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Moving to the UK with children? Four nations, different year groups, unfamiliar exams, and a system that assumes you already know how it works. This guide doesn't assume that.
Key facts
20%
Of UK pupils speak English as a second language
360+
Languages spoken in UK schools
Free
State school education for almost all visa types
5–7yr
Average time to academic English fluency
Schools cannot ask for your visa
The DfE explicitly prohibits schools from requesting passports or immigration documents. Every child has a right to education.
Placement is by age, not ability
UK schools place children in year groups by birthday, not by academic level. A 10-year-old goes in the year group for 10-year-olds, regardless of their prior schooling.
Mid-GCSE arrival is very hard
Joining Year 11 (age 15–16) is extremely challenging. GCSEs are 2-year courses. Your child may need to repeat a year or sit fewer exams.
UK year groups work differently from most other countries. This table maps ages to year groups across all four UK nations, the US, and continental Europe.
| Age | England | Wales | Scotland | N. Ireland | US | Europe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 | Reception | Reception | P1 | P1/Year 1 | Kindergarten | Pre-school / CP (France) |
| 5–6 | Year 1 | Year 1 | P2 | P2/Year 2 | 1st Grade | Year 1 / CE1 |
| 6–7 | Year 2 | Year 2 | P3 | P3/Year 3 | 2nd Grade | Year 2 / CE2 |
| 7–8 | Year 3 | Year 3 | P4 | P4/Year 4 | 3rd Grade | Year 3 / CM1 |
| 8–9 | Year 4 | Year 4 | P5 | P5/Year 5 | 4th Grade | Year 4 / CM2 |
| 9–10 | Year 5 | Year 5 | P6 | P6/Year 6 | 5th Grade | Year 5 / 6e (France) |
| 10–11 | Year 6 | Year 6 | P7 | P7/Year 7 | 6th Grade | Year 6 / 5e |
| 11–12 | Year 7 | Year 7 | S1 | Year 8 | 7th Grade | Year 7 / 4e |
| 12–13 | Year 8 | Year 8 | S2 | Year 9 | 8th Grade | Year 8 / 3e |
| 13–14 | Year 9 | Year 9 | S3 | Year 10 | 9th Grade | Year 9 / 2nde |
| 14–15 | Year 10 | Year 10 | S4 | Year 11 | 10th Grade | Year 10 / 1re |
| 15–16 | Year 11 (GCSEs) | Year 11 (GCSEs) | S4 (Nat 5s) | Year 12 (GCSEs) | 11th Grade | Year 11 / Terminale |
| 16–17 | Year 12 (AS) | Year 12 | S5 (Highers) | Year 13 | 12th Grade | Post-16 |
| 17–18 | Year 13 (A2) | Year 13 | S6 (Adv Highers) | Year 14 | College Freshman | Post-16 |
| Age | England | Scotland | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 | Reception | P1 | Kindergarten |
| 5–6 | Year 1 | P2 | 1st Grade |
| 6–7 | Year 2 | P3 | 2nd Grade |
| 7–8 | Year 3 | P4 | 3rd Grade |
| 8–9 | Year 4 | P5 | 4th Grade |
| 9–10 | Year 5 | P6 | 5th Grade |
| 10–11 | Year 6 | P7 | 6th Grade |
| 11–12 | Year 7 | S1 | 7th Grade |
| 12–13 | Year 8 | S2 | 8th Grade |
| 13–14 | Year 9 | S3 | 9th Grade |
| 14–15 | Year 10 | S4 | 10th Grade |
| 15–16 | Year 11 (GCSEs) | S4 (Nat 5s) | 11th Grade |
| 16–17 | Year 12 (AS) | S5 (Highers) | 12th Grade |
| 17–18 | Year 13 (A2) | S6 (Adv Highers) | College Freshman |
Birthday cut-off dates vary
England, Wales, & NI: 1 September cut-off (children born before 1 Sept start school that year). Scotland: 1 March cut-off (with Feb deferrals common). This means a child may be in a different year group depending on which part of the UK they move to.
Almost every child in the UK can attend state school for free, regardless of immigration status. Here's the detail.
Find the best-matched schools near you
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If your child is not fluent in English, schools must provide support. Here's how the system works.
EAL proficiency stages
A — New to English
Can understand very little. Needs intensive 1:1 or small group support. Typically lasts 6–12 months.
B — Early acquisition
Basic conversational English but struggles with academic language. Can follow simple instructions.
C — Developing competence
Growing confidence in social English. Still needs support with curriculum-specific vocabulary and written tasks.
D — Competent
Oral fluency close to peers. Written English still developing. May need occasional vocabulary support.
E — Fluent
Fully competent in English. No additional support needed. Typically reached within 5–7 years of arrival.
Arriving during GCSE or A-level years is one of the biggest challenges international families face.
A practical timeline from before you arrive to your child's first term.
Sources
This guide draws on the Department for Education admissions guidance, the School Admissions Code (England), UK Visas and Immigration guidance on education rights, the EAL Nexus resources (British Council), the NALDIC (National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum), and local authority in-year admissions guidance. This guide is for general information only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Immigration rules change frequently — always verify your rights with a qualified immigration adviser or your local authority before making decisions about school places. Last reviewed April 2026.
Moving Between UK Nations
Year-group mappings and exam equivalences across 4 nations
How the UK School System Works
Key stages, inspections, and how the system is structured
Every Type of UK School Explained
State, private, grammar, faith — what it all means
SEND Rights & Processes
If your child has special educational needs
Search by postcode, filter by school type and inspection grade, and compare schools across all four UK nations.