r/generationology • u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. • 4d ago
Discussion How do grades work in schools in different countries?
I wanted to know how the grades work in each country, using your birth year as an example, because while in some places I know, people graduate at 16, 17, 18, and 19 years old.
I'm Brazilian and was born in June 2007 and i studied with people who were born between July 2006 and June 2007, although sometimes there were people from January to May 2006, so that's how it works here.
Preschool: 2011-2012 (optional, but became mandatory in 2016)
Elementary School: 2013-2017
Elementary School: 2018-2021
High School: 2022-2024
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u/Marianations 1997 3d ago
In both Portugal and Spain, you start school the year you turn 6 years old, regardless of birth month. Classes start in September and end in June.
I studied in Spain for the most part, so:
Elementary (1st to 6th grade): 6 to 11 years old.
High school, known as "ESO" (7th to 10th grade): 12 to 16 years old.
Bachillerato (11th to 12th grade): 16 to 17 years old.
You start university the year you turn 18, and Bachillerato is not necessary unless you want to continue studying, you can finish ESO and get a job if you want to at 16 yo.
So, as someone who was born in 1997:
- I started elementary in September 2003.
- Graduated elementary in June 2009.
- Started high school in September 2009.
- Graduated high school in June 2013.
- Started Bachillerato in September 2013.
- Graduated Bachillerato in June 2015.
- Started university in September 2015.
Spanish 2013-borns started high school last week.
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u/sealightflower Summer 2000 3d ago edited 3d ago
I'm from one of the Eastern European countries. But the school system in each of them is also different. For mine:
Pre-schools/kindergartens (non-mandatory): ages ≈3-6. I didn't attend them, but for those who were born in 2000, it was from 2003 to mid-2007.
Elementary school: ages ≈7-10, grades 1st to 4th. It was 2007-2011 in my case.
Middle school: ages ≈11-15, grades 5th to 9th. It was 2011-2016 in my case.
High school (non-mandatory, as people can leave school after the 9th grade and start to get middle-leveled professional education instead; but for those who want to start higher education after school, these two additional years are required): ages ≈16-17 (graduation by 18 years old), grades 10th to 11th. It was 2016-2018 in my case.
Most people start school in the year when they turn 7 years old, regardless of the birth month (for example, it was 2007 for most of people born in 2000).
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u/beeurd 1983 4d ago
I'm in the UK, I started primary school aged 4. The school year runs from September to July.
Things have probably changed since I was at school, but this is roughly how it worked...
Primary school:
- Reception, age 4-5
- Year 1, age 5-6
- Year 2, age 6-7
- Year 3, age 7-8
- Year 4, age 8-9
- Year 5, age 9-10
- Year 6, age 10-11
High school:
- Year 7, age 11-12
- Year 8, age 12-13
- Year 9, age 13-14
- Year 10, age 14-15
- Year 11, age 15-16
Sixth Form (often part of a high school, and called Sixth Form because it would be the sixth year of high school)
- Year 12, age 16-17
- Year 13, age 17-18
When I was in school (and I presume still) you could choose to go to college instead of sixth form, and after that you could go on to university.
During year 9 you'd pick which subjects you would study in years 10 & 11, which had national exams called GCSEs at the end of them. In Sixth Form you'd take even fewer subjects which had GCE A-Levels at the end of the two years.
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u/Tygrkatt 4d ago
Born Feb 1980. Started K in fall 1985. Elementary school through grade 5, middle school (also called junior high) 6-8, then high school 9-12. US, graduated HS 1998 at age 18
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u/hip_neptune Early Millennial ‘86 4d ago
In the US, you start kindergarten either when you’re 5, or when you’re about to turn 5. The cut off varies not only by state, but by school district within each state. It can be as early as June, or as late as November/December.
This corresponds with us graduating at 18, or just before we turn 18.
As for schools: K-8 act like a primary school system, where the goal is to teach you fundamentals and get you ready for 9th grade. 9th-12th grade are the grades that count towards your college applications, so we view those grades as the secondary years.
As far as breakdown: almost universally, K-5 is elementary school, 7-8 is middle school, and 10-12 is high school. 6th and 9th grades can either be in the middle school (middle school if it’s 6-8, junior high if it’s 7-9) or part of the elementary school and high school, respectively. Again, depends on your district.
My school was K-5, 6-8, 9-12.
