Secondary education in Scotland
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework exists in place
of the GCSE and A-Level system found in the other home nations. The
education system in Scotland has traditionally focused on providing
a broad education for its students with low levels of
specialisation. This contrasts to the systems in operation in
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland which have traditionally
provided greater specialisation at an early age at the expense of
the breadth.
It is important to keep in mind that soon Scotland will switch
to a new comprehensive 'Curriculum for Excellence' (CFE).
First introduced in 2008 in preparation for full implementation in
2010, CFE has been reforming education for 3 to 18 year olds in
Scotland. A full national switch will not start before 2010,
with the first graduates of the new system receiving their
qualification in 2014.
Phases of secondary education in Scotland
| Phase of education |
Type of institution |
Year/grade key |
Typical age |
| Secondary Education |
No specific name, although most
institutions are called High Schools, Academies, Secondary Schools
or Grammar Schools. IghH |
S6/ Sixth year |
17-18 |
| S5/ Fifth year |
16-17 |
| S4 |
15-16 |
| S3 |
14-15 |
| S2 |
13-14 |
| S1 |
12-13 |
Learn more about the following curriculum areas in
Scotland:
Secondary maths
Secondary personal finance
education