Education in the United Kingdom

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
Main articles: <a href="/facts/History_of_education_in_England/EnnjJD6t">History of education in England</a>, <a href="/facts/History_of_education_in_Scotland/KjXB9I9p">History of education in Scotland</a>, and <a href="/facts/History_of_education_in_Wales/FcyT8CQs">History of education in Wales</a>
Education was listed as a charitable purpose by the <a href="/facts/Parliament_of_England/y4aNV9gj">Parliament of England</a> in the <a href="/facts/Charitable_Uses_Act_1601/k3hoFL3j">Charitable Uses Act 1601</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a>
<a href="/facts/Public_school_(United_Kingdom)/dsmX27hH">Public schools</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a> and the universities of <a href="/facts/University_of_Oxford/ExVVQL6V">Oxford</a> and <a href="/facts/University_of_Cambridge/0la7aX9o">Cambridge</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> including through <a href="/facts/English_public_school_football_games/5qAuYmmy">English public school football games</a> and the <a href="/facts/Cambridge_rules/03Dwfk8l">Cambridge rules</a> established in 1848, played a significant role in the development of modern sports,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a> which shaped university sport and British sports that spread worldwide.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a>

<h2 id="stages">Stages</h2>
In each country there are five stages of education: early years, primary, secondary, <a href="/facts/Further_education/6Jpqtlxl">further education</a> (FE) and <a href="/facts/Higher_education/6GjdtJap">higher education</a> (HE).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a> The law states that full-time education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 (4 in Northern Ireland) and 16.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a> In England, compulsory education or training was extended to 18 in 2015.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19">19</a> Before they reach compulsory school age, children can be educated at <a href="/facts/Preschool/lmg7JkcL">nursery</a>; the four governments all provide universal funding for children from the age of three years old or younger.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21">21</a> 
Further education is non-compulsory, and covers advanced education which can be taken at further (including tertiary) education colleges and higher education institutions (HEIs). The fifth stage, higher education, is study beyond <a href="/facts/A-Level/2dDtme7x">A-levels</a> or <a href="/facts/Business_and_Technology_Education_Council/vz9PxmB7">BTECs</a> (and their equivalent) which, for most full-time students, takes place in HEIs such as universities and colleges.
The <a href="/facts/National_Curriculum_for_England/50jNjePs">National Curriculum</a>, established in 1988, provides a framework for education in England between the ages of 5 and 16. Although the curriculum is compulsory, some private schools, <a href="/facts/Home_education_in_the_United_Kingdom/J8eQVj4k">home educators</a>, <a href="/facts/Academy_(English_school)/8Jc2M6YP">academies</a> and <a href="/facts/Free_school_(England)/amEmCPAK">free schools</a> design their own curricula.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22">22</a> Following devolution in 1999, the Welsh Government took responsibility for education in Wales and the curriculum began to differ from that of England. The <a href="/facts/National_Curriculum_for_Wales_(2008%25E2%2580%25932026)/4zEv0qEc">National Curriculum for Wales</a> was established and is now being succeeded by the <a href="/facts/Curriculum_for_Wales_(2022%25E2%2580%2593present)/VlH7IeJl">Curriculum for Wales</a>.
In Scotland, the equivalent is the <a href="/facts/Curriculum_for_Excellence/2fWGj9cw">Curriculum for Excellence</a>. Scotland's qualifications system of National 4/5s, Highers and Advanced Highers are very similar to Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced Level (A2) courses in England.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23">23</a>
The <a href="/facts/Northern_Ireland_Curriculum/WdLX0V7B">Northern Ireland Curriculum</a> is a separate system.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24">24</a>

