British curriculum? The four curricula of the UK

When an international school says it delivers the "British curriculum", it usually means the National Curriculum for England, followed by IGCSEs (or GCSEs) and A-levels. There is no UK-wide curriculum. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each set their own, with different structures and exams.

Curriculum differences

England

The National Curriculum for England runs in Key Stages from age 5 to 16, with core subjects and statutory targets for each stage. Pupils take GCSEs at 16 and A-levels at 18. This is the version international schools teach, usually with IGCSEs in place of GCSEs.

Scotland

Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence covers ages 3 to 18 and puts broad skills ahead of testing. Pupils take National 5s at 15–16, Highers at 16–17 and Advanced Highers at 17–18, and can start university at 17.

Wales

The Curriculum for Wales is built around six broad Areas of Learning and Experience. Instead of Key Stages, it marks progress in steps at around 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16. Welsh is compulsory to 16. Pupils still take GCSEs and A-levels, set by the Welsh board WJEC, and the GCSEs are being rewritten for Wales from 2025.

Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Curriculum keeps Key Stages, GCSEs and A-levels, mostly set by the local board, CCEA. Thinking skills and personal capabilities are built into every subject. Northern Ireland also still selects at 11: grammar schools admit pupils on transfer tests.

Ireland

Ireland is a separate country, not part of the UK. Pupils finish the Junior Cycle at 15 and take the Leaving Certificate at 18, which decides university entry on a points system.

What "Britain" and "British" mean

Great Britain is the island of England, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom is the country: Great Britain plus Northern Ireland. A British citizen is a citizen of the UK, from any of its four nations.

The British Isles is a geographical term for the UK, Ireland and the smaller islands around them. Ireland does not use it.

In an international school, the British curriculum means the English national curriculum with IGCSEs and A-levels.

Compare British-curriculum schools

Fees, ages and admissions for every British school we list, city by city.

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