The school system in England simply explained

The school system in England is quite similar to ours. We explain the differences and shed some light on the GCSE test.

School system in England - you should know that

Overall, you can divide the school system in England into different areas.

1. Pre-School: You can think of the pre-school as a kindergarten, where children aged 3-5 years make their first friendships and learn new facts.
2. Primary Education: After kindergarten comes elementary school, which is attended by children between 5 and 11 years old. During this time, the children have to do two SAT tests, which they test in reading, writing, arithmetic and spelling.
3. Secondary Education: Between the ages of 11 and 16, children in England attend secondary school. Here they deepen their knowledge and acquire new facts. At 14, most students start preparing for the GCSE tests, which put their current skills to the test. The subjects here are English, math, science and areas freely selectable by the student. State schools usually write 5-10 GCSE tests per student, depending on performance and motivation. After completing these tests, compulsory schooling in England is fulfilled.
4. Further Education (optional): At a "College of Further Education" students can choose their advanced courses and develop in a certain direction. These also last 2 years and usually deal with academic topics. If this is too theoretical for you, you can also take vocational school courses that focus more on practical experience.
5. Higher Education (optional): After successfully completing the advanced courses, the 3-year Bachelor's degree begins. The subsequent master is shorter unless you are studying medicine or law.

The typical school year in England

As with us, a typical school year in England runs from early September to mid-July.

1. Autumn term: The first part of the school year runs from the beginning of September to mid-December.
2. Spring term: The second section goes from early January to Easter.
3. The summer term from Easter to mid-July marks the end of the English school year. This ends with the 6-week summer vacation.

Have your diploma or degree certificate translated by lingoking now

If you are a student yourself, you can spend a semester abroad in England. We have summarized what you need to know in another article.