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The Seconday Education System

  • England
  • Wales
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland

England

In England schools most follow the 'National Curriculum' (with the exception of independent schools). The National Curriculum establishes the subjects taught, sets standards for each subject and outlines the knowledge, skills and understanding required for each subject. It also determines the assessment methods that are used to measure children's progress. The National Curriculum is determined and developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), which is part of the Department for Children, Schools and Family. 

prettygirls

Some schools, such as Academies, teach the National Curriculum alongside a Specialist Schools Programme. This means they offer a broad, balanced curriculum with a particular focus on an area such as science, arts or technology. Others, such as Faith Schools, may teach Religious Education according to their own faith. Some independent schools choose to follow the National Curriculum, while others reject it in preference for their own. 

Age11-1212-1313-1414-1515-16

Year Group

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Key Stage

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4

Academic Qualifications

  GCSEs

Vocational Qualifications

  Foundation & Higher Diploma
    BTEC Intro Certificate & Diploma, First Certificate and Diploma
    NVQ Level 1 & 2
    Levels 1 & 2 Cambridge Nationals

Secondary school refers to Years 7-11 when children are between the ages of 11-16, while they are undertaking Key Stages 3 and 4. Children may continue on in the same school after their secondary education, as many secondary schools have a Sixth Form attached, while they may also choose to attend a Further Education College or a stand-alone Sixth Form College.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 refers to Years 7-9, the first three years of secondary school, when your child is between the ages of 11-14. England follows the National Curriculum and your child must follow a programme of education in 15 areas:

  • English
  • Maths
  • Science
  • Information & Communication Technology
  • Design Technology
  • History 
  • Geography
  • Modern Foreign Language
  • Art & Design
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • Citizenship
  • Sex Education
  • Careers Education
  • Religious Education

Students in Year 9 are assessed in the core subjects of English, maths and science and in the non-core subjects, such as geography, art and music via on-going teacher assessments, with the results for each school published in performance tables.

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4 is used to describe pupils in Years 10-11 when they are between the ages of 14-16. England follows the National Curriculum and all pupils in this Key Stage must follow a programme of education in the following areas:

  • English
  • Maths
  • Science
  • Information & Communication Technology
  • Physical Education
  • Citizenship
  • Sex Education
  • Careers Education
  • Religious Education
  • Work-related learning

Schools also have the option to provide:

  • The Arts
  • Design & Technology
  • The Humanities
  • Modern Foreign Languages

At the end of Year 11 when most pupils are 16 they are entered for a range of external exams. Most pupils take a body of GCSEs alongside some vocational qualifications, such as NVQs or BTECs. Results of these exams are published in performance tables and league tables are produced.

Schools publish performance tables that show how well pupils in England have done in public examinations at GCSEs at age 16 and A-levels at age 18. Secondary schools are considered to be 'underperforming' if fewer than 40% of their pupils obtain five GCSEs at grade A*-C, including English and maths, and if the school has a below average score for pupils making the expected progress between Key Stage 2 (end of Year 6) and Key Stage 4 (end of Year 11) in English and maths.

Only a pupil's first attempt at a qualification is included for league tables, which stops the practice of schools repeatedly entering pupils for exams, in order to boost their rankings. Furthermore, only Ofqual accredited qualifications appear on the league tables and the number of non-GCSE equivalents that count has been capped at two. 

The tables only show how the previous years performed at the school and, as most of the pupils will have started school a few years before taking the exams, there may have been changes of staff or policy since.

Tables do not include information about the holistic elements of a school, such as the extra-curricular activities available or details about a school's pastoral care. Therefore, once you've chosen a few schools, you may want to find the most suitable for your child through open days where you can go and talk to teachers and see how the school runs.

Wales

In Wales schools most follow the 'National Curriculum' (with the exception of independent schools). The National Curriculum establishes the subjects taught, sets standards for each subject and outlines the knowledge, skills and understanding required for each subject. It also determines the assessment methods that are used to measure children's progress. 

girlinpark 

The National Curriculum is determined and developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Aency (QCDA), which is part of the Department for Children, Schools and Family. 

