School year groups by country: Year 5, Grade 4, P6 and Form 2 explained
A side-by-side table of year groups and ages in six school systems, plus what key stages, forms and infants classes mean.
"Year 5", "Grade 4", "P6", "4th Class", "Form 2": teachers around the world use different names for the same age group. That matters when you share resources, read research from another country, or move schools. A worksheet labelled "Grade 3" from the US is aimed at children the same age as England's Year 4, not Year 3.
This guide lines up the year groups used in six English-speaking school systems, so you can find the right level at a glance.
Year groups compared by age
The table shows the usual age of pupils for most of the school year. Treat it as a guide: cut-off dates for starting school differ between countries, so a child's exact class depends on their birthday.
| Age (most of the year) | England and Wales | Scotland | United States | Ireland | Malta | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 | Reception | Nursery | Pre-K | Junior Infants | Kindergarten 2 | Pre-school |
| 5–6 | Year 1 | P1 | Kindergarten | Senior Infants | Year 1 | Foundation |
| 6–7 | Year 2 | P2 | Grade 1 | 1st Class | Year 2 | Year 1 |
| 7–8 | Year 3 | P3 | Grade 2 | 2nd Class | Year 3 | Year 2 |
| 8–9 | Year 4 | P4 | Grade 3 | 3rd Class | Year 4 | Year 3 |
| 9–10 | Year 5 | P5 | Grade 4 | 4th Class | Year 5 | Year 4 |
| 10–11 | Year 6 | P6 | Grade 5 | 5th Class | Year 6 | Year 5 |
| 11–12 | Year 7 | P7 | Grade 6 | 6th Class | Year 7 (Form 1) | Year 6 |
| 12–13 | Year 8 | S1 | Grade 7 | 1st Year | Year 8 (Form 2) | Year 7 |
| 13–14 | Year 9 | S2 | Grade 8 | 2nd Year | Year 9 (Form 3) | Year 8 |
| 14–15 | Year 10 | S3 | Grade 9 | 3rd Year | Year 10 (Form 4) | Year 9 |
| 15–16 | Year 11 | S4 | Grade 10 | Transition Year | Year 11 (Form 5) | Year 10 |
| 16–17 | Year 12 | S5 | Grade 11 | 5th Year | Sixth form, first year | Year 11 |
| 17–18 | Year 13 | S6 | Grade 12 | 6th Year | Sixth form, second year | Year 12 |
England and Wales: years and key stages
Schools in England number the years from Reception (age 4–5) to Year 13 (age 17–18). The national curriculum groups these years into key stages, which you will see on many resources:
| Key stage | Year groups | Usual ages |
|---|---|---|
| Early years (EYFS) | Nursery and Reception | 3–5 |
| Key Stage 1 (KS1) | Years 1–2 | 5–7 |
| Key Stage 2 (KS2) | Years 3–6 | 7–11 |
| Key Stage 3 (KS3) | Years 7–9 | 11–14 |
| Key Stage 4 (KS4) | Years 10–11 | 14–16 |
| Sixth form (often called KS5) | Years 12–13 | 16–18 |
Pupils usually sit GCSEs at the end of Year 11, and A levels or other qualifications at the end of Year 13. Wales uses the same year names, though its curriculum is organised differently.
Scotland: P1 to S6
Scottish primary schools run from Primary 1 (P1) to Primary 7 (P7), followed by secondary from S1 to S6. Children start P1 between about four and a half and five and a half, so the match with England is approximate: P1 sits roughly alongside Year 1, and P7 alongside Year 7. Many pupils leave school after S4, S5 or S6.
Northern Ireland: Year 1 to Year 14
Northern Ireland numbers its years from 1 to 14, but children start Year 1 (also called P1) at around age four. That means Northern Ireland's Year 1 lines up with Reception in England, and its Year 8, the first year of post-primary school, lines up with England's Year 7.
United States: kindergarten to 12th grade
American schools run from kindergarten (usually age 5–6) through Grades 1 to 12, often written K–12. The split between elementary, middle and high school varies by district, but a common pattern is:
- Elementary school: kindergarten to Grade 5
- Middle school: Grades 6 to 8
- High school: Grades 9 to 12, where the years are also called freshman, sophomore, junior and senior
Canada uses a similar kindergarten and Grades 1 to 12 system in most provinces, with differences in Quebec.
Ireland: infants, classes and years
Irish primary schools begin with two infant years, Junior Infants and Senior Infants, followed by 1st to 6th Class. Secondary school runs from 1st to 6th Year: the Junior Cycle covers 1st to 3rd Year, Transition Year is an optional year in between, and the Senior Cycle (5th and 6th Year) leads to the Leaving Certificate. Because Transition Year is optional, students in the same year can differ in age by a year.
Malta: kindergarten, Years 1 to 11 and the old Forms
In Malta, children usually attend two years of kindergarten before compulsory school begins with Year 1 at age five. Primary runs from Year 1 to Year 6. Secondary education runs from Year 7 to Year 11, usually with middle school for Years 7 and 8 and secondary school for Years 9 to 11. Many teachers and parents still use the older names Form 1 to Form 5 for these years. After Year 11, students can go on to a sixth form or another post-secondary college.
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia, the first year of school is called Foundation in the national curriculum, but each state uses its own name for it, such as Prep, Kindergarten, Reception, Pre-primary or Transition. Years 1 to 12 follow. The Australian school year runs from late January or early February to December.
New Zealand numbers its school years from Year 1 to Year 13. Children usually start school when they turn five, so the year numbers line up closely with England's.
Why this matters when planning lessons
The same topic needs to be taught very differently to a six-year-old and a ten-year-old. When you borrow a resource or read a lesson idea from another country, check the age rather than the year number, so that:
- the reading level and amount of text are right
- the maths and science match what pupils have already met
- the examples, money and units make sense to your class
Lesson Dino understands all of these names. You can type "Year 5", "Grade 4", "P6", "Form 2" or "KS2" when you make a lesson, and choose your country, and it pitches the language, pictures and examples at the right age, using your country's spelling, money and units. Our guide to writing a lesson plan covers the rest of the planning.
Questions teachers ask
What grade is Year 7 in the US?
Roughly 6th grade. Pupils in England's Year 7 are usually 11 turning 12, which matches most American 6th graders. As a rule of thumb, the US grade is about one less than the English year number.
What age is Key Stage 2?
Key Stage 2 covers Years 3 to 6 in England, for children aged about 7 to 11.
What is Form 1 in Malta?
Form 1 is the old name for Year 7 in Malta, the first year of secondary education, for pupils aged about 11 to 12. Many people still use the Form names, Form 1 to Form 5, for Years 7 to 11.
Why do the ages in different countries not match exactly?
Each country uses a different cut-off date for starting school, and some start the school year in a different month. The table gives the usual age range, but a child's exact class depends on their birthday and their country's rules.
