Information as of 18 September 2026. We work to keep it accurate, but details can change or contain errors. Always check the official websites for the latest, correct information.
UK schools and universities guide
Schools in England are organised by Year and Key Stage. This page explains how year groups line up with age (and with Japanese school grades), the main types of school, and the exams pupils take on the way to university. Scotland runs its own system, summarised at the end.
Lessons for students in the United Kingdom
Because the birthday cut-off is different, one UK year group spans two Japanese school grades.
Most children start Reception full-time in the September after their fourth birthday; a child who turns 4 in June usually starts that September. As a result, a UK year group covers children born from 1 September to the following 31 August, and Year N is the year in which a child turns N+5.[1]
Compulsory schooling starts on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August, whichever comes first after a child's fifth birthday. Families can delay the start, but a child who starts after turning 5 normally joins Year 1, and the school does not have to agree to a Reception place.[1]
In Japan the school year starts on 1 April, and children born on 1 April join the year above. A Japanese school grade therefore covers children born from 2 April to the following 1 April.[7][8]
| UK year | Stage | Born between | Japan grade if born 1 Sep–1 Apr | Japan grade if born 2 Apr–31 Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reception | EYFS | 1 Sep 2021 – 31 Aug 2022 | Kindergarten, middle year | Kindergarten, first year[1][7] |
| Year 1 | KS1 | 1 Sep 2020 – 31 Aug 2021 | Kindergarten, final year | Kindergarten, middle year[1][7] |
| Year 2 | KS1 | 1 Sep 2019 – 31 Aug 2020 | Elementary 1 | Kindergarten, final year[1][7] |
| Year 3 | KS2 | 1 Sep 2018 – 31 Aug 2019 | Elementary 2 | Elementary 1[1][7] |
| Year 4 | KS2 | 1 Sep 2017 – 31 Aug 2018 | Elementary 3 | Elementary 2[1][7] |
| Year 5 | KS2 | 1 Sep 2016 – 31 Aug 2017 | Elementary 4 | Elementary 3[1][7] |
| Year 6 | KS2 | 1 Sep 2015 – 31 Aug 2016 | Elementary 5 | Elementary 4[1][7] |
| Year 7 | KS3 | 1 Sep 2014 – 31 Aug 2015 | Elementary 6 | Elementary 5[1][7] |
| Year 8 | KS3 | 1 Sep 2013 – 31 Aug 2014 | Junior high 1 | Elementary 6[1][7] |
| Year 9 | KS3 | 1 Sep 2012 – 31 Aug 2013 | Junior high 2 | Junior high 1[1][7] |
| Year 10 | KS4 | 1 Sep 2011 – 31 Aug 2012 | Junior high 3 | Junior high 2[1][7] |
| Year 11 | KS4 (GCSE) | 1 Sep 2010 – 31 Aug 2011 | High school 1 | Junior high 3[1][7] |
| Year 12 | Sixth Form | 1 Sep 2009 – 31 Aug 2010 | High school 2 | High school 1[1][7] |
| Year 13 | Sixth Form (A-Level) | 1 Sep 2008 – 31 Aug 2009 | High school 3 | High school 2[1][7] |
Calculated from the admission rules. From April to August 2027 the Japanese grades in the last two columns move up by one, while the UK year stays the same. For later school years, move the birth years forward by one each year. For birthdays on 1 September, 1 April or 2 April, or if an independent school places a child outside the usual year, check with the school.
Applied to exam years: at the end of Year 11, when GCSEs are taken, a child born 1 September–1 April is in the same year as Japanese high school year 2, and a child born 2 April–31 August matches high school year 1. At the end of Year 13, the A-Level year, they match first-year university and high school year 3 respectively.[1][6][5]
In England, 6.3% of pupils (560,300) attend independent schools (2025/26). ISC member schools number 1,455 with 526,611 pupils (January 2026), down 19,029 pupils (3.5%) on the previous year.[4][5]
In ISC statistics, a senior school has all pupils in Year 7 or above and a junior school has all pupils in Year 8 or below. Some independent junior (prep) schools keep pupils until Year 8, who then move to senior school at 13+. The ISC describes Reception, Year 7 and Year 12 as key intake years.[5]
ISC schools had 57,836 boarders on census day in January 2026 (11.0% of pupils), 8.2% fewer than a year earlier. Counting everyone who boarded at some point in the year, the share is 12% overall and 30% in the Sixth Form, where 86% of boarders are full boarders.[5]
GCSEs are graded from 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest). The bottom of grade 7 is comparable to the bottom of the old grade A, grade 4 to the old grade C, and grade 1 to the old grade G.[2]
If grade 6 or above is needed
Many pupils at independent schools take International GCSEs (IGCSEs). Government GCSE results statistics do not include International GCSEs.[5]
Some pupils add a maths qualification alongside GCSE that prepares them for A-Level.
Most ISC pupils take A-Levels at the end of Year 13. Of the 5,064 UK candidates for the IB Diploma in May 2025, 1,908 were at ISC schools, so ISC schools account for over a third of UK IB candidates.[5]
| Measure | A-Level | IB Diploma |
|---|---|---|
| Who takes it | Most ISC pupils, at the end of Year 13 | 5,064 UK candidates, 1,908 at ISC schools (May 2025)[5] |
| Results | Maths A*/A: independent 59.0%, state 38.8% (2025) | 40+ points: ISC schools 33.7%, worldwide 9.8% (2025)[5] |
A-Level figures compare independent and state schools in England in summer 2025; IB figures are for the May 2025 session.
Independent school pupils make up a particularly large share of entries in A-Level Further Mathematics, economics and modern foreign languages. The university admissions page shows how universities state A-Level and IB requirements side by side.[5]
Scotland has a separate system. The school year starts in August, and a year group covers children born from 1 March to the end of the following February. Primary runs from P1 to P7 and secondary from S1 to S6; school is compulsory to S4, while S5 and S6 are optional.[15][16]
Instead of GCSEs and A-Levels, pupils take National 5 (from S4), Higher (S5–S6) and Advanced Higher (S5–S6).[16]
Year 11 is the year in which pupils turn 16, and it is the GCSE year. From September 2026 to March 2027 it matches Japanese high school year 1 (born 1 Sep–1 Apr) or junior high year 3 (born 2 Apr–31 Aug).
The top grade on Foundation is 5, so a pupil who needs grade 6 or above has to sit Higher. On Higher, a result below the safety-net grade 3 is ungraded (U).
Many independent school pupils take International GCSEs, but they are not included in government GCSE results statistics. Check how a particular school or university treats them in its own entry requirements.
Independent schools and academies do not have to follow it. Academies must still teach a broad curriculum including English, maths and science.
Yes: 1,908 of the 5,064 UK IB Diploma candidates in May 2025 were at ISC schools. Most ISC pupils, however, take A-Levels.
No. Scotland's school year starts in August and its qualifications are National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher.
Planning to apply to UK universities and schools? Talk to Nansu Juku.
Tell us your year group, your subjects and grades, and where you want to study. We help you plan the scores, subjects and application steps. Consultations for families considering our courses are free.
Checked against each source on 2026-09-17. Entry requirements, deadlines and fees change every year, so always confirm with the official pages for the year you apply.