<h2 id="further-education">Further education</h2>
Main article: <a href="/facts/Further_education/6Jpqtlxl">Further education</a>
Further education (FE) refers to post-secondary education in England and Wales. FE may include the study of <a href="/facts/Apprenticeship/6K8BRMRQ">apprenticeships</a>, <a href="/facts/A-levels/2dDtme7x">A-levels</a>, <a href="/facts/Business_and_Technology_Education_Council/vz9PxmB7">BTEC</a>, <a href="/facts/International_Baccalaureate/qJv39Qhr">International Baccalaureate</a>, <a href="/facts/NVQ/zCSEgRVH">NVQ</a> or others, ranging from entry level to the highest level (Level 3, equivalent to A-level) and aim to prepare students for higher education. The <a href="/facts/Sixth_form/rbkHkeGh">sixth form</a> is one type of FE, which includes post-16 study that is undertaken after completing <a href="/facts/GCSE/ET4h88cb">GCSE</a> (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Sixth form may be offered by <a href="/facts/Sixth_form_colleges/MqyA0r48">sixth form colleges</a> or by schools which teach the 11–18 age-range and have an attached sixth form. <a href="/facts/Further_education_college/6Jpqtlxl">Further education colleges</a> generally provide a wider curriculum and have a wider range of options for FE, including vocational forms of education (such as <a href="/facts/National_Vocational_Qualification/zCSEgRVH">NVQs</a>). <a href="/facts/Tertiary_college/Nx0NesQb">Tertiary colleges</a> provide both academic and vocational courses.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25">25</a>

<h2 id="higher-education">Higher education</h2>
See also: <a href="/facts/Universities_in_the_United_Kingdom/mREJqsbF">Universities in the United Kingdom</a>
In the United Kingdom, higher education is offered by universities and other institutions (colleges, institutes, schools, and academies) and includes both research-oriented and higher professional education. Universities provide programmes that lead to a degree (bachelor's, master's, or doctorate) and non-degree programmes that lead to a vocational qualification such as a certificate or diploma. British higher education is valued around the globe for its quality and rigorous academic standards.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26">26</a> Several British universities are ranked among the top universities in the world,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27">27</a> including the <a href="/facts/University_of_Cambridge/0la7aX9o">University of Cambridge</a>, the <a href="/facts/University_of_Oxford/ExVVQL6V">University of Oxford</a>, <a href="/facts/Imperial_College_London/SoXBRyax">Imperial College London</a>, and <a href="/facts/University_College_London/7dmHhCf5">UCL</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28">28</a>

<h3>Entry qualifications</h3>
In 2023, most students who sat for GCSEs undertook 9 subjects.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29">29</a> In 2023, the most common combination of three subjects that was undertaken by students included: 1) English Language, 2) English Literature and 3) Mathematics, with 61.2% of students studying these three subjects in combination.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:30" href="#fn:30">30</a> 
Sitting the exam represents the end of 11 years of mandatory education. A <a href="/facts/General_Certificate_of_Secondary_Education/ET4h88cb">General Certificate of Secondary Education</a> (GCSE), or <a href="/facts/Higher_(Scottish)/fpHy8mHb">Higher</a> in Scotland, is awarded for each subject passed and <a href="/facts/World_Education_Services/cGkXpHjY">World Education Services</a> issues a high school diploma after the evaluation of a minimum of three GCSEs. Pre-university education in the United Kingdom is a two-year senior secondary programme that leads to a new round of examinations, the <a href="/facts/A-Level/2dDtme7x">General Certificate of Education, Advanced Level</a> (A-levels), or the <a href="/facts/Advanced_Highers/FjFCrhKX">Advanced Highers</a> in Scotland. As with the GCSE, students who sit for the exam choose the subjects and the number of advanced examinations. In 2022, students who sat for A-Levels averagely undertook 2.64 subjects.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:31" href="#fn:31">31</a> WES awards undergraduate credit based on the nature and number of subjects passed. Each university has their own set of admission policies and the minimum entry requirements for each particular higher education programme that they offer.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:32" href="#fn:32">32</a> The A-Level is an entry qualification for universities in the United Kingdom and many other universities across the world. Students that are interested in pursuing higher education will usually enrol in pre-university and further education programmes.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:33" href="#fn:33">33</a>

