Moving from the American to the British school system
US vs UK education at a glance: key differences
While both the US and UK are famous for their high-quality education, the two systems are poles apart. While the American approach is famously laidback, sporty and hands-on, the UK’s education system is more traditional, structured and exam-based.
Also important to bear in mind when moving from US to UK schools is that American schools are geared up to welcoming and absorbing new students at pretty much any point – usually with a structure in place to ease them (and their parents) into school life quickly. British schools, on the other hand, have key entry points, with students joining outside these times considered the exception to the rule.
When children start school in the UK: timelines and key stages
The differences between the US and the UK education systems begin from day one.
Key entry points explained (4, 7, 11, 13 and 16)
While in the US, children typically start kindergarten at age 5 (although it can be 6 depending local school policies and parental choice), most children in the UK start school in the September after their 4th birthday (although parents can defer it until the compulsory school age of 5).
After that, the most common points of entry are the September after children turn 7 (private schools), 11 (private and state schools), 13 (private schools) and 16 (private and state schools). Application deadlines are typically in the previous academic year, although some are much earlier (eg for the elite 13+ entry boarding schools) and, conversely, some schools are very happy to accept children at other ages, including mid academic year, and at very short notice.
The UK splits its curriculum into five ‘key stages’. The first two key stages fall under primary schools, while KS3 covers the first three years of secondary school. KS4 is covered in years 10 and 11 (when students work towards GCSEs – the national exams taken at age 16), while years 12 and 13 (often known as ‘sixth form’) is defined by KS5 (when students typically take A levels).
Curriculum differences between the US and UK
Unlike in the US, where the curriculum is decided on by each state, the UK has four different curricula set by the government – one each for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
England’s national curriculum
In England, the primary school national curriculum requires children to be taught to read and write earlier than in the US. By the time they’re 5 or 6, children in Britain can usually manage reading basic books and writing whole sentences. But don’t panic if your child is moving from the more play-based US system in these early years as the system is designed to enable them to catch up. Nor should you be concerned about the standardised testing at primary school – SATs. These are largely used for school accountability and government records and not to laud or condemn children. These are statutory in state-funded schools but in rare cases parents can reach an agreement with the school to withdraw their child.
In secondary school, specialisation happens earlier in the UK than the US. It begins with GCSEs in year 10 (the year your child turns 14), when students usually take between eight and 10 subjects. Then in year 12 (the year when your child turns 17), the curriculum narrows further still, with students usually taking three (occasionally four) subjects for their A levels.
When not to move: high-risk transition points
While the US education system doesn’t really have a mid-way marker or set of exams, you’ll have gleaned by now that standardised testing is a hallmark of British education especially from age 14.
Indeed, GCSEs are the entire focus of years 10-11and furthermore, it is the results of these GCSEs that may determine what and where a student can study their A levels in years 11-12.
Because both GCSEs and A levels are assessed (mostly or entirely) by end-of-course exams, joining mid-course would present the American student with extreme challenges – even UK students avoid moving schools during these times.
Switching from US to UK school system
This is pretty straightforward up to age 14, though depending on the academic aspirations of the school you are moving from/to you may need to consider some level of tutoring or online test practice, especially if putting your child forward for UK 11-plus or 13-plus entry tests. We recommend engaging with your chosen school on what the admissions requirements will be.
Starting GCSEs or A levels without prior UK exams
After that you will likely only be able to make the transition into year 10 (at the start of the two-year GCSE programme) or year 12 (at the start of the two-year A level or IB Diploma Programme). As you will not have GCSEs behind you, it’s a good idea to have taken a selection of AP and Honours classes in grade 11 to demonstrate your academic aptitude, especially in subjects you are choosing for further study.
Parents should start by talking to the individual school. Different A levels require different degrees of preparedness and if there is a gap, some children are more capable of leaping it than others – and there is always a summer with a tutor to help.
British-curriculum schools outside the UK
Because the British education system has such a strong reputation worldwide, you won’t find any shortage of British schools outside the UK – with most teaching an adapted version of the English national curriculum leading up to GCSEs and A levels and/or the IB Diploma Programme.
Applying to US universities with British qualifications
The good news is that this is common. US universities are not only familiar with GCSE and A level qualifications, but they really value them.
However, because not all American universities have the same deadlines, you should start working on your applications in the summer before year 13. That’s a good few months earlier than for UK university applications.
Five GCSE passes at grade 5 or above are often considered broadly equivalent to a US high school diploma without Honours or Advanced Placement classes. There is no single, universal conversion between GCSE grades and GPA, and practices vary between universities and credential evaluators. Higher GCSE grades generally translate to a stronger GPA profile, with top grades supporting applications to more selective institutions. Students applying on the basis of GCSEs alone will usually need to wait until they are at least 17 years old.
Selective US universities, on the other hand, have the same entry expectations as UK universities. If a student with good GCSEs wants to apply to one of these, they should either complete A levels or the IB diploma, or alternatively attend an American high school that offers AP classes.
