Education and Schools in the United Kingdom

If you are an expat moving to the United Kingdom with children, making the correct choice when picking a school is a top priority. Attending the right school will play a significant role in ensuring your little ones' successful transition into expat life in the UK.

Factors that will affect your choice of school for your expat children include your child’s previous schooling experience, their academic ability, and their English language capability.

You should note that most government-funded schools in the UK and some independent schools base admission on catchment areas, so it’s often best to choose a school before deciding where to live within a city.

Education system in the United Kingdom

Although the education systems and schooling options vary slightly between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, they share the same basic structure. Typically, the academic year in the United Kingdom starts in September and ends in July, with the main breaks in December, March/April, and July/August.

The schooling system is divided into the following stages:

• Early years education: ages 3 to 5.
• Primary education: ages 5 to 11. It is subdivided into Key Stage 1 (ages 5 to 7) and Key Stage 2 (ages 7 to 11).
• Secondary education: ages 11 to 16. It is subdivided into Key Stage 3 (ages 11 to 14) and Key Stage 4 (ages 14 to 16).
• Post-16 education: ages 16 to 18, Key Stage 5.

Education is compulsory in the UK for children between the ages of five and 16. Most children start primary school during the school year when they turn five. Secondary school then begins at age 11. 

At age 16, after completing their GCSE, students can optionally continue their secondary studies for a further two years, studying for A-Levels or BTEC awards. More and more schools in the UK are now offering students the opportunity to study for the International Baccalaureate (IB), which is recognised globally.

There are several options for schooling in the UK that you need to consider. Each type of school is unique and offers different benefits. With such a wide variety of options, there is sure to be something to suit the needs and budget of your expat family.

Useful links

• School Admissions in the UK

State-funded schools in the United Kingdom

State schools are provided by the government at no cost to you if you are a British citizen or a foreigner legally residing in the UK. These schools are effectively funded by taxpayers.

The quality of education at state schools varies considerably. Some offer excellent teaching and facilities, while others fall short of the expected standard. Generally, the better state-funded schools will be found in more affluent areas.

An organisation known as Ofsted (Office of Standards in Education) does regular school inspections and publishes reports. These can be accessed online if you wish to find out about the quality of teaching and facilities at a particular school, as well as how the students at the school are doing academically.

Admission criteria vary from one school to the next. Most popular state schools base admissions on a particular catchment area, and you should be aware of this when deciding where to live in the UK.

There are various types of state schools that have slightly different approaches to teaching styles or curricula.

Community schools

Community schools are funded and managed by the local council. The council owns the school grounds and building, is responsible for employing the staff, and manages its own admission policies. These schools follow the national curriculum and have no association with a business or religious group.

Foundation schools and voluntary schools

Like community schools, foundation and voluntary schools are funded by the local authority and follow the national curriculum. However, they have more flexibility in setting their own policies regarding admission and delivery of the curriculum. Some schools in this category are faith-based and are supported by a particular religious group.

Grammar schools

Grammar schools are state secondary schools that are academically selective. Their pupils are selected using an examination taken by children at age 11, known as the 11-plus.

Academies

While part of the state education system, academies aren’t controlled by the local council, giving them more freedom in what curriculum they teach. They receive their funding from the government but are managed by not-for-profit companies known as academy trusts. Sometimes an additional organisation (for example, a business, a faith group or a voluntary group) will act as a sponsor with the aim of improving school performance.

Free schools

Free schools are funded by the government but aren’t run by local authorities. Rather, they are run by non-profit-making trusts, like parent groups, charities, or religious associations. Free schools aren’t bound to teach the national curriculum, and they may instead offer a more specialised curriculum focusing on a particular subject area, such as engineering.

Useful links

• Types of Schools in the UK
• Ofsted Reports
• Compare School Performance

Independent schools in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has a tradition of independent (private) schools. While these schools generally follow the British curriculum, they aren’t obligated to and can offer a broader range of subjects if they wish. More and more private schools in the UK are starting to provide students with the opportunity to study the IB.

Independent schools tend to have smaller class sizes, resulting in more individualised attention for each student. These schools do charge tuition fees, though, and they can be pricey. On top of school fees, you will also have to budget for other expenses such as uniforms and stationery. Some private schools offer a limited number of scholarships for students who are particularly gifted.

The admission criteria for private schools vary from school to school. Children will be expected to attend an interview and pass an entrance exam for admission to most independent schools in the United Kingdom.

Useful links

• Independent Schools Council
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization

International schools in the United Kingdom

International schools are popular among expat families living in the United Kingdom. These schools follow a variety of different curricula from across the globe.

International schools allow your children to continue studying the same syllabus as they did at home, which is ideal for families who do not plan on living in the United Kingdom in the long term.

A range of international schools in the UK follow the American, French, and German national curricula. London has the most extensive variety of international schools in the UK, as it is the city with the largest expat population.

Fees charged at international schools in the United Kingdom can be hefty. If you plan to send your child to an international school, it's a good idea to try to negotiate an allowance into your employment contract to cover the cost.

Special-needs education in the United Kingdom

In the UK, the management of special needs in schools is approached with the goal of integration. To that end, children with special educational needs are kept in a mainstream schooling setting as much as possible.

If you think that your child may need extra assistance, you can request that the local council assess your child. Children with special educational needs will have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan drawn up by the council, which specifies the school they are to attend. Your child may be assigned to a special school if a mainstream school cannot provide the required support.

Useful links

• Education, Health and Care (EHC) official website
• Special Needs UK
• SOS!SEN

Tutors in the United Kingdom

Tutors can be helpful for your family in many situations. Your children from abroad may need a little help catching up to the local curriculum or could benefit from extra tutoring for the English language if it isn’t their mother tongue. If you are worried about your children losing their mother tongue language skills while in the UK, you should consider hiring a tutor who is a fellow native speaker to help maintain fluency.

There’s a wide variety of tutoring companies to choose from, with some of the most popular being Tutor House, Superprof, and Tavistock Tutors.

Useful links

• Tutor House
• Superprof
• Tavistock Tutors