Examinations and assessments
Under the National Curriculum system, all pupils undergo a series of tests at specific points in their education. These are known as Key Stage National Curriculum Tests and are numbered 1 to 4 as follows:

* Key Stage 1 (KS1) — during Year 2 (ages 6/7)
* Key Stage 2 (KS2) — towards the end of Year 6 (ages 10/11)
* Key Stage 3 (KS3) — towards the end of Year 9 (ages 13/14)
* Key Stage 4 (KS4) — during both Year 10 and 11, mostly at the end of Year 11 (ages 14-16) — incorporated into GCSE examinations

These Key Stage exams are often referred to as SATs (Standard Assessment Tests).

Pupils wishing to progress in to a grammar school must sit an additional exam, usually the Eleven plus.