Structure of the education system

• Main schooling - the majority of children. Legally have to start school when you turn 5.
• Primary:

  • Pre-school play groups (ages 2-5) optional
  • Nursery school (ages 3-5) optional
  • Infant schools (ages 5-7) can be a primary school with junior school
  • Junior schools (ages 7-11) can be a primary school with infant school
  • Middle schools (ages 7-12) least common and most don't do it

  Secondary:

  • Comprehensive (ages 11-18 or rare cases 12-18) - anyone in catchment area - funded by government - no test needed - any ability - 16-18 is 6th form.

  Further and Higher:

  • Colleges
  • Further Education Colleges - any course
  • University - 18+ - no cap on the age
• Main schooling has primary, secondary and further/higher.
• Non-state schools are not government funded and students have to pay to go. They have independent school, private schools and public schools.
• Independent schools - all schools that are not part of the state sector - not state funded

  Private schools - all fee paying schools

  Public schools - top fee paying schools e.g. Harrow/Eton - need a lot of money to go there - top private school
• Selective/11+ system (tests):

  • Secondary modern - school in the same country as where the test was taken
  • Technical - don't exist any more - could do skills - more practical
  • Grammar (ages 11 or 12-16)
• SATS - Standard Attainment Tests (originally 7,11,14 in English, Maths and Science) - check where you are academically - used to do them in year 9.
• Key Stages: 1:5-7, 2:7-11, 3:11-14, 4:14-16, 5:16-18 - these are group stages
• GCSEs - General Certificate in Secondary Education
• GCE - General Certificate in Education
• AS - Advanced Subsidiary Level
• A - Advanced Level