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^{This is intended as a reference for readers unaware of the UK system, to avoid confusion when discussing a question about UK education. As it's difficult to convince people to use a standardised language, I'm instead hoping to just provide definitions from the UK so communication is easier. This is a collaborative effort—if you see something wrong or missing, feel free to edit!}

• Infant School (ages 4–7; Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)

  • Key Stage 1 is studied at this level. There is generally little Computing content, although the use of computers may be introduced.

• Primary School (ages 7–11; Year 3–6)

  • Key Stage 2 is studied this level, including some study of Computing.

• Secondary school (ages 11–16; Year 7–11)

  • Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14; Year 7–9) — students study a broad curriculum of around 15 subjects. No qualification at the end of KS3; students are assessed internally by teachers on progress. Computer Science and Information Technology are often taught as one combined subject, although more rigour is being introduced at this level to focus on CS concepts.
  • Key Stage 4 (ages 14–16; Year 10–11) — students study for external examinations known as GCSEs. These are now graded 9–1 (with 9 being the top grade) from 2017; previously graded A*–G (with A* being the top grade). Core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science subjects are mandatory; many other subjects—particularly Computer Science—are optional.

• Post-16 Education

  • Key stage 5 Sixth Forms (ages 16–18; Year 12–13) — generally attached to secondary schools; offer A-Level qualifications. Generally only 3 or 4 subjects are studied at this level in much greater depth.

    Sixth form gets its name form before the year numbering system changed: It used to go 1,2 (same as current system, but no reception), then 1,2,3,4 (now 3-6), then 1,2,3,4,5 (now 7-11), then 6th form (not year, as it covered 2 years).

  • Colleges are separate institutions from schools and often offer A-Level qualifications as well.

  • Other students not pursuing an academic qualification generally take apprenticeships, as it is legally required that students are in education until the age of 18.

• University (note that these are never called colleges)

  • Generally, one subject is studied at University. Unlike the US, you generally do not major or minor in a subject, because you only ever study one subject (or, in the case of a Joint Honours degree, two subjects). A CS student would never be required to study and History or English, for example.
  • To make things more confusing, universities aren't colleges, but many of the older universities are collegiate and consist of smaller organisations (called colleges, but not the same colleges as the post-16 colleges).

• Infant School (ages 4–7; Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)

  • Key Stage 1 is studied at this level. There is generally little Computing content, although the use of computers may be introduced.

• Primary School (ages 7–11; Year 3–6)

  • Key Stage 2 is studied this level, including some study of Computing.

• Secondary school (ages 11–16; Year 7–11)

  • Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14; Year 7–9) — students study a broad curriculum of around 15 subjects. No qualification at the end of KS3; students are assessed internally by teachers on progress. Computer Science and Information Technology are often taught as one combined subject, although more rigour is being introduced at this level to focus on CS concepts.
  • Key Stage 4 (ages 14–16; Year 10–11) — students study for external examinations known as GCSEs. These are now graded 9–1 (with 9 being the top grade) from 2017; previously graded A*–G (with A* being the top grade). Core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science subjects are mandatory; many other subjects—particularly Computer Science—are optional.

• Post-16 Education

  • Key Stage 5: Sixth Forms (ages 16–18; Year 12–13) — generally attached to secondary schools; offer A-Level qualifications. Generally only 3 or 4 subjects are studied at this level in much greater depth.

    "Sixth Form" gets the name "form" before the year numbering system changed: It used to go 1, 2 (same as current system, but no reception), then 1, 2, 3, 4 (now 3-6), then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (now 7-11), then 6th form (not year, as it covered 2 years).

  • Colleges are separate institutions from schools and often offer A-Level qualifications as well.

  • Other students not pursuing an academic qualification generally take apprenticeships, as it is legally required that students are in education until the age of 18.

