The subheadings which follow provide a broad picture of the learning opportunities available across the different phases of the education system.

Early childhood education and care 

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is not compulsory. Part-time provision is free of charge to parents for all children from age 3 and for disadvantaged children from age 2.  

The general entitlement (known as the ‘universal entitlement’) is 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year for all 3- and 4-year-olds. There is an ‘extended entitlement’ for 3- and 4-year-olds whose parents are in employment. This is 30 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year.

There is no general entitlement to ECEC provision for children under the age of 3, although 2-year-olds who meet specified economic criteria; children in the care of public authorities; adopted children; and children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, receive the 15-hour entitlement.

Outside the government-funded provision, parents can choose to pay for ECEC using privately run day nurseries, childminders or nannies.

Education is compulsory from the school term following a child’s fifth birthday (beginning in September, January or April). Admission authorities must, though, provide for all children to join the reception class in primary school in the September following their fourth birthday. As a result, many children reach compulsory school age during the reception class. See the subheading ‘School starting age’ in the article ‘Organisation of Primary Education’ for further information.

A common statutory framework (known as the Early Years Foundation Stage, or EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to age five. It regulates provision across all settings, including nursery schools, maintained primary schools and academies, private and voluntary settings and registered childminders.

Primary and lower secondary education 

Full-time education is compulsory from the term following a child’s fifth birthday until age 16, and parents are responsible for ensuring that their child receives education. This duty is set out in Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 as follows:

'The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—

(a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and

(b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.’

Beyond this, young people are required to participate in education or training until they turn 18 (see the subheading 'Upper secondary education' below).

For most children in compulsory full-time education, ‘regular attendance at school or otherwise’ means attendance at a publicly funded school, of which there are two main types:

• maintained schools, which are funded by central government via the local authority (LA)
• academy schools which have direct funding agreements with central government and are independent of the LA. They enjoy certain freedoms relating to organisation and the curriculum.

Regular attendance at school or otherwise can also mean attendance at a fee-paying independent school (see the article on ‘Organisation of Private Education‘), or home education (see subheading below).

Under the Education Act 2002, maintained primary and secondary schools must provide the national curriculum, which is divided into four key stages:

• Key Stage 1 for pupils aged 5 to 7 - Years 1 and 2 in primary education (ISCED 1)
• Key Stage 2 for pupils aged 7 to 11 - Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 in primary education (ISCED 1)
• Key Stage 3 for pupils aged 11 to 14 - Years 7, 8 and 9 in secondary education (ISCED 2)
• Key Stage 4 for pupils aged 14 to 16 - Years 10 and 11 in secondary education (ISCED 3).

Note: Although the national curriculum is compulsory only for maintained schools, academies generally adhere to the same key stage structure for organising the curriculum.

The age range catered for by each school is a matter for local determination, but all schools are legally categorised as either primary or secondary schools. Generally, pupils transfer from primary school to secondary school at the age of 11.

In a few areas, pupils transfer at age 8 or 9 from a ‘first school’ to a middle school, and subsequently to a secondary school (often known as a high school or upper school) at age 12 or 13.

There are also a number of ‘all through’ academies catering for pupils from 4/5 to 16 years of age.

On reaching the end of compulsory full-time education (at the end of Key Stage 4, age 16), pupils usually take nationally recognised external qualifications which fall into three main categories: GCSEs; non-GCSE technical and vocational qualifications; and Entry Level qualifications. See the article ‘Assessment in General Lower Secondary Education’ for further information.

Almost all primary schools are mixed-sex and over a third are faith schools (Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2020. Secondary schools can be mixed or single sex and around a fifth are faith schools. The great majority of secondary schools, known as comprehensive schools, admit students without reference to academic criteria. In a few areas, there are grammar schools which admit students on the basis of high academic ability.

Upper secondary education 

From age 16 to 18, young people must be in one of:

• full-time education or training
• part-time education or training, alongside a minimum of 20 hours per week of work or volunteering
• work-based learning.

There is, however, no sanction for non-participation for 16- to 18-year-olds.

At age 16, young people may continue their studies in a school sixth form, a sixth-form college or a further education college. Not all secondary schools cater for pupils over the age of 16, but if they do, they may offer a limited range of vocational as well as general academic programmes. It is more common for young people wishing to undertake vocational education to transfer to a further education institution, although most offer both vocational and general academic courses. Details of the proportions of students in the different types of provision are available in the annual statistical first release, ‘Participation in education, training and employment by 16-18 year olds in England: 2019, Participation, Education, Training and Employment.

Although they provide an overlapping range of programmes which can lead to the same external certification, schools and further education institutions operate within different legal frameworks. The further education sector is described in the ‘Adult Education and Training‘ Chapter, which should be read in conjunction with the ‘Secondary Education’ Chapter in relation to this age group.

Higher education 

Higher education institutions (HEIs) generally cater for students aged 18 and above. The length of programmes at this level varies between two years of full-time study for short-cycle programmes (ISCED 5); three or four years of full-time study for bachelor’s degrees with honours (ISCED 6); and at least one year of full-time study for a master’s degree (ISCED 7).

HEIs are independent, self-governing bodies empowered by a Royal Charter or an Act of Parliament to develop their own courses and award their own degrees.

Adult education and skills 

Outside of higher education, there is a large and diverse range of vocational programmes designed to prepare adult learners over the age of 19 for careers and jobs. Such programmes provide specific skills and ongoing development for work and support career progression. They typically lead to qualifications on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Adults who wish to improve their basic skills can take single subject recognised qualifications, such as functional skills or Entry Level qualifications. Others may work towards GCSEs, A Levels or the Access to Higher Education Diploma.

A large proportion of government-supported vocational learning is within apprenticeship frameworks, described in the article on ‘Teaching and Learning in Vocational Secondary Education’, which should be read in conjunction with the article on ‘Main Types of Provision’.

Workplace training is also funded by employers, through in-company training and learning from independent providers.

Adult community learning may include both formal and non-formal learning.

The major providers of further education and training for adults are further education colleges, which are self-governing corporations.

Home education 

Parents have the right to educate their children at home. Under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, a child of compulsory school age may be educated either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. Reasons for educating a child at home may include:

• ideological or philosophical views which parents feel would be better promoted through education at home
• religious or cultural beliefs
• dissatisfaction with the school system
• distance to a local school
• bullying
• as a short-term intervention for a particular reason
• the child’s unwillingness or inability to go to school
• special educational needs not being met within the school system
• health reasons, including mental health.

Parents who choose to educate their child at home are responsible for ensuring that the education provided is efficient, full-time and suitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have. They do not have to follow the national curriculum, nor do they need to be qualified teachers. Parents must be prepared to assume full financial responsibility for their child’s education.

Local authorities have no statutory duties to monitor the quality of home education on a routine basis. They do though, under the Education Act 1996 (as amended), have duties to make arrangements to identify children not receiving a suitable education, and to intervene if it appears that a child is not receiving a suitable education.

For further information on home education, see the House of Commons Library Briefing, Home education in England (July 2019).

Article last reviewed December 2020.