The school system in England includes junior, middle and high school. Exams are intermediate links in this chain. They allow children to transfer to English schools at 7-11, 13, 15 or 16 years old.
Prep-School
7-11 years old. The most responsible and at the same time the most convenient age for admission. The child becomes a compulsory exam in English and, depending on the school:
- mathematics (Foremarke Hall)
- oral interview (The Downs Malvern, Chapter House Prep School)
- online test in English (Wycliffe Prep School)
Also, some schools require “verbal reasoning” and “non-verbal reasoning” for admission – complicated versions of the IQ test and the level of English. Children may be required to take SIT testing (System integration testing).
Common entrance
11-13 years old. Mid-term exam between elementary and high school. It is evaluated by the admissions committee of the school where the student enters.
Preparation for Common Entrance tests lasts the last 2 years in elementary school. Children take compulsory subjects – mathematics, English, science, as well as elective subjects: foreign language, history, geography and religion. Admission to prestigious high schools requires 60% of assignments completed correctly.
GCSE
14-16 years old. High school stage in England lasting 2 years. GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an academic qualification in a particular subject.
To obtain this qualification, students study 6-8 subjects. Mathematics, English, science and a foreign language are considered compulsory. The GCSE subject scores are extremely important when choosing subjects for the A-Level. On the “A, B, C” rating scale, the child must score five or more A * – C grades.
IGCSE
15 years. If at the time of admission to an English school the child is 15 years old, the international format is suitable for him//her – iGCSE. This is a one-year preparatory program designed specifically for international students who have high school ahead of them.
- English schools with an IB program usually call this course “Pre-IB” (St. Clare’s College, St. Leonard’s School, Ardingly College).
- Schools that adhere to the A-Level format call the course “Pre-A-Level” (Hurtwood House).
- Both preparation options are available at Sidcot School, Taunton School, Malvern College.
IB
16-18 years old. The International Baccalaureate is a 2-year high school program. Such a diploma is recognized by all countries of the world as a qualification for admission to the university.
The IB curriculum includes 6 academic subjects (3 at an advanced level and 3 at a standard level) from 6 discipline groups: languages, foreign languages, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, creativity. In addition, schoolchildren take a course in the theory of knowledge, carry out the program “Creativity. Sport. Community Service ”and write a 4,000-word essay.
These three components of IB provide a distinct advantage when it comes to university admission.
A-Level
16-18 years old. The A-Level High School program is a British high school diploma. The course lasts 2 years, during which the child studies 4-5 subjects at an advanced level.
At the age of 16, an English student must decide on a specialty at the university and choose disciplines at the A-Level: English, mathematics, natural sciences, foreign languages, design and technology, computer technology, social sciences, humanities, art and others. sciences (archeology, geology, applied business, higher mathematics, etc.).
The education system in schools in England is built on the principle of “from general to specific”: in the lower grades, children study a large set of subjects (about 15). In high school, they focus on 8 courses; and in the final grades, they take only 4-6 disciplines. For this reason, children from other countries are advised to move to English schools at the age of 7-13 in order to try themselves in different fields and choose the most promising direction.
What school year is my child in?
Date of birth ranges for academic year September 2020 to August 2021.
- Rising year R (main round): 1 September 2016 – 31 August 2017
- Reception (infant or primary): 1 September 2015 – 31 August 2016
- Year 1 (infant or primary): 1 September 2014 – 31 August 2015
- Year 2 (infant or primary): 1 September 2013 – 31 August 2014
- Year 3 (junior or primary): 1 September 2012 – 31 August 2013
- Year 4 (junior or primary): 1 September 2011 – 31 August 2012
- Year 5 (junior or primary): 1 September 2010 – 31 August 2011
- Year 6 (junior or primary): 1 September 2009 – 31 August 2010
- Year 7 (secondary): 1 September 2008 – 31 August 2009
- Year 8 (secondary): 1 September 2007 – 31 August 2008
- Year 9 (secondary): 1 September 2006 – 31 August 2007
- Year 10 (secondary): 1 September 2005 – 31 August 2006
- Year 11 (secondary): 1 September 2004 – 31 August 2005
- Year 12 (sixth form): 1 September 2003 – 31 August 2004
- Year 13 (sixth form): 1 September 2002 – 31 August 2003
- Year 14 (sixth form): 1 September 2001 – 31 August 2002
- Year 15 (sixth form): 1 September 2000 – 31 August 2001