Educational stages are subdivisions of formal learning, typically covering early childhood education, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognises nine levels of education in its International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) system (from Level 0 (pre-primary education) through Level 8 (doctoral)). UNESCO's International Bureau of Education maintains a database of country-specific education systems and their stages, published as World Data on Education. Some countries divide levels of study into grades or forms for school children in the same year.
Organization Education during childhood and early adulthood is typically provided through either a two- or three-stage system of childhood school, followed by additional stages of higher education or vocational education for those who continue their formal education: Early childhood education at preschool, nursery school, or kindergarten (outside the U.S. and Canada) Primary education at primary school or elementary school, and sometimes in the early years of middle school Secondary education at secondary school or high school, and sometimes in the later years of middle school Higher education or vocational education
The following table introduces the main concepts, although terms and ages may vary in different places: Age Educational stage 2-stage system 3-stage system ISCED 4–5 Early childhood education Preschool Preschool 0 5–6 6–7 Primary education Primary school Elementary school 1 7–8 8–9 9–10 10–11 11–12 Middle school 2 12–13 13–14 Secondary education Secondary school 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 High school 3 For additional ISCED stages of education, see ISCED.
Sudbury schools do not use formal grade levels or educational stages. Instead, students ages 4 through 18 are intermingled in a democratic educational system, relying on a series of certifications to use equipment that may require specialised knowledge or safety procedures. These certifications are not typically restricted by age, but rather by demonstrated ability.
By country
Australia
In Australia, children undergo thirteen years of formal education (plus non-compulsory preschool or kindergarten), usually starting at age 4, 5, or 6 and finishing at age 17, 18, or 19. The years are numbered from "Kindergarten" to 12.
+Years in the six Australian states Year Ages School Kindergarten 3–5 Preschool Kindergarten (New South Wales)4–6 Primary Pre-primary (Western Australia) Reception (South Australia) Prep (Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria) Grade or Year 1 5–7 Grade or Year 2 6–8 Grade or Year 3 7–9 Grade or Year 4 8–10 Grade or Year 5 9–11 Grade or Year 6 10–12 Grade or Year 7 11–13 Secondary Grade or Year 8 12–14 Grade or Year 9 13–15 Grade or Year 10 14–16 Grade or Year 11 15–17 Grade or Year 12 16–18 Australian Capital Territory In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), primary school is Kindergarten/years 1–6, high school is years 7–9, and college or Senior Secondary is years 10, 11 & 12 (see table below).
Year Ages School Preschool 3–5 Preschool Kindergarten 5–6 Primary Grade or Year 1 6–7 Grade or Year 2 7–8 Grade or Year 3 8–9 Grade or Year 4 9–10 Grade or Year 5 10–11 Grade or Year 6 11–12 Grade or Year 7 12–13 Secondary (High School) Grade or Year 8 13–14 Grade or Year 9 14–15 Grade or Year 10 15–16College orSenior Secondary Grade or Year 11 16–17 Grade or Year 12 17–18
Northern Territory In the Northern Territory (NT), primary school is Transition/years 1–6, middle school is years 7–9, and high school or Senior Secondary is years 10–12 (see table below). Year Ages School Preschool 4–5 Preschool Kindergarten 5–6 Transition 5–6 Primary Grade or Year 1 6–7 Grade or Year 2 7–8 Grade or Year 3 8–9 Grade or Year 4 9–10 Grade or Year 5 10–11 Grade or Year 6 11–12 Grade or Year 7 12–13 Secondary (Middle School) Grade or Year 8 13–14 Grade or Year 9 14–15 Grade or Year 10 15–16Senior Secondary (High School) Grade or Year 11 16–17 Grade or Year 12 17–18 Grade or Year 13 18–19 Grade or Year 14 19–20 Grade or Year 15 20
