School year groups by age
Every year group in England from Reception to Year 13, with the ages, the key stages and the national assessments in each.
Year groups, ages and key stages
Ages are the ages children are during the school year. Assessments are the national ones in England.
| Year group | Age | Key stage | Main assessments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reception | 4 to 5 | Early Years Foundation Stage | Reception baseline assessment; Early Years Foundation Stage profile |
| Year 1 | 5 to 6 | Key Stage 1 | Phonics screening check |
| Year 2 | 6 to 7 | Key Stage 1 | Phonics screening check retake; End of Key Stage 1 tests (optional) |
| Year 3 | 7 to 8 | Key Stage 2 | None |
| Year 4 | 8 to 9 | Key Stage 2 | Multiplication tables check |
| Year 5 | 9 to 10 | Key Stage 2 | None |
| Year 6 | 10 to 11 | Key Stage 2 | Key Stage 2 national tests (SATs); Teacher assessment in writing and science |
| Year 7 | 11 to 12 | Key Stage 3 | None |
| Year 8 | 12 to 13 | Key Stage 3 | None |
| Year 9 | 13 to 14 | Key Stage 3 | None |
| Year 10 | 14 to 15 | Key Stage 4 | None |
| Year 11 | 15 to 16 | Key Stage 4 | GCSE exams |
| Year 12 | 16 to 17 | Sixth form | None |
| Year 13 | 17 to 18 | Sixth form | A level exams; T level assessments |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
What year is my child in?
Enter your child's date of birth to see their year group today, and when they start Reception, take the times tables check, and move to secondary school.
A school year finder loads here in your browser: enter a date of birth to see the year group.
How the 1 September cut-off works
The school year in England starts on 1 September. Children born from 1 September in one year to 31 August the next are one year group, so a child born on 1 September is the oldest in the class and a child born on 31 August is the youngest, almost a whole year younger.
Most children start Reception in the September after their fourth birthday and move up a year group every September after that. That is why every child in a year group turns the same age during the year: everyone in Year 4 turns 9, and everyone in Year 6 turns 11.
Children born from 1 April to 31 August are called summer-born. They do not have to start school until the September after their fifth birthday. A family who wants them to start in Reception then, rather than joining Year 1, must ask the admission authority for a place outside the normal age group.
The key stages
- Early Years Foundation Stage: Reception, ages 4 to 5.
- Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2, ages 5 to 7.
- Key Stage 2: Years 3 to 6, ages 7 to 11.
- Key Stage 3: Years 7 to 9, ages 11 to 14.
- Key Stage 4: Years 10 and 11, ages 14 to 16.
- Sixth form: Years 12 and 13, ages 16 to 18.
The Early Years Foundation Stage starts at birth; Reception is its final year. The national curriculum covers Years 1 to 11, and academies and independent schools do not have to follow it.
Questions parents ask
What year is my child in?
Children born from 1 September to 31 August are in the same year group. Most start Reception in the September after they turn 4, then move up one year group every September. Enter a date of birth in the finder above to see the year group.
Why does 1 September decide the year group?
The school year in England starts on 1 September, and children are grouped by the school year they were born in. A child born on 1 September is the oldest in the year group, and a child born on 31 August is the youngest, almost a year younger.
What age is Year 7?
Children in Year 7 are 11 or 12 years old. Year 7 is the first year of secondary school and of Key Stage 3.
What are the key stages in England?
The Early Years Foundation Stage runs to the end of Reception. Key Stage 1 is Years 1 and 2, Key Stage 2 is Years 3 to 6, Key Stage 3 is Years 7 to 9 and Key Stage 4 is Years 10 and 11. Years 12 and 13 are the sixth form.
Are school years the same in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Not exactly. Wales uses the same year names and the 1 September cut-off but no longer uses key stages. Scotland has P1 to P7 and S1 to S6 with a different cut-off, and Northern Ireland has P1 to P7, with children starting school younger than in England.
Know the year group? See where your child stands
The free diagnostic is built for Years 4 to 6. It checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.