<P> England also has a tradition of independent schools (some of which call themselves "public schools") and home schooling; legally, parents may choose to educate their children by any permitted means . State - funded schools are categorised as selective grammar schools or comprehensive schools . Comprehensive schools are further subdivided by funding into free schools, other academies, any remaining Local Authority schools and others . More freedom is given to free schools, including most religious schools, and other academies in terms of curriculum . All are subject to assessment and inspection by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, or Ofsted . </P> <P> The state - funded education system is divided into stages based upon age: Early Years Foundation Stage (ages 3--5); primary education (ages 5 to 11), subdivided into Key Stage 1 (KS1) Infants (ages 5 to 7) and Key Stage 2 (KS2) Juniors (ages 7 to 11); secondary education (ages 11 to 16), subdivided into Key Stage 3 (KS3; ages 11 to 14) and Key Stage 4 (KS4; ages 14 to 16); Key Stage 5 is post-16 education (ages 16 to 18); and tertiary education (for ages 18 +). </P> <P> At age 16 the students typically take exams for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or other Level 1 / 2 qualifications . While education is compulsory until 18, schooling is compulsory to 16, thus post-16 education can take a number of forms, and may be academic or vocational . This can involve continued schooling, known as "sixth form" or "college", leading (typically after two years of further study) to A-level qualifications (similar to a high school diploma in some other countries), or a number of alternative Level 3 qualifications such as Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), the International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge Pre-U, WJEC or Eduqas . It can also include work - based apprenticeships or traineeships, or volunteering . </P> <P> Higher education often begins with a three - year bachelor's degree . Postgraduate degrees include master's degrees, either taught or by research, and doctoral level research degrees that usually take at least three years . Tuition fees for first degrees in public universities are up to £ 9,250 per academic year for English, Welsh and European Union students . </P>

When do you graduate high school in uk
find me the text answering this question