Some schools, such as Faith Schools, may teach Religious Education according to their own faith. Some independent schools choose to follow the National Curriculum, while others reject it in preference for their own. 

Age11-1212-1313-1414-1515-16

Year Group

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Key Stage

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4

Academic Qualifications

  GCSEs

Vocational Qualifications

  Foundation & Intermediate Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma
    BTEC Intro Certificate & Diploma, First Certificate and Diploma
    NVQ Level 1 & 2

Secondary school refers to Years 7-11 when children are between the ages of 11-16, while they are undertaking Key Stages 3 and 4. Children may continue on in the same school after their secondary education, as many secondary schools have a Sixth Form attached, while they may also choose to attend a Further Education College or a stand-alone Sixth Form College.

The best way to find a school is to attend and open day and get a feel for the place.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 refers to Years 7-9, the first three years of secondary school, when your child is between the ages of 11-14. Wales follows the National Curriculum and your child must follow a programme of education in 15 areas:

  • English
  • Maths
  • Science
  • Information & Communication Technology
  • Design Technology
  • History 
  • Geography
  • Modern Foreign Language
  • Art & Design
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • Citizenship
  • Sex Education
  • Career Education
  • Religious Education
  • Welsh

Students in Year 9 are assessed in the core subjects of English, maths and science and in the non-core subjects, such as geography, art and music via on-going teacher assessments.

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4 is used to describe pupils in Years 10-11 when they are between the ages of 14-16. Wales follows the National Curriculum and all pupils in this Key Stage must follow a programme of education in the following areas:

  • English 
  • Maths
  • Science
  • Physical Education
  • Citizenship
  • Sex Education
  • Careers Education 
  • Religious Education
  • Work-related learning
  • Welsh

Schools also have the option to provide:

  • The Arts
  • Design & Technology
  • The Humanities
  • Modern Foreign Languages

At the end of Year 11 when most pupils are 16 they are entered for a range of external exams. These include GCSEs and NVQs and are set by one of the examination boards listed to the right. Most pupils take about nine or ten subjects, while they may choose to take as many as twelve. 

Scotland

Most children in Scotland attend their local school, which are for the most part are non-denominational, fully comprehensive, non-selective (there are a few Roman Catholic schools and one Jewish school). There are no league tables, but Education Scotland provides results of Nationals and Highers where you can compare schools.

Studentinhat

First and second year (S1 and S2) of secondary school provides a continuation of the Curriculum for Excellence started in primary school, and by S3 and S4 students choose which subjects they wish to study in more depth, with certain compulsory subjects, such as Maths and English. These culminate in Nationals 1-5 which take two years to complete with an exam at the end of S4. Most students will take approximately 8 subjects.  

The senior phase refers to S4 to S6 when pupils are between the ages of 15-17 when they build up a portfolio of qualifications. It is the stage of education at which the relationship between the curriculum and National Qualifications becomes of key significance. Qualifications are an essential part of assessing progress in the senior phase. Nationals can be undertaken at different levels depending on a student's competence and they can continue with increasing their performance in National exams or move onto Highers and Advanced Highers. Pupils can also choose to undertake SVQs which, as vocational qualifications, complement Nationals. For more information about Scottish qualifications, please see our qualifications pages. 

Progression in Qualifications

If a student in S4 has achieved:They will continue with these exams in S5:Culminating in these exams in S6:
National 3 National 4 National 5
National 4 National 5 Highers
National 5 Highers Advanced Highers

Once students have completed their Nationals they can leave school after 31st May if they turn 16 between 1st March and 30th September, while if they turn 16 between 1st October and the end of February they can leave at the start of the Christmas holidays in that school year.

Curriculum for Excellence

Scotland has its own qualification and curriculum framework that are separate from the one set for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish schools follow the curriculum called Curriculum for Excellence(CfE) which aims to develop the attributes, knowledge and skills they will need to flourish in life, learning and work.

