British and American School Systems

British and American School Systems

There are some similarities and some differences between British and American school systems. In England children start infant school which is part of primary school at the age of 5.  In America, this is the age they start what is called “pre-school”. For many children, this is their first experience of school, and they do a lot of learning through play.

The next stage is the start of a more formal and traditional kind of learning. When they are eight, British children move into junior school, while American children go to elementary school at the age of 6.The two systems are quite similar in their early stages. It’s just the schools that have different names.

The next stage is where the two systems become quite different. In England, children start secondary school when they are 11years old. In America, children go to junior high school at the age of 12 or 13.

British children go into the 6^th form at the age of 16 and they stay there until they are 18. American children go to senior high school for the same two years. So that stage is pretty much the same.

And the final stage is not so different either. When they are 18, students from both countries who want to continue their education go on to third level. This could be university or college or some other kind of training institution.