In the vast majority of cases,pupils progress from primary to secondary levels at age 11; in some areas either or both of the primary and secondary levels are further subdivided.A few areas have three-tier education systems with an intermediate middle level from age 9 to 13.
State-funded nursery education is available from the age of 3,and may be full-time or part-time.If registered with a state school attendance is compulsory beginning with the term following the child's fifth birthday.Children can be enrolled in the reception year in September of that school year thus beginning school at age 4 or 4.5.Unless the student chooses to stay within the education system school attendance ends on the last Friday in June during the academic year in which a student attains the age of 16.[9]
Under the National Curriculum system,all pupils undergo Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) towards the ends of Key Stage 2 in core subjects,but not foundation subjects,where teacher assessment is used.They normally take GCSE exams in the last two years of Key Stage 4,but may take other Level 2 qualifications,such as GNVQ.Former tests at the end of Key Stage 3 were abandoned after the 2008 tests,when severe problems emerged concerning the marking procedures.Now at Key Stages 1 and 3,assessment is by teacher assessment against the National Curriculum Attainment Targets for all subjects.Tests results for schools are published,and are an important measure of their performance.[10][11]
Shrewsbury Sixth Form College in Shropshire.Historically,years 7 to 12/13 used to be known as 'first form' to 'lower/upper sixth form'.There now exists a common parallel terminology for sixth form only:'year 12/lower 6th' and 'year 13/upper 6th'.The use of the term 'sixth form' reflects its distinct,voluntary nature and situation as the A-level years.Even more historically,this arose from the system in public schools,where all forms were divided into Lower,Upper,and sometimes Middle sections.Year 7 is equivalent to 'Upper Third Form',Year 8 would have been known as 'Lower Fourth',and so on.In some private schools such as Withington Girls' School,this way of counting the years (Lower fourth,Upper fourth,Lower Fifth etc) is still used