The knowledge, skills and attributes learners will develop will allow them to demonstrate four key capacities – to be successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.

The purpose of the CfE framework is to ensure that children and young people are exposed to a curriculum that includes a range of features at different stages of their school life; this includes:

  • a curriculum which is coherent from 3 to 18 
  • a broad general education, including the experiences and outcomes which are well planned across all the curriculum areas, from early years through to S3
  • a senior phase of education after S3 which provides opportunity to obtain qualifications as well as to continue to develop the four capacities 
  • opportunities for developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing 
  • personal support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which CfE can provide 
  • support in moving into positive and sustained destinations beyond school.

The CfE framework provides guidelines about the curriculum, but schools and colleges are given the flexibility to organise, schedule and deliver experiences and outcomes in ways that meet the needs of all learners, but also provides reassurance about consistency where necessary. 

LevelSchool Year
Early The pre-school years and Primary 1 (P1), or later for some.
First To the end of Primary 4 (P4), but earlier or later for some.
Second To the end of Primary 7 (P7), but earlier or later for some.
Third and Fourth Secondary 1 (S1) to Secondary (S3), but earlier for some. The fourth level broadly equates to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 4.
  The fourth level experiences and outcomes are intended to provide possibilities for choice and young people's programmes will not include all of the fourth level outcomes.
Senior phase Secondary 4 (S4) to Secondary (S6), and college or other means of study.

The path most children and young people are expected to follow through the levels reflects the stages of maturation of children and young people, and the changing ways in which they engage with learning as they develop. Some children and young people will start learning at these levels earlier and others later, depending upon individual needs and aptitudes.

It is the responsibility of schools and their partners to bring the experiences and outcomes together and apply these to design programmes for learning across a broad curriculum, covering science, languages, mathematics, social studies (including Scottish  history), expressive arts, health and wellbeing, religious and moral education and technology.

Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of learning and teaching in Scotland. It is thought to help provide an emerging picture of a young person’s learning and achievements as he or she develops across the four capacities - to be successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.

Unlike England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Scotland does not assess primary and secondary students in Key Stages, and there are no Standard Attaintment Tests (SATs). Teachers assess constantly as part of daily learning and teaching. They do this, for example, by watching and listening to learners carrying out tasks, by looking at what they write and make and by considering how they answer questions. They get to know their learners well, build up a profile of their progress, strengths and needs and involve them in planning what they need to learn next. 

From time to time teachers also take stock of their learners' progress and achievements in order to be able to plan ahead and to record and report on progress.

Taking stock of learners' progress and achievements is particularly important at transitions. Therefore, well-planned and effective transition arrangements are fundamental to maintaining children’s and young people’s progression within CfE. Transition include:

  • pre-school to primary
  • between stages
  • primary to secondary
  • from additional support for learning units and establishments to mainstream provision
  • from the broad general education at the end of S3 into the senior phase
  • beyond school to positive and sustained destinations such as employment and further and
  • higher education

Reporting on Progress

Reporting on progress provides parents with regular information about their children's strengths and development needs, an opportunity to discuss with their children their progress in different aspects of the curriculum and a chance to give their views on their children's progress. It also allows teachers to respond, helping parents to understand how they can support their children to develop their learning further. Learners themselves should be in a good position to contribute to discussions about written reports and about their progress in learning at consultation meetings with parents

Parents will get regular information about their children’s strengths, progress and achievements. This will include brief descriptions of progress across the curriculum areas and through the curriculum levels as well as progress towards qualifications in the senior phase. In addition to individual reports on the progress of the child or young person, parents will receive information on:

  • how well all learners and particular groups of learners are achieving;
  • the performance of children and young people in the school in relation to expected levels at particular stages in key areas such as literacy and numeracy; and how the school is applying national standards and expectations.
  • and how the school is applying national standards and expectations.

Northern Ireland

All schools in Northern Ireland follow the Northern Ireland Curriculum which is based on the National Curriculum used in England and Wales. At age 11, on entering secondary education, all pupils study a broad base of subjects which include geography, English, mathematics, science, physical education, music and modern languages.

girlreading

At 14, when pupils choose the subjects they are going to take for GCSE it is compulsory for them to study English, maths and religious studies. 

