Education in Britain is compulsory (obbligatoria) from the age of 5 up (fino) to the age of 16.

Most British students attend state schools ( scuole statali) that provide (forniscono) free education (istruzione gratuita). Children receive (ricevono) primary education (l'istruzione primaria) until they are 11. About 87 per cent of secondary school students go to comprehensive schools until they are 16 or 18. A minority of students attend grammar schools, which offer a more academic education, but they must sit an entrance examination.

Academies are schools that have replaced weak and failing schools ( scuole deboli e con un alto tasso di bocciature) in the poorer council areas . They are state funded (finanziate dallo stato) and free (gratuite) with a private sponsor ( from business, faith or voluntary groups) and are more flexible with their curriculum and staffing ( personale) to meet (per venire incontro) local needs (ai bisogni del territorio)

Public schools are independent schools for which parents sometimes pay very high fees (rette molto alte). In the past independent schools were mainly (principalmente) grammar schools but nowadays their courses are similar to state education.

The national curriculum is compulsory in all state schools throughout England. The aim of the curriculum is to ensure (assicurare) that schools around the country are following the same courses.

Pupils are assessed (valutati) at various stages (stadi differenti) in their education through (attraverso) key stage tests popularly known as "Sats". There are four key stages : Key stage 1-2-3-4. A the age of 16 students sit for an exam and obtain a qualification called GCSE.

After taking the GCSE students can either find a job or stay at school for two more years ( per altri due anni) and go to Sixth form or to a College of further education. At the age of 18 students take final exams (A-levels) and either go to University or enter the job market (mercato del lavoro)