Explore Britain

Education

Picture from: London Picture Service

Although compulsory schooling is from age 5 (age 4 in Northern Ireland) to age 16, many children attend nursery schools from the age of 3 or 4. Around 93% of children in the UK get free education from public funds. The rest attend fee-paying private schools. The average weight of a British child's school bag is 5.5 kilos. About 70% of 16-year-olds choose to stay on at school for another one or two years to obtain higher qualification. The proportion of young people entering higher education in universities and colleges has risen from one in eight in 1979 to almost one in three today.

Picture from: London Picture Service

There are over 1 million students in higher education courses.

There is a National Curriculum for all pupils in England and Wales. It consists of: English, mathematics, science, history, geography, information technology, music, art, design, physical education, religious education and a modern foreign language. The first three are 'core' subjects and schools are expected to spend more time on them. National testing and assessment of pupils' performance at ages 7 and 11 is confined to these subjects. Examinations are taken at age 16. Similar curricula are taught in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Most secondary schools teach French, and many also offer a choice of Spanish, German, Italian or Russian.

 

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