Editing Comprehensive school (section)

=== School years ===
Children are normally placed in year groups determined by the age they will attain at their birthday during the school year.<ref name="EducationAct20022">[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32 Education Act 2002], s.82.</ref> In most cases progression from one year group to another is based purely on chronological age, although it is possible in some circumstances for a student to repeat or skip a year. Repetition may be due to a lack of attendance, for example due to a long illness, and especially in Years requiring standard tests. A child significantly more advanced than their classmates may be forwarded one or more years.

State-funded nursery education is available from the age of 3, and may be full-time or part-time, though this is not compulsory. 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, compulsory school attendance ends on the last Friday in June during the academic year in which a student attains the age of 16.<ref name="School attendance">{{cite web |title=School attendance and absence: the law |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/YourChildsWelfareAtSchool/DG_066966 |publisher=[[Directgov]]}}</ref>

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. Years 12 and 13 are often referred to as "lower sixth form" and "upper sixth form" respectively, reflecting their distinct, voluntary nature as the [[GCE Advanced Level|A-level]] years. While most secondary schools enter their pupils for A-levels, some schools offer the [[International Baccalaureate]] or [[Cambridge Pre-U]] qualifications instead.
{| class="wikitable"
!Age at birthday<br>during<br>school year<ref name="EducationAct20022"/>
! Year
! width=200|Curriculum stage
! colspan="3"|Types of State Schools
|-
|4
|Nursery
| rowspan="2" |[[Foundation Stage]]
| colspan="3" align="center"|Nursery School
|-
|5
|[[Reception (school)|Reception]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Infant School]]
| rowspan="7" |Primary School
| rowspan="5" |[[First School]]
|-
|6
|[[Year One (education)|Year 1]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Key Stage 1]]
|-
|7
|[[Year Two|Year 2]]
|-
|8
|[[Year Three|Year 3]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Key Stage 2]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Junior School]]
|-
|9
|[[Year Four|Year 4]]
|-
|10
|[[Year Five|Year 5]]
| rowspan="4" |[[List of middle schools in England|Middle School]]
|-
|11
|[[Year Six|Year 6]]
|-
|12
|[[Year Seven|Year 7]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Key Stage 3]]
| rowspan="5" |Secondary School<br>or High School
| rowspan="7" |Secondary School<br>with Sixth Form
|-
|13
|[[Year Eight|Year 8]]
|-
|14
|[[Year Nine|Year 9]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Upper School]]
|-
|15
|[[Year Ten|Year 10]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Key Stage 4]]
[[General Certificate of Secondary Education|GCSE]]
|-
|16
|[[Year Eleven|Year 11]]
|-
|17
|[[Year Twelve|Year 12]]<br>(Lower Sixth)
| rowspan="2" |[[Key Stage 5]] / [[Sixth Form]]
[[GCE Advanced Level|A-level]], [[Business and Technology Education Council]], [[T Level|T-level]], [[International Baccalaureate]], [[Cambridge Assessment International Education|Cambridge International]], etc.
| rowspan="2" |[[Sixth Form]]/[[FE College]]
|-
|18
|[[Year Thirteen|Year 13]]<br>(Upper Sixth)
|}