UK, USA & Aus Education Systems Compared | ExpatWoman.com
 

UK, USA & Aus Education Systems Compared

We looked closer at the differences of UK, USA and Australian school curriculums to help you make the right choice with schools.

Posted on

22 July 2013

Last updated on 14 June 2017
UK, USA & Aus Education Systems Compared

Education Systems Comparison UK USA Aus

It can be confsuing in Qatar to make the right choice of curriculum and knowing the effects it qwill have on your child's future. There are also differences in the ages and names of the years of school.

There is sometimes a lot of confusion between the English, UK, Australian and American schools systems so here we have a handy chart for you so you can compare the ages, and terminology used in all the education and schooling systems. This should help you understand the grade versus year and age comparison.







AGE  English School Type Eng. Key Stage English Year US School Type US Grade
4-5 Primary/ Infant School Reception x Elementary School Nursery 
5-6 Primary/ Infant School KS 1 Year 1 Elementary School Kindergarten
6-7 Primary/ Infant School KS 1 Year 2 Elementary School 1st Grade
7-8 Primary/ Infant School KS 2 Year 3 Elementary School 2nd Grade
8-9 Primary/ Infant School KS 2 Year 4 Elementary School 3rd Grade
9-10 Primary/ Infant School KS 2 Year 5 Elementary School 4th Grade
10-11 Primary/ Infant School KS 2 Year 6 Elementary School 5th Grade
11-12 Secondary School KS 3 Year 7 Middle School 6th Grade
12-13 Secondary School KS 3 Year 8 Middle School 7th Grade
13-14 Secondary School KS 3 Year 9 Middle School 8th Grade
14-15 Secondary School KS 4 Year 10 High School 9th Grade/ Freshman
15-16 Secondary School KS 4 GCSE Year 11 High School 10th Grade/ Sophomore
16-17 6th Form/ College A Level/ IB Year 12 High School 11th Grade- Junior
17-18 6th Form/ College A Level/ IB Year 13 High School 12th Grade- Senior







AGE  Scotland Type Scotland Year Key Stage Northern Ireland N.I. Year Key Stage
4-5 Nursery Year 1   Primary Primary 1  
5-6 Primary Primary 1   Primary Primary 2  
6-7 Primary Primary 2   Primary Primary 3  
7-8 Primary Primary 3   Primary Primary 4  
8-9 Primary Primary 4   Primary Primary 5  
9-10 Primary Primary 5   Primary Primary 6  
10-11 Primary Primary 6   Primary Primary 7 11 Plus 
11-12 Primary Primary 7   High/ Grammar  First Form  
12-13 Secondary 1st Year   High/ Grammar  2nd Form  
13-14 Secondary 2nd Year   High/ Grammar  3rd Form  
14-15 Secondary 3rd Year   High/ Grammar  4th Form  
15-16 Secondary 4th Year Standards High/ Grammar  5th Form GCSE
16-17 Secondary 5th Year Highers High/ Grammar  Lower 6th AS Level
17-18 Secondary 6th Year Highers 6th Form/College Upper 6th A Level




AGE  Australian School Type Name
4 Kindergarten Kindergarten
5 PP Pre Primary
6 Primary Year 1
7 Primary Year 2
8 Primary Year 3
9 Primary Year 4
10 Primary Year 5
11 Primary Year 6
12 Primary Year 7
13 High School Year 8
14 High School Year 9
15 High School Year 10
16 High School Year 11
17 High School Year 12