The UK is globally recognised for its teaching excellence. The United Kingdom (UK) is reputed for its excellent quality of education, interactive teaching methodology, top ranking universities and great student satisfaction. Universities in the UK consistently rank in the world university rankings such as the QS World Rankings, Times Higher Education Ranking, and Academic Ranking of World Universities. Further, degrees earned from the country are globally recognised and preferred by employers all over the world.
Standing at the zenith of research and development, the UK offers students vast scope to build critical and analytical thinking. Here’s why an overview of the education system in the UK.
How does the UK education system work?
The responsibility of education in the UK is delegated to four jurisdictions - England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. All of these regions have different forms of education systems, qualifications and individual laws/regulations. The major differences can be found in general and secondary education resulting in each region having its own credit frameworks and qualifications.
The education system in the UK consists of four stages:
| Child’s Age | School Year Group | Curriculum Stage | School Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Nursery | Foundation Stage | Nursery School | |
| 4 | Reception | |||
| 5 | Year 1 | Key Stage 1 | Infant School | Primary Education |
| 6 | Year 2 | |||
| 7 | Year 3 | Key Stage 2 *SAT or 11+ Exams |
Junior School | |
| 8 | Year 4 | |||
| 9 | Year 5 | |||
| 10 | Year 6 * | |||
| 11 | Year 7 | Key Stage 3 | Secondary School | Secondary Education |
| 12 | Year 8 | |||
| 13 | Year 9 | |||
| 14 | Year 10 * | Key Stage 4 *GCSE |
||
| 15 | Year 11 * | |||
| 16 | Year 12 (lower Sixth Form) | Sixth Form (A’ Level) Academic Qualifications: A levels / IB OR Vocational Qualifications: NVQs / BTECs |
Sixth Form or College | Further Education |
| 17 | Year 13 (upper sixth form) | |||
| UG 3 Years | Standard Courses | University | Higher Education | |
| UG 4 Years | Sandwich Courses or Study a Year Abroad | |||
| UG 5 Years | For Medicine, Veterinary and Architecture Degrees | |||
| 1-2 Years | Masters Degree(Taught or Research) | University Postgraduate | University Postgraduate | |
| 3-5 years | PHD | |||
Primary Education
Children in the UK must attend school when they rich the age of five. Primary education includes the first two key stages. So the first two years of study are associated with pre-primary education and the following years, until a child reaches the age of 11, are associated with junior school education.
In England, the National Curriculum includes such subjects as English, foreign language, maths, science, art and design, computing, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education.
The Welsh curriculum is focused on applying literacy and numeracy across the whole curriculum. Also, it identifies the different areas of learning such as personal and social development, well-being and cultural diversity, language, literacy and communication skills, mathematical development, Welsh language development (as the first or second language depending on a school), knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development.
In Scotland, the primary school curriculum includes expressive arts, health and wellbeing, languages, mathematics, religious and moral education, sciences, social studies, and technologies.
Curriculum in the Northern Ireland is focused on studying language and literacy, mathematics and numeracy, the arts, the world around us, personal development and mutual understanding, religious education and physical education.
Parents can choose to educate their children at state or private schools. Each state school in the country is entitled to provide a child with a free place. Private schools in the UK are not free.
There are different types of state schools in the UK. Community schools are run by the local authority and have strong links with local communities. Foundation schools in the UK are run by their own governing body. There are also trust schools that are considered to be a type of foundation schools. Such schools form a charitable trust with an outside partner. There are also voluntary-aided and voluntary-controlled schools.
Secondary Education
Students in secondary schools study a wide range of subjects, including English, Maths, Science, Design and Technology, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), History, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages, Art and Design, Music, Citizenship, Physical Education. In some cases, Sex and Relationship Education and Religious education are included in the curriculum as well.
The secondary school in the UK ends with a GCSE state examinations. GCSE’s take a total of 2 years and mark the end of compulsory education for students in the UK. In the most cases, students pass about 10 GCSEs in different subjects, including mathematics and English language. The results of such examinations are crucial. They will show if a student can apply for further education, pursue higher education in a university or leave school to become a part of the working world.