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Grade Ages Correspondent in the U.S P1 3–4 Preschool P2 4–5 Pre-kindergarten
Azerbaijan Grade Ages Correspondent in the U.S P3 5–6 Kindergarten P4 6–7 First grade P5 7–8 Second grade P6 8–9 Third grade P7 9–10 Fourth grade P8 10–11 Fifth grade
Azerbaijan Grade Ages Correspondent in the U.S M1 11–12 Sixth grade M2 12–13 Seventh grade M3 13–14 Eighth grade
Azerbaijan Grade Ages Correspondent in the U.S M4 14–15 Ninth grade/Freshmen M5 15–16 Tenth grade/Sophomore DP1 16–17 Eleventh grade/JuniorDP217–18Twelfth grade/Senior
Belarus
In Belarus, education is guaranteed for everyone. Primary school lasts for 4 years, but some psycho-physically challenged children study for 5 years according to a special standard. Forms 1 to 9 are considered compulsory. After completing general basic school, a person can study in a special establishment to get a job. To enter a higher educational establishment, a person must complete general secondary school (all 11 forms) and pass three centralised tests. YearAgesSchoolЯсли(yasli)(nursery)1–2EarlyДетский сад(detskiy sad)(kindergarten)3–6Form 16–7PrimaryForm 27–8Form 38–9Form 49–10Form 510–11General basic(secondary)Form 611–12Form 712–13Form 813–14Form 914–15Form 1015–16General secondary (high)Form 1116–17
Brazil
In Brazil, there are three levels of basic education: "Educação Infantil" (preschool), "Ensino Fundamental" (primary school) and "Ensino Médio" (high school), which are generally completed by age eighteen. Basic education is designed to provide the necessary minimum knowledge for the exercise of citizenship. It also helps develop awareness of future career choices. In Brazil, after the name of the grade, one may use the names "série" (series) or "ano" (year). The educational stages in Brazil are divided as follows:
Escola Infantil (Brazil Grade) Ages Correspondent in the U.S Berçário 0–1 Nursery 1 Pré-maternal/Creche 1–2 Nursery 2 Maternal/Creche 2–3 Nursery 3 1o período (Primeiro Período) 3–4 Kindergarten 1 2o período (Segundo Período) 4–5 Kindergarten 2 3o período (Terceiro Período) 5–6 Kindergarten 3
Ensino Fundamental (Brazil Grade) Ages Correspondent in the U.S 1o ano (Primeiro Ano) 6–7 first grade 2o ano (Segundo Ano) 7–8 second grade 3o ano (Terceiro Ano) 8–9 third grade 4o ano (Quarto Ano) 9–10 fourth grade 5o ano (Quinto Ano) 10–11 fifth grade 6o ano (Sexto Ano) 11–12 sixth grade 7o ano (Sétimo Ano) 12–13 seventh grade 8o ano (Oitavo Ano) 13–14 eighth grade 9o ano (Nono Ano) 14–15 ninth grade
Ensino Médio (Brazil Grade) Ages Correspondent in the U.S 1a série (Primeira Série) 15–16 tenth grade 2a série (Segunda Série) 16–17 eleventh grade 3a série (Terceira Série) 17–18 twelfth grade
Canada
In Canada, schooling officially begins at Kindergarten (or Maternelle in Quebec), followed by grades, with some variations for certain levels in certain provinces/territories. When referred to as a grade, school years are usually referred to by their cardinal number ("Grade Three").
At the post-secondary level in (Anglophone) Canada, a student is usually referred to by the year of study they are in (i.e. First Year, Second Year, etc.). If they are pursuing something higher than an undergraduate degree, the designation usually refers to what year of study they are in since entering Graduate studies (i.e. First Year Graduate Student, etc.). Any student who has completed their first year of undergraduate studies is considered to be an Upper Year Student.
Each province and territory has its own autonomous education system. As such, the name of each level of education and what year each level begins at will vary across the country (as will the curriculum itself).
Grade structure by province/territory The following table shows how grades are organized in various provinces. Often, there will be exceptions within each province, both with terminology for groups, and which grades apply to each group.