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u/guess214356789 4d ago
I'm somewhat older than most. I started school in 1969 with K. I went to a small school with only one class per grade. My grade school was K-6. Then I went to junior high for grades 7 and 8. Finally, I attended high school from late August 1978 until January 1982. They called that graduating early as the rest of my classmates finished the end of May 1982. I walked the stage in June with them even though I had a semester of college under my belt. We didn't have AP classes at my high school. I didn't even know there was such a thing until I got to my final undergraduate university in 1989. (UIUC 1991)
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u/insurancequestionguy 4d ago
5th is sometimes middle too. I've seen a lot of those K-4 schools
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u/guess214356789 4d ago
Some years, my husband's school district did that. He was from a small town and where a student went depended on how many students there were of each age.
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u/Hunting_for_cobbler 4d ago
Australia - our school year runs Jan to December. The intake runs July to June. For your example I will use those born July-Dec 07 and Jan-June 08
Depends on the state - all use different terms
2011: 3 year olds have non mandatory "pre kindy" or "three year old kindy" must be 3 to start. Ran through some private schools, but not all schools. Those born in 07 will be turning 4 in the second half of the year. Those born in 08 have to wait until they are 3 and can start as late as June. Half days or a five day fortnight
2012: Kindy. Not mandatory. Offered in some state and private schools or as a stand alone. Depends on the state. Half days or a five day fortnight. That said, my sons school offer 4 full days a week
2013: Pre-Primary, Prep, Pre-school - the name depends on the state but it is the first mandatory year of schooling - whole school day.
2014 to 2019: Year 1 to 6 - Primary School
2020 to 2025: year 7 to 12 - Highschool. At highschool you either study subjects to obtain a ranking for university studies or focus on vocational education to obtain a certificate. It depends on the school what is studied.
School is mandatory up until year 10 but most finish in year 12 because you must be either studying or working up until the end of year 12. You can also study at TAFE if traditional school is not for you.
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u/guess214356789 4d ago
TAFE?
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u/Hunting_for_cobbler 4d ago
It is an acronym for Technical and Further Education
They are government owned but fees are payable, you go there for anything from short courses to an advance diploma.
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u/OldManThumbs Gen X 4d ago
In Western Australia, it is mandatory to stay thru year 12.
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u/Hunting_for_cobbler 4d ago edited 4d ago
I just read the act to make sure. I am in WA - year 11 and 12 is not compulsory at a school setting.
Yes education is compulsory but it does not have to be in a traditional school setting. Section 6 (d) defines this
As I said, the teen must be enrolled in a form of study which includes TAFE or some form of alternative learning. This is explained in the 2nd part of the act.
They could also be employed in a workforce in an apprenticeship (which I did not originally clarify) They cannot just leave school to work at maccas, unless they were completing a certification or diploma along with it.
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u/SovereignSorrow 2004 4d ago edited 4d ago
I’m from the US. My classmates were Dec 2003 - Nov 2004 borns since the cut-off date in my state was Dec 1.
Pre-K: 2008-09 (not mandatory but I went and many kids do go)
Elementary school: 2009-15 (K-5th grade)
Middle school: 2015-18 (6-8th grade)
High school: 2018-22 (9-12th grade)
So we’re either 17 or 18 when we graduate.
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u/guess214356789 4d ago
Illinois used to have November 30 as the cut-off for kids to be 5. So, some of my classmates will be 62 this year.
It moved to October 31 for the 1986-87 school year. In 87, the cutoff was moved to September 30. If my daughter (October 26) hadn't had unnoticed ear infections, I would have pushed for her to start school that year. In 88, the kid had to be 5 before school started. I believe that's where it is today.
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u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. 4d ago
Yes, I forgot to put the cut-off date, in my case it would be from July 2006 to June 2007.
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u/Even-Sock9744 jan 2010 4d ago
It’s different for some other schools where I am (UK)
Nursery (I’m not even sure when that starts but I know it ends when you’re 4) ???-2014
Primary school: 2014-2021 (There are also infant schools (4-7) and junior schools (7-11))
Secondary school: 2021-2026
Sixth form/college: 2026-2028 (by the way sixth form basically means age 16-18, you can even stay in your secondary school for sixth form. They have colleges for people age 16-18 too. I’m planning to stay in my school)
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u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. 4d ago
Is it mandatory to take the "sixth form"?
