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How do school years and key stages work in England?

Quick answer

In England, children are grouped by age with a 1 September cut-off, so everyone born between 1 September and 31 August is in the same year. Primary school runs from Reception (ages 4 to 5) to Year 6 (ages 10 to 11), split into the Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6). National checks happen in Reception, Year 1, Year 4 and Year 6.

By the TapLearn team · Updated 23 October 2026 · Facts checked 23 October 2026 · For England

School years and ages

Each year group is named by its school year, and the ages below are how old children are during that year.

  • Reception: ages 4 to 5 (Early Years Foundation Stage)
  • Year 1: ages 5 to 6 (Key Stage 1)
  • Year 2: ages 6 to 7 (Key Stage 1)
  • Year 3: ages 7 to 8 (Key Stage 2)
  • Year 4: ages 8 to 9 (Key Stage 2)
  • Year 5: ages 9 to 10 (Key Stage 2)
  • Year 6: ages 10 to 11 (Key Stage 2)

Secondary school follows: Key Stage 3 is Years 7 to 9 (ages 11 to 14) and Key Stage 4 is Years 10 and 11 (ages 14 to 16), ending with GCSEs.

The 1 September cut-off

The school year starts in September, and children born between 1 September and 31 August are in the same year group. A quick way to work out your child's year: take their age on 31 August, just before the school year starts, and subtract 4. A child who is 7 on 31 August goes into Year 3 that September; a child who is 4 goes into Reception.

This means a class can include children almost a year apart in age. Summer-born children (born in June, July or August) are the youngest, and in the early years that difference can show. It usually fades as children get older.

Most children start Reception full-time in the September after their fourth birthday. Reception isn't compulsory: children must be in full-time education from the 31 December, 31 March or 31 August after their fifth birthday, whichever comes first. If you don't think your summer-born child is ready, they can start later in the year or part time. You can also ask for them to start in Reception the following September rather than Year 1, but the council or school doesn't have to agree.

What the key stages mean

  • Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): birth to five, ending with Reception. Learning is mostly through play, guided by 17 early learning goals.
  • Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2): the first two years of the national curriculum, sometimes called infants.
  • Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6): the rest of primary school, sometimes called juniors. A foreign language joins the curriculum here.

Most children stay in one primary school from Reception to Year 6. Some areas have separate infant and junior schools, and a few have middle schools, so the move between buildings can come at a different point.

Which checks happen when

  • Reception: the baseline assessment in the first six weeks (no score is given to parents), and the EYFS profile, completed April to June 2027.
  • Year 1: the phonics screening check, 14 to 18 June 2027.
  • Year 2: a phonics retake in the same June week for children who didn't meet the standard in Year 1. Key Stage 1 tests have been optional since 2023/24, so only some schools use them.
  • Years 3 and 5: no national checks.
  • Year 4: the multiplication tables check, 7 to 18 June 2027. There's no pass mark.
  • Year 6: Key Stage 2 SATs, 10 to 13 May 2027, in reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling. Teachers assess writing and science.

The national curriculum is being updated. A new version is due to be published in spring 2027 for first teaching from September 2028; until then, schools teach the current curriculum, and these checks are staying.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Things differ outside England. Scotland uses Primary 1 to Primary 7 and the Curriculum for Excellence, with no SATs. Wales has its own Curriculum for Wales and online personalised assessments instead of SATs. Northern Ireland also uses P1 to P7 and is introducing low-stakes phonics and multiplication checks. TapLearn follows the national curriculum in England.

Find your child's year

Each year page explains what's taught in maths, English and science, the checks that year, and simple ways to help at home. If you'd like to see the whole year at a glance, the roadmaps lay out topics subject by subject in the order they usually build up.

Questions parents ask

What year group is my child in?

Take your child's age on 31 August before the school year starts and subtract 4. A child aged 4 then goes into Reception, aged 5 into Year 1, and so on up to Year 6 at age 10.

What age is Year 3?

Children in Year 3 are 7 at the start of the year and turn 8 during it.

What is Key Stage 2?

Key Stage 2 covers Years 3 to 6, for ages 7 to 11. It ends with the SATs in May of Year 6.

Can my summer-born child start Reception later?

Yes. They can start later in the year or part time, and you can ask for them to start Reception a year later, though the council or school doesn't have to agree. Your local council's admissions team can explain the process.

Sources

Related guides

Written by the TapLearn team for parents and carers in England. Schools teach in different orders and ways, so your child's teacher is always the best person to ask about your child. Spotted something out of date? Please email us at [email protected].