The age of students
In England, a student enters a secondary school at age 11.
The key stage they are at, their years in education, their year in the
secondary school and their examination level equates to their age as follows:
| Key Stage | Year group | Year in secondary school |
Exam | Age (1) |
| KS1 | 1 | 5 | ||
| KS1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| KS2 | 3 | 7 | ||
| KS2 | 4 | 8 | ||
| KS2 | 5 | 9 | ||
| KS2 | 6 | 10 | ||
| KS3 | 7 | 1st | 11 | |
| KS3 | 8 | 2nd | 12 | |
| KS3 | 9 | 3rd | Year 9 (2) | 13 |
| KS4 | 10 | 4th | Year 10 (3) | 14 |
| KS4 | 11 | 5th | GCSE | 15 |
| KS5 | 12 | 6th | AS | 16 |
| KS5 | 13 | 7th | A2 | 17 |
(1) Minimum age of entry to the year on September 1st.
(2) Internal exam. This forms part of a students end of Key Stage 3 assessment.
(3) Internal exam. This gives a student an opportunity to work for 10 hours under
exam conditions. This becomes their first piece of coursework for GCSE.
(2) Internal exam. This forms part of a students end of Key Stage 3 assessment.
(3) Internal exam. This gives a student an opportunity to work for 10 hours under
exam conditions. This becomes their first piece of coursework for GCSE.