Alberta Elementary Junior high Senior high Kindergarten123456789101112British Columbia Elementary Secondary Kindergarten123456789101112 Manitoba Early years Middle years Senior years Kindergarten123456789101112New Brunswick Elementary Middle school High school Kindergarten123456789101112Newfoundland and Labrador Primary Elementary Junior high Senior high Kindergarten123456789Level ILevel IILevel IIINorthwest Territories Primary Intermediate Junior secondary Senior secondary Kindergarten123456789101112Nova Scotia Elementary Junior high Senior high Primary123456789101112Ontario Elementary Intermediate Secondary Junior kindergartenKindergarten123456789101112PEI Elementary Intermediate school Senior high Kindergarten123456789101112Quebec Preschool Primary school Secondary school Cegep Kindergarten123456Sec ISec IISec IIISec IVSec Vfirstsecondthird Saskatchewan Elementary level Middle level Secondary level Kindergarten123456789101112Yukon Elementary Secondary Kindergarten123456789101112
China
In the People's Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), the years are organized in three stages and renumbered within each stage: six years in elementary school (小学) years 1 to 6, then three years in middle school (初级中学, abbreviated 初中) years 7 to 9, then three years in high school (高级中学, abbreviated 高中) years 10 to 12. The first nine years (elementary 1–6 and middle 1–3) are compulsory, and the years in high school are voluntary. Completing higher secondary education or attaining an equivalent level is required before one may receive higher education (高等教育) at universities.
Year Ages Stage 1st grade 6–7 Elementary 2nd grade 7–8 3rd grade 8–9 4th grade 9–10 5th grade 10–11 6th grade 11–12 7th grade 12–13 Middle school 8th grade 13–14 9th grade 14–15 10th grade 15–16 High school 11th grade 16–17 12th grade 17–18
France
Education is compulsory from age 3 to age 16, and then compulsory training until the age of 18. This law was passed during the Macron presidency and approved the law. At the end of the lycée cursus, is the French Baccalaureat exam. It is possible in France to fail a year, and need to repeat (redoubler).
Age School Class Cycle From age 3 Nursery school TPS: Kindergarten 3–4 PS: Preschool class Cycle I : First learnings 4–5 MS: Second preschool class 5–6 GS: Pupil in Year 1 6–7 Grammar school CP: Pupil in Year 2 Cycle II : Fundamental learnings 7–8 CE1: Pupil in Year 3 8–9 CE2: Pupil in Year 4 9–10 CM1: Pupil in Year 5 Cycle III : Consolidation 10–11 CM2: Pupil in Year 6 11–12 Junior High school Sixième (Pupil in Year 7) 12–13 Cinquième (Pupil in Year 8) Cycle IV : Deepening 13–14 Quatrième (Pupil in Year 9) 14–15Troisième (Pupil in Year 10) 15–16 Comprehensive school Seconde (Pupil in Year 11) (Cycle V : Senior years) 16–17 Première (Pupil in Year 12) 17–18 Terminale (Pupil in Year 13)
Greece
Education is compulsory from age 4 to age 15. Education is provided in public and private schools, except Higher Education which is provided only by public universities.
+Greece framework Grade Age Greek designation Educational stage Pre-kindergarten 4–5 Pre-kindergarten PreschoolKindergarten 5–6 Kindergarten First grade 6–7 1st grade Primary School Second grade 7–8 2nd grade Third grade 8–9 3rd grade Fourth grade 9–10 4th grade Fifth grade 10–11 5th grade Sixth grade 11–12 6th grade Seventh grade 12–13 1st grade Gymnasium (Lower secondary school) (US equivalent: Middle school) Eighth grade 13–14 2nd grade Ninth grade 14–15 3rd grade Tenth grade 15–16 1st grade Lyceum(Upper secondary school) (US equivalent: High school) Eleventh grade 16–17 2nd grade Twelfth grade 17–18 3rd grade
Hong Kong