Despite both being English-speaking, western countries, there are several differences between the UK and the USA. One of them is how schools are organized. It is surprising that two countries that should be so similar, could diverge so thoroughly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To celebrate the United States’ 244th independence day, let’s review some of the differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most obvious differences is how years [US English: grades] are numbered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Child age<\/strong>*<\/td>| UK post-1990 Year number<\/strong><\/td> | UK pre-1990 Year number<\/strong><\/td> | UK Comments<\/strong><\/td> | US grade<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead> | 4<\/td> | Registration<\/td> | 1<\/td> | Some counties have children start at 4, others at 5.<\/td> | Kindergarten (K2)<\/td><\/tr> | 5<\/td> | 1<\/td> | 2<\/td> | The first year of ‘primary’ or ‘infant’ school.<\/td> | Kindergarten (K3)<\/td><\/tr> | 6<\/td> | 2<\/td> | 3<\/td> | <\/td> | 1<\/td><\/tr> | 7<\/td> | 3<\/td> | 1<\/td> | The first year of ‘middle’ or ‘junior’ school.<\/td> | 2<\/td><\/tr> | 8<\/td> | 4<\/td> | 2<\/td> | <\/td> | 3<\/td><\/tr> | 9<\/td> | 5<\/td> | 3<\/td> | <\/td> | 4<\/td><\/tr> | 10<\/td> | 6<\/td> | 4<\/td> | <\/td> | 5 | (Middle school)<\/td><\/tr> 11<\/td> | 7<\/td> | 1st Form<\/td> | The first year of ‘secondary’ or ‘senior’ school.<\/td> | 6 | (Middle school)<\/td><\/tr> 12<\/td> | 8<\/td> | 2nd Form<\/td> | <\/td> | 7 | (Middle school)<\/td><\/tr> 13<\/td> | 9<\/td> | 3rd Form<\/td> | <\/td> | 8 | (Middle school)<\/td><\/tr> 14<\/td> | 10<\/td> | 4th Form<\/td> | The first year of studying for GCSEs<\/td> | Freshman (High school)<\/td><\/tr> | 15<\/td> | 11<\/td> | 5th Form<\/td> | The last year of studying for GCSEs<\/td> | Sophomore | (High school)<\/td><\/tr> 16<\/td> | Lower 6th Form<\/td> | Lower 6th Form<\/td> | The first year of “College” studying for A-levels, NVQs or other exams.<\/td> | Junior | (High school)<\/td><\/tr> 17<\/td> | Upper 6th Form<\/td> | Upper 6th Form<\/td> | The year we complete A-levels, NVQs etc.<\/td> | Senior | (High school)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Summary differences<\/h4>\n\n\n\nThe main differences, then, are that school starts one year later for children in the United States, and that the ages children transition from school to school differ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some other differences, too, though. In US schools, the children have more liberty about their timetable (see the final years, below) and this seems to reduce the familiarity of students, especially in a large school. In British schools, your cohort is consistent, only changing for those few optional classes, but otherwise consisting of the same 30 or so children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n College<\/h4>\n\n\n\nAttending a college in England was optional until relatively recently (Source<\/a>). In the UK, “college” means a school for 16 – 19 year-olds, or a school for university age children that does not issue degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n |