Further Education
Further education in the UK is provided by various educational institutions. Many of them offer the same courses as schools and higher education institutions. There are also vocational and technical courses created those who prefer to learn in a vocational context. Such courses have the aim to meet the needs of employers. There are three main pathways provided by the further education sector. The first one is the academic pathway that includes AS and A levels, International Baccalaureate and undergraduate study. The academic pathway can lead to a job, an apprenticeship or university.
A student can also choose the applied general or technical pathway that provides students with national vocational qualifications, as well as business and technical qualifications. Such pathway can also result in a job, higher apprenticeships, or higher education at college or university.
The third pathway is known as the occupational or professional one. The pathway is provided by apprenticeships or through training courses for employees and can lead to higher apprenticeships or a job or promotion.
The sector of further education has also a range of courses for international students, such as English language courses, summer schools, international diplomas, foundation years and top up courses.
Higher Education
Higher education in the UK is not compulsory and is not free. Nevertheless, there are a variety of scholarships and loans available to students who wish to study in the UK. Furthermore, education in the UK is not as expensive as it may seem first. For example, it is twice as low as in the US. Furthermore, it is important to understand that education in the UK usually takes less time.
It will take just three years to complete an undergraduate degree program and to get a BA (Bachelor of Arts), a BEng (Bachelor of Engineering), or BSc (Bachelor of Science).
After a student completes the undergraduate degree, it is possible to apply for a postgraduate program that generally takes from a year to two years of study. The same concerns Ph.D. program.
Furthermore, higher education in the UK provides students with numerous advantages. These are academic achievements at a university as well as some social advantages. Higher education in the UK involves students in a wide number of out-of -school activities, allows to find new friends and to get insight into future careers.
Higher education in the UK mostly comprises bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. As an international student, you may also transition to university level studies via pathway programs that generally include English language courses and foundation courses.
Undergraduate courses are designed to help students get exposure to a whole new world after school whilst providing a thorough understanding of a subject of interest. The UK offers a variety of courses in humanities, social science, art, design, business, technology, science and more!
Here’s an overview of the types of undergraduate courses offered in the UK:
| Program | Duration |
|---|---|
| Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Diploma (HND) | 1 to 2 years |
| Certificates or Diplomas of Higher Education (Cert HE/Dip HE) | 1 to 2 years |
| Foundation degrees (Fd A/Fd Sc) | 6 months to 2 years |
| Degrees (such as BA, B.Sc, BEng) | 3 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 4 years in Scotland |
| Sandwich degrees | 4 years with a year in industry |
| Integrated courses (where masters is awarded as the first degree such as MEng) | 4 years |
Postgraduate studies
Postgraduate courses are more specific and involve in-depth study. Most master’s degrees have duration of one year, which means you can be back in the workforce faster than your counterparts pursuing masters in other countries. There is a plethora of courses to choose from including niche courses that are highly valued in the industry.
Here’s an overview of the types of postgraduate courses offered in the UK:
| Program | Duration |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate certificates and diploma (PG Cert/PG Dip) | 9 to 12 months |
| Taught Masters (such as MA, M.Sc., LLM, MBA, MRes) | 1 year |
| Research Masters (such as MPhil, PhD, DPhil) | 2-3 years |
The main types of educational institutions in the UK are:
There are two types of colleges in the UK that are not tertiary education providers:
Public and private universities
All UK universities are formally independent bodies. Unlike in America and other European countries, there are no government-owned universities.
However, almost all UK universities are public, which means that they receive part of the funds (30-90%) from the government. At the same time, they are largely autonomous and independently decide on the additional ways of generating income. Public universities vary in size from a few hundred to over 30000 students. Some are integrated into a city’s infrastructure, others have their own campuses.
There are only 5 private universities in the UK, which are not subsidized by the government: the charitable University of Buckingham and Regent's University London, and the profit-making University of Law, BPP University and Arden University. The majority tend to focus on subject areas such as Business, Management, and Law.
Private universities are believed to have more freedom and opportunities to support healthy competition and create programmes relevant to the needs of employers. Traditional public universities provide a general research-focused education with scientific research being a prerequisite for obtaining funding from the government, but having little relevance to the workplace [11] . Another advantage of private universities is individual pastoral care smaller student groups.