• University (note that these are never called colleges)

  • Generally, one subject is studied at University. Unlike the US, you generally do not major or minor in a subject, because you only ever study one subject (or, in the case of a Joint Honours degree, two subjects). A CS student would never be required to study and History or English, for example.
  • To make things more confusing, universities aren't colleges, but many of the older universities are collegiate and consist of smaller organisations (called colleges, but not the same colleges as the post-16 colleges).

• Infant School (ages 4–7; Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)

  • Key Stage 1 is studied at this level. There is generally little Computing content, although the use of computers may be introduced.

• Primary School (ages 7–11; Year 3–6)

  • Key Stage 2 is studied this level, including some study of Computing.

• Secondary school (ages 11–16; Year 7–11)

  • Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14; Year 7–9) — students study a broad curriculum of around 15 subjects. No qualification at the end of KS3; students are assessed internally by teachers on progress. Computer Science and Information Technology are often taught as one combined subject, although more rigour is being introduced at this level to focus on CS concepts.
  • Key Stage 4 (ages 14–16; Year 10–11) — students study for external examinations known as GCSEs. These are now graded 9–1 (with 9 being the top grade) from 2017; previously graded A*–G (with A* being the top grade). Core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science subjects are mandatory; many other subjects—particularly Computer Science—are optional.

• Post-16 Education

  • Sixth Forms (ages 16–18; Year 12–13) — generally attached to secondary schools; offer A-Level qualifications. Generally only 3 or 4 subjects are studied at this level in much greater depth.
  • Colleges are separate institutions from schools and often offer A-Level qualifications as well.
  • Other students not pursuing an academic qualification generally take apprenticeships, as it is legally required that students are in education until the age of 18.

• University (note that these are never called colleges)

  • Generally, one subject is studied at University. Unlike the US, you generally do not major or minor in a subject, because you only ever study one subject (or, in the case of a Joint Honours degree, two subjects). A CS student would never be required to study and History or English, for example.
  • To make things more confusing, universities aren't colleges, but many of the older universities are collegiate and consist of smaller organisations (called colleges, but not the same colleges as the post-16 colleges).

• Infant School (ages 4–7; Reception, Year 1 and Year 2)

  • Key Stage 1 is studied at this level. There is generally little Computing content, although the use of computers may be introduced.

• Primary School (ages 7–11; Year 3–6)

  • Key Stage 2 is studied this level, including some study of Computing.

• Secondary school (ages 11–16; Year 7–11)

  • Key Stage 3 (ages 11–14; Year 7–9) — students study a broad curriculum of around 15 subjects. No qualification at the end of KS3; students are assessed internally by teachers on progress. Computer Science and Information Technology are often taught as one combined subject, although more rigour is being introduced at this level to focus on CS concepts.
  • Key Stage 4 (ages 14–16; Year 10–11) — students study for external examinations known as GCSEs. These are now graded 9–1 (with 9 being the top grade) from 2017; previously graded A*–G (with A* being the top grade). Core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science subjects are mandatory; many other subjects—particularly Computer Science—are optional.

• Post-16 Education

  • Key stage 5 Sixth Forms (ages 16–18; Year 12–13) — generally attached to secondary schools; offer A-Level qualifications. Generally only 3 or 4 subjects are studied at this level in much greater depth.

    Sixth form gets its name form before the year numbering system changed: It used to go 1,2 (same as current system, but no reception), then 1,2,3,4 (now 3-6), then 1,2,3,4,5 (now 7-11), then 6th form (not year, as it covered 2 years).

  • Colleges are separate institutions from schools and often offer A-Level qualifications as well.

  • Other students not pursuing an academic qualification generally take apprenticeships, as it is legally required that students are in education until the age of 18.

• University (note that these are never called colleges)

  • Generally, one subject is studied at University. Unlike the US, you generally do not major or minor in a subject, because you only ever study one subject (or, in the case of a Joint Honours degree, two subjects). A CS student would never be required to study and History or English, for example.
  • To make things more confusing, universities aren't colleges, but many of the older universities are collegiate and consist of smaller organisations (called colleges, but not the same colleges as the post-16 colleges).