Tenth Grade - United Kingdom

United Kingdom

For education in England and Wales, this is known as Year 11, which is the final year of compulsory education in the United Kingdom. For education in Northern Ireland, this is called Year 12. A general education certificate will be awarded if the pupils sit the end of ations, called GCSEs. In Year 11, students take their GCSEs in approximately 10 subjects. With grades ranging from A* to U (ungraded), these exams are vital for getting employment or university places. GCSEs are taken in May and June. Pupils may then go on to sit 'A' Levels

In Scotland, tenth grade is called S4 (secondary school, 4th year). At the end of S4, students normally sit examinations in 8 Standard Grade subjects,which have been taken over 2 years. Standard grade examinations come in three levels of difficulty: Credit, General and Foundation and are sat during May. Scots pupils may choose to leave at the end of S4 provided they have reached the age of 16 by 30 September that year. Those who wish to leave, but will not meet the September deadline, may do so provided that they have either secured an apprenticeship or a placement in a college (U.S. community college) designed for Christmas Leavers.

Those Scottish students who return to school will usually take Highers in S5 and then more highers, or Advanced highers (the equivalent of first year university courses) in S6. Grades are A, B and C with an A being divided into Band 1 and Band 2.