The British Education System:

The British Education system consists of 4 levels starting with Primary School, Secondary School, Further Education (Sixth Form or College), and Higher Education which includes undergraduate or bachelors’ studies and postgraduate studies or Masters degrees and PhDs.

Secondary School (Year 7 – 11):

Secondary school normally starts for students at the age of 11. Though there are some schools in the UK where middle school runs up to 12 or 13 years old.

From the age of 11-14, students will study a broad range of subjects such as Music, Math, Science, English, etc. When reaching 14, students usually enter into their first year of a 2-year process known as the GCSE.

For international students entering secondary school, they may start at the age of 11 or wait until the age of 13 and have one year in school before starting the two-year GCSE program which will run from 14 to 16 years old.

Year 7 and Year 8

These are the first two years of secondary school education in the UK, commonly known as Junior School.

All students study English, Maths, Sciences, a Humanity and a Modern Language. Besides these subjects, each school has a list of optional subjects (Art, Music, Drama, Latin, Sport Science, Design Technology, Computer Science),  and students may choose a few subjects that interest them.

Three examinations take place in a year which are in November, January and May/June.

Year 9

Year 9 is a very important year in the British school system, as most students make the transition from Junior School to Senior School. It is also a very good foundation for the GCSE programme and it is an entry point to all schools.

Students study English, Maths, Sciences, Humanity and Languages. In addition, students choose a few subjects from the optional subject list offered by each school.

Year 10 and Year 11

In the last two years of secondary education, students prepare for GCSE exams that are taken after two years (General Certificate of Secondary Education).

During the GCSE programme, students’ study between 9 and 12 subjects. Some of them are compulsory (English, Math, 2/3 Sciences, History/Geography, a Modern Language etc.), some are chosen by each student according to their abilities and preferences.

The chosen subjects and the GCSE results are very important for Further Studies (A-Level or IB) and for university admissions.

Learn more about GCSE and A-Levels