, often coined as ‘”follow the child.”
In other words, the school is a child-centered learning environment with open-ended teaching materials. Consequently, the teacher supports the child to learn at their own developmental
pace. You can find a montessori school in the UK with this search tool.
UK FURTHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

Further education in UK is the stage of education That said, a scholar has the following options after
between compulsory education and higher education or finishing secondary school:
university education. As we described here, at the UK • Work
education system students enter this stage at 16 years of
• Prepare for University
age and finish it up when 18 years old.
• Vocational education
In UK, once you complete the secondary school and
get the GCSE results you’re free to decide whether you
want to seek an education at higher stages or land the
job market right away.
SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

SEN is also called special educational needs and disability (SEND) in England. A parent contacts the SEN
coordinator (SENCO) at their child’s school to discuss any accessibility, learning, or behavioral needs. The school is
obliged to meet these needs as much as possible.

However, if a child needs more support than the school’s SEND service can provide, a caregiver can request an
educational, health, and care plan, through their local council.
Thank you for your
attention!