If you want to study in the UK, it will be wise to learn what universities are considered to be the best and which you should consider. To help you with this task, there is the trusted Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016-2017 that reveals the 91 best universities in the UK.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is considered to be one of the most popular and prestigious universities in the world and the best one in the UK. It welcomes students from all across the globe to its 44 colleges and halls.
The University of Oxford offers various programs, including the most popular honours programs such as the combination of philosophy, politics, and economics. Despite the fact that such program is considered to be one of the most prestigious, it is no longer unique to the university. Besides this program, students can choose from at least 250 undergraduate degree combinations offered by the University of Oxford.
The university’s notable alumni are more than 30 world leaders, 26 British prime ministers, 26 Nobel Prize winners and more than 120 Olympic medalists. The most famous people who graduated from the University of Oxford are Stephen Hawking and Indira Gandhi.
It is worth to mention that about 95% of the university’s graduates find employment within half a year after they complete their course.
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge, like the University of Oxford, is also considered to be the world-famous, reputable and one of the best in the world. It is situated close to the capital of the UK. It will take you just about an hour to get to the town from London.
It welcomes students from all across the globe to its 31 colleges. Admissions to the University of Cambridge are extremely competitive. One of the most distinctive features of the University of Cambridge is the shorter terms in comparison to the most universities in the UK.
The University of Cambridge is also known for the extensive collections of medieval manuscripts belonging to its libraries. There are also Cambridge museums that display unique collections of archaeological artifacts and zoological specimens.
Notable graduates of the University of Cambridge are actors, politicians, royals, sportsmen and cultural figures. The University of Cambridge also graduated the most famous British scientists. As the university that shows excellence in mathematics, it educated mathematicians who have won a number of Fields Medals. It is worth to mention that the university also has 92 Nobel prizes awarded to academics affiliated with the university.
Imperial College London
Imperial College London, one of the best in the world of science, technology, engineering, medicine, and business, is based next to Kensington Palace in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. There are also some other campuses around the city.
The college was established in 1907 as the result of a merger of three London colleges. Today, the population of the college is about 15,000 students and 8,000 staff. Students from all across the globe come to study here and the population of the college is made up of more than 125 nationalities.
The college is also known for its success in producing government advisers and policy makers of the UK. When it comes to the world of science, the college is known as the institution that graduates Fields medalists and Nobel Prize winners. All graduates of the college are highly sought after.
The Imperial’s most notable alumni are the author H. G. Wells and Sir Liam Donaldson, head physician to the Queen.
University College London
University College London (UCL) is considered to be one of the most selective universities in the UK. The college graduates some of the most employable specialists in various fields. That is why it is highly in college league tables.
The history of the college has a brilliant reputation of the first educational institution in the England that admitted students irrespective of class, race or religion. It is worth to mention that it was exactly the University College London that was the first to admit women on equal terms with men. The high level of equality was the result of the educational philosophy of the university’s spiritual founder – Jeremy Bentham.
The most competitive degree provided by the university is BSc in philosophy, politics, and economics. Applicants to the degree generally have all A grades at A level. Nevertheless, the competition is so high that only 1 of 30 applicants has a chance to be accepted to the university.
The UCL is also considered to be one of the most internationally friendly universities in the UK. Half of its population is made up of international students. Mainly, students came from Asia and Europe. The most notable alumni of the ULC are Mahatma Gandhi; Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone, as well as members of Coldplay band.
London School of Economics and Political Science
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the most internationally diverse university in the UK, is situated close to such important institutions as the Royal Courts of Justice, Lincoln’s Inn, the Royal College of Surgeons and the British Museum. About 70% of the university’s population is made up of international students.
The university is known as a high-quality educational institution that prepares top specialists in such fields as law, economics, history, philosophy, and politics. About 26% of Nobel prizes for economics are associated with the graduates from the LSE.
Admissions to the London School of Economics and Political Science are extremely competitive. There is a practice of unique lecture series at the London School of Economics and Political Science that saw such prominent cultural, political and academic figures, including Nelson Mandela and George Soros.
One of the most notable alumni of the London School of Economics and Political Science is B.R. Ambedkar, the main architect of the Indian Constitution.