Age11-1212-1313-1414-1515-16

Year Group

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Key Stage

Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4

Academic Qualifications

  GCSEs

Vocational Qualifications

  NVQ Level 1 & 2
    BTEC Intro Certificate & Diploma, First Certificate and Diploma

Grammar schools are still common in Northern Ireland.

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 is undertaken when pupils are between 11-14 and in Years 8-10. They have to follow a programme of education in nine areas of learning in the curriculum, some of which include specific strands:

  • Language and Literacy
    • English
    • Irish (in Irish-speaking schools)
    • Media Education
  • Mathematics and Numeracy
    • Mathematics
    • Financial Capability
  • Modern Languages
  • The Arts
    • Art and Design
    • Music
    • Drama
  • Environment and Society
    • History
    • Geography
  • Science and Technology
    • Science
    • Technology & Design
  • Learning for Life and Work
    • Employability
    • Local and Global Citizenship
    • Personal Development
    • Home Economics
  • Physical Education
  • Religious Education
Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4 is undertaken when pupils are between 14 -16 and in Years 11-12. They must follow a programme of education in nine areas of learning in the curriculum, some of which include specific subject strands:

  • Language and Literacy
  • Mathematics and Numeracy
  • Modern Languages
  • The Arts
  • Environment and Society
  • Science and Technology
  • Learning for Life and Work
    • Employability
    • Local and Global Citizenship
    • Personal Development
  • Physical Education
  • Religious Education

At the end of Year 12 when most pupils are 16 they are entered for a range of external exams. These include GCSEs and vocational qualifications such as NVQs can be taken alongside, and are set by one of the examination boards listed to the right. Most pupils take about nine or ten subjects, while some may choose to take as many as twelve.

School holidays in Northern Ireland are different to Great Britain, and are more similar to the Republic of Ireland. Northern Irish schools often do not have a full week's holiday for half-terms, and the summer term does not usually have a half-term holiday at all. Christmas and Easter holidays are often less than than two weeks, however the summer is much longer with the end of June, July and August off. 

Examination Boards

  • AQA

    Assessment & Qualifications Alliance

  • CCEA

    Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessments

  • Edexcel

    Offered by Pearson PLC

  • OCR

    Oxford, Cambridge & RSA Examinations

  • WJEC

    Welsh Joint Education Committee

Examination Regulators

  • England - Ofqual

    Office of the Qualifications & Examinations Regulator

  • Northern Ireland - CCEA

    Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessments

  • Wales - DCELLS

    Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning & Skills

Useful Websites

  • Aim Higher

    Offers lots of information on university life and careers

  • Connexions

    Free advice and counselling for 13- to 19-year-olds on everything from revision tips and how to deal with stress, to what different A level subjects involve and how to choose which subjects you study.

  • Department for Children, Schools & Families

    Information on qualifications from the Department for Children, Schools & Families

  • Need2Know

    This website gives information and advice on everything from qualifications to jobs and much more.

  • Ofqual

    Everything you need to know about qualifications and the exam system, including a guide to the AS, A-level and GCSE system.

  • Qualifications & Curriculum Authority

    Offers lots of information on different qualifications for 14- to 19-year-olds.

  • The Exams Doctor

    The Exams Doctor helps with qualifications, exams and revision questions.

  • The National Database for Accredited Qualifications

    Information about all the accredited qualifications available

  • UCAS Extra

    The official site to apply for higher education courses

Further Information

Types of Schools

Types of Schools

Schools in the UK are mostly comprehensive with regular inspections. The intake of comprehensive schools can vary widely, especially in urban areas with several local...

A Parent’s Guide to GCSE choosing

Examdesks

The Dreaded Examination Hall. Photograph: Charl Carter via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) 

You probably still remember your child’s first day at school like it was yesterday, and now, ...

A Parent's Guide to A-level Results Day
Support and encouragement for your child

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