It is mandatory for children to be schooled between the ages of 5 and 16, although some arrangements are made for children under 5, and many pupils remain at school beyond the minimum leaving age.
British schools observe British holidays, not American ones. School terms (3 per year) start the 1st week of September to a week before Christmas, then begin again the first week of January until Easter, starting the summer term after Easter and going on to mid-July. There is a week off school for half-term in each of the three terms.
Autumn
• September to December
• Half term- end of October
• 2-week Christmas break
Spring
• January to Easter
• Half-term- mid February
• 3 weeks off for Easter
Summer
• After Easter to Mid July
• Half-term- May
• 6 weeks off for summer holiday
Below is a comparison chart of American/British grade levels:
American Grade British Year
Kindergarten 1
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 5
5 6
6 7
7 8
8 9
9 10
10 11
11 12
12 13
Although it is only mandatory for children to begin school at the age of five, there are other options you have to start them early. When you enroll them in the following options they begin to teach them to read and other subjects to prep them for school unlike in American nurseries and preschool.
• Day nurseries:
- Provide care for children 6 months to 5 years old
- Open long hours and school holidays
- Private- Must pay fee to enroll children
• Pre-schools or play groups
- Led by trained staff
- Aided by parents
- Care for children from 2 to 4 years old
- Sessions last up to 3 hours per day, usually inexpensive
• Nursery schools
- State or privately run
- Stand alone schools- follow a particular teaching school.
- Cares for children from 3 to five years old
- Children attend for five half days
According to the Status of Forces Agreement USAFE families are welcome to use British state (public) schools, and, in doing so, are bound by the same rules that govern the British. Americans tend to put their younger children into British primary (elementary) schools, while their older children go the schools on base. The US and UK college systems are very different, and the American high school is better able to prepare American teenagers for their own system.
English school hours are typically:
Primary
• 0900 to 1500
Middle/Upper
• 0830 to 1530
Schools in England require children to wear uniforms to school. Primary uniform is usually fairly simple, polo shirts and sweatshirts in school colors and purchased inexpensively via the school office. The school will inform you their requirements and it differs between schools.
As you can imagine, they also grade the schools differently. The link to get more information on how they rate schools and you can look up the schools you are looking to enroll your children:
www.ofsted.gov.ukMany American parents see a few years spent in a British school as an excellent experience for their children. Places can usually be found at local schools, though not always at the school nearest to home, as this part of the country has a steady influx of young British families and has shown a consistent pattern of growth for the last fifteen years.
There is no point in looking for a school until you have a house. We can give you a list of the local schools. Call the school and speak to either the head teacher or the school secretary, who will make an appointment for you to visit the school with your child. Schools have no specific registration day. Each child is registered when necessary.
The bases runs a school bus service, so before you find a home, you might want to make sure that the bus comes to that area so you can get your children to school. Contact the School Bus Office at Lakenheath School Bus Office Registration- 01638-526584 and Feltwell School Bus Registration at 01638-527810.