<h3>Vocational</h3>
Technical and vocational education in the United Kingdom is introduced during the secondary school years and goes on until further and higher education. Secondary vocational education is also known as further education. It is separate from secondary education and does not belong to the category of higher education. Further education incorporates vocational oriented education as well as a combination of general secondary education. Students can also go on to a <a href="/facts/Further_education/6Jpqtlxl">further education</a> college to prepare themselves for the <a href="/facts/Vocational_Certificate_of_Education/E7GQ63de">Vocational Certificate of Education</a> (VCE), which is similar to the A-levels. Major provider of vocational qualifications in the United Kingdom include the <a href="/facts/City_and_Guilds_of_London_Institute/U0QvHwPd">City and Guilds of London Institute</a> and <a href="/facts/Edexcel/CmoFcRve">Edexcel</a>. <a href="/facts/Higher_National_Certificate/BLNYslFX">Higher National Certificates</a> and <a href="/facts/Higher_National_Diploma/DCusKJDp">Higher National Diplomas</a> typically require 1 and 2 years of full-time study and credit from either HNE or Diplomas can be transferred toward an undergraduate degree. Along with the HNC and HND, students who are interested in other vocational qualifications may pursue a <a href="/facts/Foundation_degree/r6tVwnuv">Foundation degree</a>, which is a qualification that trains people to be highly skilled technicians.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:34" href="#fn:34">34</a> The <a href="/facts/National_Apprenticeship_Service/eK8Jc0dq">National Apprenticeship Service</a> also offers vocational education where people at ages of 16 and older enter <a href="/facts/Apprenticeship/6K8BRMRQ">apprenticeships</a> in order to learn a <a href="/facts/Tradesman/90IJlqnl">skilled trade</a>. There are over 60 different certifications can be obtained through an apprenticeship, which typically lasts from 1 to 3 years. Trades apprentices receive paid wages during training and spend one day at school and the rest in the workplace to hone their skills.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:35" href="#fn:35">35</a>
<a href="/facts/T_Level/wS2pxMph">T Levels</a> are a technical qualification being introduced between Autumn 2020 and 2023. They are intended to provide the knowledge and experience needed for learners to progress to skilled employment, further study or a higher apprenticeship.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:36" href="#fn:36">36</a>

<h2 id="inequality">Inequality</h2>
In 2018 The Guardian commented that successful schools tend to choose pupils from high–achieving backgrounds. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, and challenging pupils, tend to be concentrated in schools that do less well in inspections.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:37" href="#fn:37">37</a> Also that children from prosperous backgrounds are more likely to be in good or outstanding schools while disadvantaged children are more likely to be in inadequate schools.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:38" href="#fn:38">38</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:39" href="#fn:39">39</a> The inequality gap as of 2015 is closing with more students in good or outstanding schools from all social backgrounds.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:40" href="#fn:40">40</a>
A 2016 report by the <a href="/facts/Equality_and_Human_Rights_Commission/W0jgjBcr">Equality and Human Rights Commission</a> said that racial inequality exists in the Great Britain education system. It was found that 6% of Black school leavers went on to attend a Russell Group university, compared with 12% of mixed race and Asian school leavers, and 11% of White school leavers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:41" href="#fn:41">41</a> In 2009, it was found that White students' predicted A-Level grades were 53% accurate, whilst Black students' received predicted grades that were 39.1% accurate. Black students are also the most likely to receive under-predicted grades by their teachers. It was found that 7.1% of Black students received higher actual grades compared to 6.6% of White students, 6.5% of Asian students and 6.1% of Mixed students.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:42" href="#fn:42">42</a> In 2018, of all teachers in state-funded schools in England, 14.1% were from BAME groups.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:43" href="#fn:43">43</a> 33.5% of primary school and 31.3% of secondary school pupils in England were from BAME groups.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:44" href="#fn:44">44</a>

<h2 id="funding">Funding</h2>
In 2015/16, the UK spent £3.2 billion on early years education, £27.7 billion on primary education, £38.2 billion on secondary education and £5.9 billion on tertiary education. In total, the UK spent £83.4 billion on education (includes £8.4 billion on other categories).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:45" href="#fn:45">45</a>