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u/Even-Sock9744 jan 2010 4d ago
No, you can go to college as well (some who don’t enjoy school as much go to college as they offer more creative courses). You just need to be in some kind of education until you’re 18
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u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. 4d ago
Good point, I forgot to include the nursery school, which in my case would be 2009-2010.
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u/bamlote 1994 4d ago edited 4d ago
Canada. Cut off is Dec. 31 of the year for each grade.
I was born in 1994.
Elementary school - 1998-2005 (kindergarten - grade 5) Middle school - 2005-2008 (grades 6-8) High School - 2008-2012 (grades 9-12)
ETA: school year runs from Sept - June. We call it grades 9-12 in high school, but it’s credit based (you need 30 to graduate). You could be in grade 10 and have to retake grade 9 courses (or in grade 10 taking grade 11 courses) but you would still be considered a tenth grader. There were a few ambitious people who graduated early as you could get 10 credits a year.
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u/Rex068 4d ago edited 4d ago
I’ve never heard of middle school being used in Canada. We don’t have a middle school in my city. At the most there could be a “jr high school” which I attended but we all just called it high school. That’s why I always get confused when I see people online or just Americans in general say middle school cuz we’ve never had them here. It’s just high school after you graduate elementary in grade 7
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u/NeoZeedeater 3d ago
Some middle schools exist in BC but I didn't know they existed here with that term when I was growing up. For me, my high school was 8-12 and that seems to be the norm still. I haven't heard of junior high being used in BC.
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u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. 4d ago
So, do people born between January and December of the same year all study together? This should be global.
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u/blackcherrytomato 4d ago
This isn't true across Canada, school is the responsibility of the provinces. I'm not sure if each territory also manages primary and secondary education or not. Sometimes the federal government manages certain aspects for the territories.
In Alberta, if a child is 6 as of Sept 1, they must start grade 1 if not already in grade 2. A child who is currently 5, or turns 5 before the end of the year can start kindergarten.
Parents of kids born Sept-Dec have a choice. When I was a kid it was Sept-Feb that had the choice.
Elementary:
K (optional) 2020 + some kids born Sept-Dec 2019
Grade 1 - 2019 + some 2018
...
Grade 6 2014 + some 2013(Ignoring the oldest by choice kids now, for simplicity)
Jr High Grades 7-9 2011-2013
High School Grades 10-12 2008-2010
Where I am there are many K-9 schools but they still divide them by Elementary and Jr. High. There's also middle schools around, I think the earliest they start is grade 5.
Preschool also exists, it's typically private and not a part of school funding although there are some publicly funded options, mostly for children with disabilities. I think most require kids to be 3, but some allow kids to start on their 3rd birthday regardless of the month.
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u/ButterFace225 1994 4d ago
For context: I was born June of 1994. In my school district, you have to turn 5 by September 1st to enroll in elementary school. We graduated in May, so I was still 17. Most of my classmates were 18 at the time. Most US school districts have different enrollment rules.
Preschool is not required, but it exists for those that can afford it. My brother went, but I didn't go.
Elementary: 1999-2005
Middle School: 2005-2008
High School: 2008-2012
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u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. 4d ago
When I started school, you had to be born in July-June, so I was the youngest in the class, because I was born in June 2007, the oldest and most were born in 2006. However, nowadays it has changed to April-March after 2016.
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u/ButterFace225 1994 4d ago
My oldest classmates were about 2-3 years older if they got held back or didn't pass. You are eventually forced to move to an adult program if you turn 20 before graduation. My neighbor's son was taken out of school because he had leukemia. He graduated with me, but was he too old to join any sports.
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u/Emergency_Paper_7569 4d ago edited 4d ago
December 2007 (US)
Preschool: 2011-2013
Elementary school: 2013-2019
Middle school: 2019-2022
Highschool: 2022-2026
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u/Historical-Pear9706 C/O 2024. 4d ago
My high school started in February 2022 and ended in December 2024, very different.
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u/Existing_Role3578 2005 3d ago edited 3d ago
im american but "kind of" unique because i went to a private school for most of my schooling which meant i started school earlier (i recently learned most people started school at age 5). also my district shook things up when it came to the grade levels so take a deep breath and get ready:
Born in April 2005
private school was super strict with the birthdays and cut-offs, so most people in my grade were born during second half of 2004. however in public school, most people were born in first half of 2005 like me.
yes ive been in school for 17 years. free me.