Unit 1 - Reading

The education system in the UK is divided into stages based upon age:

• Early Years Foundation Stage (ages 3–5).

• Primary education (ages 5 to 11), subdivided into:

  • • Key Stage 1 (KS1) Infants (ages 5 to 7) and

    • Key Stage 2 (KS2) Juniors (ages 7 to 11)

• Secondary education (ages 11 to 16), subdivided into:

  • • Key Stage 3 (KS3; ages 11 to 14) and

    • Key Stage 4(KS4; ages 14 to 16);

• Key Stage 5 is post-16 education (ages 16 to 18); and

• Tertiary education (for ages 18+).

While education is compulsory until 18, schooling is compulsory to 16, thus post-16 education can take a number of forms, and may be academic or vocational. This can involve continued schooling, known as "sixth form" or "college", leading (typically after two years of further study) to A-level qualifications (similar to a high school diploma in some other countries), or a number of alternative Level 3 qualifications such as Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge Pre-U, WJEC or Eduqas. It can also include work-based apprenticeships or traineeships, or volunteering.