Schools in the UK & Ireland

Education in the UK

Obligatory : primary and secondary education (from ~5 years until 16 years).

At age 16, students take their GCSE's (General Certificate of Secondary Education)

After that: school is optional.

Girls by their lockers in a Post-primary school in Dublin

Schools in the UK & Ireland

the school years in the UK are split into key stages as follows:

Key Stage 1: 5 to 7 years old

Key Stage 2: 7 to 11 years old

Key Stage 3: 11 to 14 years old

Key Stage 4: 14 to 16 years old

Stages 1 & 2: Primary school Stages 3 & 4: Secondary school

A primary school classroom somewhere in Ireland.

Education in Ireland

Subjects in UK Secondary schools

Subjects studied in Irish post-primary schools

• School compulsory for all children from 6-16 years of age.
• Primary school: Ages 4-12.
• Post-primary school: Ages 12-18.
• Preparing students for Leaving Certificate (examination taken when leaving school). This is not compulsory.
• School year from September until June.
• Lessons from Monday to Friday. Classes usually start between 9am and 9.30am. Lessons for at least 6 hours per day and at least 28 hours per week.
• The school year has three terms:
• The first term: from beginning of September to December (Christmas).
• The second term: from early January to March or April (Easter).
• The final term: from after Easter to the end of June.

In the middle of each term there may be a short holiday called half-term or midterm and is a few days to a week long.

Compulsory subjects: Literacy and Maths

Science

Design and technology (ICT)

History

Geography

Art and design

Music

Physical Education

Religious education

Foreign Languages

Citizenship

Obligatory subjects: English, Irish, maths and science.

Physical Education, Art, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin,Music, Business Studies, Technology, Home Economics, Materials Technology (Woodwork, Metalwork), History, Geography, Civic Social and Political Education (CSPE), and Religious Education.

Irish/Gaelic

students sitting their GCSE exams

A School day in the UK

School year in the UK

Example from a school in Westminster, London.

Queen Elizabeth II visiting a Primary School in London

Students in a Secondary School in Glasgow