I frequently have trouble placing kids in the right frame of reference, because I tend to think of them in terms of US grades, and not in terms of the ages they are in those grades. This should help with that.
| UK Grade | US Grade | Age range | Notes1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reception | Pre-School | 4-5 | England calls this Infant or Primary School |
| Year 1 | Kindergarten | 5-6 | |
| Year 2 | 1st Grade | 6-7 | |
| Year 3 | 2nd Grade | 7-8 | England calls this the start of Junior or Primary School |
| Year 4 | 3rd Grade | 8-9 | |
| Year 5 | 4th Grade | 9-10 | |
| Year 6 | 5th Grade | 10-11 | Eleven plus exams in some areas of England, Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Tests. In the US, Middle School may start here. |
| Year 7, old First Form | 6th Grade | 11-12 | England uses a variety of words for this, including Middle School, High School, Secondary School, and the Lower Forms. |
| Year 8, old Second Form | 7th Grade | 12-13 | By this point Middle School in the US has definitely started. |
| Year 9, old Third Form | 8th Grade | 13-14 | Key Stage 3 National Curriculum Tests, known as SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) |
| Year 10, old Forth Form | 9th Grade | 14-15 | Start of the “Upper School”, in the US the start of High School |
| Year 11, old Fifth Form | 10th Grade | 15-16 | old O Level examinations, modern GCSE examinations |
| Year 12, lower Sixth Form | 11th Grade | 16-17 | AS-level examinations |
| Year 13, upper Sixth Form | 12 Grade | 17-18 | A2-level examinations, both AS-levels and A2-levels count towards A-levels. |
“THE BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM” © Copyright The Learn English Network - All Rights Reserved, last viewed 2021-08-30↩︎