In the UK students start school in Reception at the age of 4 or 5 years old. The table below outlines the child age for each school grade in the England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In total the formal schooling system can run for a total of 14 years from reception through to Year 13.Įach country in the UK administers their own education program and there are significant differences in the entry requirements, key stages of school and naming conventions between each nation.įor parents looking to move between countries within the UK, admission rules and or exemptions are not transferrable between countries and parents should be mindful they may need to re-apply under the rules of the country they are moving to. Education in the United Kingdom starts with pre-school, known as nursery or kindergarten, followed by primary school and then secondary school.