There have been a few changes in the way the British education examination boards or awarding bodies have operated in the last forty years. These are the bodies responsible for setting and awarding the qualifications for secondary or upper school level. These are generally in most schools, the GCSE, Standard Grades, A Levels, Highers and vocational qualifications specifically career focused.
All school children or students have to be taught along pretty rigid guidelines which are encompassed within the national curriculum. The need for rather heavy reegulation is to ensure complete fairness across the board for all students going through state schools – i.e. formal educatin provided free by the government. The other schools, fee paying independent establishments do follow the curriculum guidelines but generally in their own way and because they are fee paid, the intake of students is much higher quality than in most schools and thus the examination results are expected to be much better too.. However back to the national schooling which is broken down into key stages from 1 to 4 from aged 5 to 7; 7 to 11; 11 to 14; and 14-16 at year 10-11.
Preparatory exams to enter university at age 17-19 are taken according to the results of the Key Stage 4 grades achieved.
