Grade Placement
Comparison table of the equivalent class age and curriculum stage for different education systems.
Students come to TASIS England from a wide range of countries and schools, and we understand that it’s important to know where your child will fit depending on their age. American school “Grades” differ from English “Years” but also share some similarities.
Mandatory education in the UK is from 5 to 18 years old, where primary school starts at the age of 5 and secondary school starts around 11 to 13. In the American system, children are also in education from age 5 to 18 years old, beginning with elementary school (Kindergarten through to fifth grade), then middle school (usually sixth to eighth grade) from 11, and high school (ninth to twelfth grade) from the age of 14.
The table below provides a comparative frame of reference for the year group terminology used by the American, British, and International systems to help you understand grade placement by age at TASIS England.
| Age as of Sept 1st |
American School Grade / Year (TASIS England Terminology) |
British School Year / Form | International Baccalaureate (IB) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Pre-Kindergarten |
Pre-Prep
Senior / Secondary |
Reception | Primary Years Program (PYP) |
| 5 | Kindergarten | Year 1 | ||
| 6 | 1st | Year 2 | ||
| 7 | 2nd | Year 3 | ||
| 8 | 3rd | Year 4 | ||
| 9 | 4th | Year 5 | ||
| 10 | 5th | Year 6 | ||
| 11 | 6th | Year 7 / Form 1 | Middle Years Program (MYP) | |
| 12 | 7th | Year 8 / Form 2 | ||
| 13 | 8th | Year 9 / Form 3 | ||
| 14 | 9th / Freshman | Year 10 / Form 4 | ||
| 15 | 10th / Sophomore | Year 11 / Form 5 | ||
| 16 | 11th / Junior | Year 12 / Lower Sixth |
Diploma Program (DP) |
|
| 17 | 12th / Senior | Year 13 / Upper Sixth | ||
| TASIS England Pre-Kindergarten Program |
| TASIS England Lower School |
| TASIS England Middle School |
| TASIS England Upper School |
How the US school system works
Our school is based on the US school system and offers a broad curriculum throughout our students’ learning journeys.
In the Upper School, once students complete the required subjects for graduation they can choose courses they are particularly interested in. TASIS England also provides a four-year college counseling course which prepares Upper School students for their search for and application to universities and colleges in the UK, US, and arounds the world.
As an alternative to the American high school diploma, TASIS offers students the chance to undertake the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme during the final two years of Upper School. Both qualifications are widely recognized by universites throughout the world.
What TASIS England offers
At TASIS England, we are committed to promoting multiple learning pathways for each student. We nurture the life skills and intellectual curiosity that will prepare students for both the opportunities and challenges which lay in their futures.
We focus on personal growth and, within our School’s supportive and challenging environment, our students flourish as creative, reflective, and resilient owners of their learning. We encourage our students to actively engage both in and out of the classroom, celebrate the unique contributions each member of our community brings, and foster connections and collaboration.
These core commitments cultivate life-long learning, international-mindedness, and leadership through service. Students leave TASIS as empathetic, emboldened individuals on a journey to continue their development long into the future. Find out more about how our system compares to others by getting in touch.