In England, children start compulsory schooling the September after they turn 4 years old. This marks the start of ‘Pre-Prep’which lasts for 3 years (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2).  In Year 3 (age 7) children move into ‘Prep School’. Some prep schools finish at the end of Year 6 (age 10/11), others continue to age 12/13. Children join senior school at either age 11 or 13, normally following the 11+ or 13+ common entrance exams.

Once in Senior School, students take two rounds of key examinations. 

GCSE 

Starting in September of Year 10 students follow a 2 year GCSE curriculum. All students take English, Maths and Science, and then they can choose from a wide range of other subjects, normally to a total of 9 subjects. In May of Year 11 students take exams in all of their GCSE subjects and the results of these will contribute to their University applications. 

Sixth Form exams 

UK Schools offer a two-year course for students aged between 16 and 18; nearly all of them start in September. Most UK schools follow the traditional A-Level curriculum where students choose three subjects to study, some schools offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) which requires a student to choose 6 subjects to study for the same two-year period. Both courses last for two years and culminate in exams in the May or June of Year 13. University entry is conditional upon the results in these exams.