3 Differences in the US School System for UK Immigrants to the USA

How does the American school system compare and contrast with that of the United Kingdom?

Structure. US education is divided into three levels: elementary, middle (or junior high), and high school. Kindergarten starts around age 5, followed by 12 years of basic education. Unlike the UK’s GCSEs and A-Levels, US high school students typically don’t specialize but study a broad curriculum until graduation.

Local Control. US schools are primarily controlled by local school districts, which establish their own curriculums and standards. This results in variation from district to district and state to state, unlike the national curriculum followed by most UK schools.

Standardized Testing. This plays a significant role in American education. Tests like SAT or ACT are critical for college admission, akin to the role of A-levels in the UK, but test more general skills and knowledge.

While the US and UK school systems share a common language, they differ significantly in structure, control, focus, and academic calendar.