<h2 id="international-students">International students</h2>
Main article: <a href="/facts/International_students_in_the_United_Kingdom/1Etyy0eD">International students in the United Kingdom</a>
Schools and <a href="/facts/British_universities/mREJqsbF">universities</a> in Britain are popular destinations for international students.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:46" href="#fn:46">46</a> The country's universities and colleges have educated many heads of state and government around the world, rivalled only by the United States.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:47" href="#fn:47">47</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:48" href="#fn:48">48</a>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li>United Kingdom portal</li><li>Education portal</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Education_administration_in_the_United_Kingdom/nQAJpNrl">Education administration in the United Kingdom</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Education_of_the_British_royal_family/QqLa9Bk7">Education of the British royal family</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Examination_boards_in_the_United_Kingdom/qhm2kT7D">Examination boards in the United Kingdom</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Faith_school/R0xJAt4D">Faith school</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Grammar_school/zhD4Mmn0">Grammar school</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Preparatory_school_(United_Kingdom)/NQ1lsgr2">Preparatory school</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Public_school_(United_Kingdom)/dsmX27hH">Public school</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Special_education_in_the_United_Kingdom/rsQYKVBk">Special education in the United Kingdom</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Teachers%2527_trade_unions_in_the_United_Kingdom/IcLsVGp7">Teachers' trade unions in the United Kingdom</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2>
<ul><li>Blatchford, Roy (2014). <a href="http://www.johncattbookshop.com/the-restless-school">The Restless School</a>. John Catt Educational. p. 136. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-1909717077.</li>
<li>Christodoulou, Daisy (2014). <a href="http://www.routledge.com/education/articles/discussing...seven_myths_about_education/">Seven Myths About Education</a>. Routledge. p. 148. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0415746823.</li>
<li>Gearon, Liam (2002). Education in the United Kingdom. David Fulton Publishers Ltd. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1853467154.</li>
<li>Giddens, Anthony; Griffiths, Simon (2006). <a href="https://archive.org/details/sociology0005gidd">Sociology</a>. Polity Press. pp. <a href="https://archive.org/details/sociology0005gidd/page/682">682</a>–728. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0745633781. education.</li>
<li>Machin, Stephen; Vignoles, Anna (2005). <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=1-x0MLpjnN0C&q=education+in+the+uk">What's The Good Of Education? The Economics Of Education In The UK</a>. <a href="/facts/Princeton_University_Press/kwvFlKEj">Princeton University Press</a>. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0691117349.</li>
<li>Staples N., Rebecca; Cochran, Moncrieff (2008). <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=FYdtn8OhQWsC&q=education+in+the+united+kingdom&pg=PA1313">Early Childhood Education: An International Encyclopedia</a>. Vol. IV. Praeger. pp. 1281–1318. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0313341434.</li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education">Department for Education</a> at the UK government</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/educationandchildcare">Studies from the Office for National Statistics regarding Children, Education and Skills</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170701144445/http://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=UKM">Information on education in United Kingdom, OECD</a> – Contains indicators and information about United Kingdom and how it compares to other OECD and non-OECD countries</li>
<li><a href="https://aimseducation.co.uk/may-intake-universities-in-uk/">May 2025 Intake in UK</a></li>
<li><a href="http://gpseducation.oecd.org/Content/MapOfEducationSystem/UKM/UKM_1997_EN.pdf">Diagram of British education systems, OECD</a> – Using 1997 ISCED classification of programmes and typical ages.</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">The Scottish Government Archived 27 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine scotland.gov.uk, accessed 6 June 2009 <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/" target="_blank">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">About Archived 18 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine wales.gov.uk, accessed 6 June 2009 <a href="http://wales.gov.uk/about/;jsessionid=8chVKqtQ4xpYp4Z1215SL63X291txx2Td9Tp2244SnclXGsZTT9L!918342478?lang=en" target="_blank">http://wales.gov.uk/about/;jsessionid=8chVKqtQ4xpYp4Z1215SL63X291txx2Td9Tp2244SnclXGsZTT9L!918342478?lang=en</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"PISA: Programme for International Student Assessment". OECD. <a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/pisa.html" target="_blank">https://www.oecd.org/en/about/programmes/pisa.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Education Expenditures by Country" (PDF). National Center for Education Statistics. 