Children normally start primary school at the age of , but many schools now have a reception year for four year olds.
Children normally leave at the age of , moving on to secondary school (High school).
British children are required to attend school until they are years old. In England, compulsory schooling currently ends on the last Friday in June during the academic year in which a pupil attains the age of 16. Current government proposals are to raise the age until which students must continue to receive some form of education or training to 18.
At the age of 16, students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland take an examination called the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Study of GSCE subjects begins at the start of [?], and final examinations are then taken at the end of (age 15-16).