The British curriculum, year by yearUpdated 29 October 2026
UK year groups vs US grades
One table to translate between the British system and the grade names used by American, UAE Ministry, IB, Indian and Australian schools.
From Year 2 up, the UK year is one number higher than the US grade. Year 2 is Grade 1, Year 7 is Grade 6, Year 13 is Grade 12.
The two Foundation Stage years, FS1 and FS2, match Pre-KG and KG1. Year 1 matches KG2.
UK, US, UAE, IB, Indian and Australian years compared
| Age | UK year | Key stage | UAE Ministry / US grade | IB | Indian / Pakistani | Australian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | FS1 (Nursery) | EYFS | Pre-KG | PYP Early Years (Pre-K) | KG1 | Pre-school |
| 4 | FS2 (Reception) | EYFS | KG1 | PYP Early Years (KG1) | KG2 | Pre-school |
| 5 | Year 1 | KS1 | KG2 | PYP Early Years (KG2) | Grade 1 | Prep |
| 6 | Year 2 | KS1 | Grade 1 | PYP Year 1 | Grade 2 | Year 1 |
| 7 | Year 3 | KS2 | Grade 2 | PYP Year 2 | Grade 3 | Year 2 |
| 8 | Year 4 | KS2 | Grade 3 | PYP Year 3 | Grade 4 | Year 3 |
| 9 | Year 5 | KS2 | Grade 4 | PYP Year 4 | Grade 5 | Year 4 |
| 10 | Year 6 | KS2 | Grade 5 | PYP Year 5 | Grade 6 | Year 5 |
| 11 | Year 7 | KS3 | Grade 6 | MYP Year 1 | Grade 7 | Year 6 |
| 12 | Year 8 | KS3 | Grade 7 | MYP Year 2 | Grade 8 | Year 7 |
| 13 | Year 9 | KS3 | Grade 8 | MYP Year 3 | Grade 9 | Year 8 |
| 14 | Year 10 | KS4 | Grade 9 | MYP Year 4 | Grade 10 | Year 9 |
| 15 | Year 11 | KS4 | Grade 10 | MYP Year 5 | Grade 11 | Year 10 |
| 16 | Year 12 | Sixth form | Grade 11 | DP Year 1 | Grade 12 | Year 11 |
| 17 | Year 13 | Sixth form | Grade 12 | DP Year 2 | After Grade 12 | Year 12 |
Source: KHDA's comparative age and curriculum table. The age is the age KHDA's table gives for each year, which a child should reach by 31 December of that school year in a September-start school. US grades match the UAE Ministry's grades from Grade 1 upwards; early years class names vary between American schools.
How to read the table
- British schools number years from Year 1, which children start at 5. American and UAE Ministry schools call that year KG2 and start numbered grades a year later. That is why the UK number is one higher.
- Indian and Pakistani grades use the same number as the UK year in KHDA's table, from Grade 1 (Year 1) to Grade 12 (Year 12).
- Australian years are one lower than UK years: Australian Year 6 sits alongside UK Year 7.
- IB uses programme years: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP). UK Year 7 is MYP Year 1.
Where the stages change
The British system splits school into key stages. The two that matter most when you compare systems:
- Secondary school starts in Year 7 (Grade 6), at about 11. Years 7 to 9 are Key Stage 3.
- GCSE or IGCSE courses run through Years 10 and 11 (Grades 9 and 10), with exams at the end of Year 11. The sixth form (Years 12 and 13) then matches Grades 11 and 12.
School tests also follow the UK year group. CAT4, used by many UAE schools, picks its level from the year: see CAT4 levels by year group.
Placement is a separate question
This table compares names. It does not decide which class your child joins. Schools place children using their date of birth and the age rules of their regulator, and they also look at the last school report. Rules differ between emirates, so check with the school or the regulator before you move.
Questions parents ask
What grade is Year 7 in the US?
Grade 6. From Year 2 upwards, the UK year number is always one higher than the US grade, so Year 7 is Grade 6, the first year of secondary school in the British system.
What year is Grade 6 in the UK?
Year 7. Add one to the US or UAE grade to get the UK year group. Grade 6 is the start of secondary school (Key Stage 3) in a British school.
What grade is Year 9 in America?
Grade 8, the third year of Key Stage 3. Year 10 is Grade 9 (the US freshman year), when GCSE or IGCSE courses usually begin.
Is Year 13 the same as Grade 12?
Yes. Year 13, the final year of sixth form when students take A levels, matches Grade 12 (US senior year) and IB Diploma Year 2. Year 12 matches Grade 11.
What is Year 1 in the UAE and American system?
Year 1 matches KG2 in the UAE Ministry of Education's names. British schools start numbered years one year earlier than American schools, which is why a child in Year 2 is in Grade 1 elsewhere.
How do Indian curriculum grades compare with UK years?
In KHDA's comparison table the numbers line up: Indian and Pakistani Grade 1 sits alongside UK Year 1, Grade 6 alongside Year 6, and so on up to Grade 12 alongside Year 12. Year 13 has no Indian equivalent, because Indian schooling ends after Grade 12.
Does the table decide which year my child joins?
No. It compares the names. Which year a child is placed in depends on their date of birth and the age rules of the school's regulator (KHDA in Dubai, ADEK in Abu Dhabi, SPEA in Sharjah, the Ministry of Education elsewhere), plus their last school report. Ask the school before you assume a placement.
Sources