11 May 2018. p. 7. <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/Indicator_CMD/coe_cmd_2018_05.pdf" target="_blank">https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/Indicator_CMD/coe_cmd_2018_05.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"United Kingdom". OECD. Retrieved 27 August 2019. <a href="http://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=GBR&treshold=10&topic=EO" target="_blank">http://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=GBR&treshold=10&topic=EO</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Educational attainment and labour-force status". OECD. <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=EAG_NEAC" target="_blank">https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=EAG_NEAC</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"United Kingdom". OECD. Retrieved 27 August 2019. <a href="http://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=GBR&treshold=10&topic=EO" target="_blank">http://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=GBR&treshold=10&topic=EO</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"International Educational Attainment" (PDF). p. 6. Retrieved 27 August 2019. <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_cac.pdf" target="_blank">https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_cac.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Trefgarne, George (25 September 2024). "Starmer faces a profound humiliation over Labour's private school tax raid". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 26 September 2024. <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/09/25/starmer-faces-a-humiliation-on-school-fees-vat/" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/09/25/starmer-faces-a-humiliation-on-school-fees-vat/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">Heggie, Vanessa (1 May 2016). "Bodies, Sport and Science in the Nineteenth Century". Past & Present (231): 169–200. doi:10.1093/pastj/gtw004. ISSN 0031-2746. PMID 29706669. What sets British team and competitive sports slightly apart ... is that they were introduced primarily to solve an educational rather than strictly military need. These sports were initially aimed not at the general population but at the upper classes and social elite, or at least their male offspring; they were therefore structured around the pedagogical and disciplinary requirements of a limited range of institutions, that is, the elite public schools and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/past/article/231/1/169/2460660?login=false" target="_blank">https://academic.oup.com/past/article/231/1/169/2460660?login=false</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Jones, H. S. (16 November 2000), Brock, M. G.; Curthoys, M. C. (eds.), "University and College Sport", The History of the University of Oxford: Volume VII: Nineteenth-Century Oxford, Part 2, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199510177.003.0022, ISBN 978-0-19-951017-7, retrieved 1 June 2025 <a href="978-0-19-951017-7" target="_blank">978-0-19-951017-7</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Nigel, Fenner (2023). Cambridge Sport: in Fenner's Hands. Cambridge Sports Tours. ISBN 9781739330408. At this time, in the second half of the nineteenth century, England was experiencing a sporting revolution that went global, with Cambridge ... having a significant impact.; Edwards, Ashley (12 September 2019). "History of Sport in Cambridge: Cradle of a Leisure Revolution". www.sport.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2025. <a href="9781739330408" target="_blank">9781739330408</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"Cambridge University FA rules football hall of fame honour". BBC News. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2025. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-37701939" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-37701939</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Holt, Richard (1990). Sport and the British: A Modern History. Clarendon Press. pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-0-19-285229-8. <a href="978-0-19-285229-8" target="_blank">978-0-19-285229-8</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"The Public Schools' Cult of Sport in Victorian Times". victorianweb.org. Retrieved 17 May 2025. <a href="https://victorianweb.org/history/sports/winterbottom.html#:~:text=Cricket%20was%20the%20paramount%20game%20in%20the,as%20the%20century%20wore%20on." target="_blank">https://victorianweb.org/history/sports/winterbottom.html#:~:text=Cricket%20was%20the%20paramount%20game%20in%20the,as%20the%20century%20wore%20on.</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Smith, Ronald Austin (1988). Sports and Freedom: The Rise of Big-time College Athletics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-506582-4. Perhaps more than any other two colleges, Harvard and Yale gave form to American intercollegiate athletics--a form that was inspired by the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry overseas, and that was imitated by colleges and universities throughout the United States. Focusing on the influence of these prestigious eastern institutions, this fascinating study traces the origins and development of intercollegiate athletics in America from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. <a href="978-0-19-506582-4" target="_blank">978-0-19-506582-4</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">"Education system in the UK" (PDF). British Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/v01-2012ukes.