The British school system in Great Britain is divided into 2 kinds of schools:

• State schools
• Public schools

State schools are funded by the State and public schools are private ones, therefore you have to pay to attend them.
I was curious to find out why public schools are called like that if you have to pay to attend them.
I discovered that they are called public because in theory everybody can apply. Unfortunately they’re very expensive and only the 3% of English children can therefore attend them. The 97% of English students actually attend state schools, because they are free. Education is compulsory in Great Britain from 5 to 16 or 18 years of age.
The English system is organized into:

• primary school
• secondary school
• university

Primary school is organized in two K-stages:
Key Stage 1:

• Reception, from 4 to 5 years old
• year 1, from 5 to 6 years old
• year 2, from 6 to 7 years old

Key Stage 2:

• year 3, from 7 to 8 years old
  
• year 4,from 8 to 9 years old
  
• year 5 ,from 9 to 10 years old
  
• year 6 ,from 10 to 11 years old
  

Secondary education in England is normally conducted through Secondary or High schools which cover the two secondary stages:
Key Stage 3:

• year 7, from 11 to 12 years old
  
• year 8,from 12 to 13 years old
  
• year 9, from 13 to 14 years old
  

Key stage 4:

• year 10,from 14 to 15 years old
  
• year 11, from 15 to 16 years old
  

When you are 16 years old, you can take the GCSE examinations (General Certificate of Secondary Education),which generally marks the end of compulsory education.
You are tested in Maths, English Literature, English Composition, Chemistry, Biology, Phisycs, History of the classics, one modern language and one other subject.
Once you have passed the exams you can leave school or attend a college from 16 to 18 years of age.
After finishing it you can take A-levels (advanced levels).
In A-levels you are tested in 3 or 4 subjects. If you pass them you are allowed to attend university.

State schools follow the national curriculum. It is compulsory in all English state shools. It was introduced in 1988.

The academic year in Great Britain runs from September to July and totals 195 days. There are three terms. The most important holidays in Great Britain are:2 weeks at Christmas,2 weeks in Spring,and 6 weeks in Summer.