ABSTRACT
The English education system shares some similarities with, but is nevertheless separate from and diff erent in many ways to, other UK education systems (in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). Hence, this chapter focuses specifi cally on England. Public schooling is structured in four stages of compulsory education for all children between the ages of 5 and 18: early years, primary, secondary, and post-16. From 2015 all young people are now required to participate in post-16 education or training up to the age of 18, taking GCE A-levels (or their equivalent) for entry to university or taking some form of apprenticeship, nonadvanced, or vocation training at further (including tertiary) education colleges. The system has experienced many changes over the last 25 years due to new and evolving government policy initiatives, and there are now a considerable range of educational institutions and schools that deliver compulsory public education. These include schools funded and administered by the local authority, faith schools, independent academies (from 2000), and free schools (from 2011) funded directly by central government, which are entitled to greater institutional control and responsibilities in relation to delivering public education. Parents are allowed to choose the school their child attends, but oversubscribed schools will apply selection criteria related to special needs, catchment area, and other factors.