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/v01-2012ukes.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:20">"30 hours free childcare". Gov.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2023. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:22">"Education Otherwise". educationotherwise.net. Archived from the original on 30 April 2015. <a href="http://www.educationotherwise.net/" target="_blank">http://www.educationotherwise.net/</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:23">"The British education system". HMC Projects. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013. <a href="http://www.hmc.org.uk/about-hmc/projects/the-british-education-system/" target="_blank">http://www.hmc.org.uk/about-hmc/projects/the-british-education-system/</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:25">Watson, Judith; Church, Andrew (2009). "The Social Effects of Travel to Learn Patterns – A Case Study of 16–19 Year Olds in London". Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit. 24 (5): 389–414. doi:10.1080/02690940903166971. S2CID 145187656. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02690940903166971" target="_blank">https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02690940903166971</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:26">"Tertiary Education: The United Kingdom" (PDF). p. 76. Retrieved 27 August 2019. <a href="https://siteresources.worldbank.org/ECAEXT/Resources/258598-1284061150155/7383639-1323888814015/8319788-1324485944855/08_uk.pdf" target="_blank">https://siteresources.worldbank.org/ECAEXT/Resources/258598-1284061150155/7383639-1323888814015/8319788-1324485944855/08_uk.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:28">"QS World University Rankings – 2020". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. Retrieved 26 August 2019. <a href="https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2020" target="_blank">https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2020</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:29">"Infographics for GCSE results, 2023 (accessible)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 July 2024. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infographic-gcse-results-2023/infographics-for-gcse-results-2023-accessible" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infographic-gcse-results-2023/infographics-for-gcse-results-2023-accessible</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:31">"Infographics for A level results, 2022 (accessible)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 July 2024. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infographic-a-level-results-2022/infographics-for-a-level-results-2022-accessible" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infographic-a-level-results-2022/infographics-for-a-level-results-2022-accessible</a> <a href="#fnref:31" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:33">"International Qualifications for entry into college or university in 2013" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2019. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161225115515/http://www.arts.ac.uk/media/arts/colleges/lcf/courses/application-forms/int-quals2013.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20161225115515/http://www.arts.ac.uk/media/arts/colleges/lcf/courses/application-forms/int-quals2013.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:33" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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<li id="fn:35">"Traineeships". Skills Funding Agency. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2016. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traineeships-programme" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traineeships-programme</a> <a href="#fnref:35" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:36">"T Levels – Technical education". City and Guilds. What are T Levels?. Retrieved 16 February 2020. <a href="https://www.cityandguilds.com/tlevels" target="_blank">https://www.cityandguilds.com/tlevels</a> <a href="#fnref:36" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:37">Coalition education reforms ‘fuelled inequality in schools’ The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jun/30/coalition-education-reform-academies-fuelling-inequality" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jun/30/coalition-education-reform-academies-fuelling-inequality</a> <a href="#fnref:37" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:38">Poorer pupils far more likely to be in failing schools, finds research The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/aug/21/poorer-pupils-far-more-likely-to-be-in-failing-schools-finds-research" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/aug/21/poorer-pupils-far-more-likely-to-be-in-failing-schools-finds-research</a> <a href="#fnref:38" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:39">Thousands of children with special needs excluded from schools The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/oct/23/send-special-educational-needs-children-excluded-from-schools" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/oct/23/send-special-educational-needs-children-excluded-from-schools</a> <a href="#fnref:39" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
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</ol>

Education in the United Kingdom open-in-new

Education in the United Kingdom