Column · Parents' guides
Matching your child
to a UK year group.
UK schools admit by year group, and the year group follows the child's date of birth rather than the year they are in now. Checking it first tells you which entry point to plan for.
Updated 27 October 2026 · Written by （to be confirmed） · Reviewed by （to be confirmed） · （to be confirmed）
01 / Why it matters
Year group first.
UK school years run from September, and children are usually placed by age on 31 August （to be confirmed）. A child in Hong Kong may be in a different year from the UK year group they would join.
Schools then admit at set points — commonly 11+, 13+ and 16+ — so the year group decides which entry point and which tests apply.
02 / Next
Plan from there.
About this article
- Written by
- （to be confirmed）
- Reviewed by
- （to be confirmed）
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
- First published
- 2026-10-27
Sources
Related
- Column · Boarding schoolsPlanning a UK boarding school applicationMany schools ask for an entrance test before their own exams or interviews, so the plan is worked back from each school's registration deadline. This article sets out the steps in order, starting with the UK year group your child is applying for.
- Column · ExamsWhat UKisetReasoning, English and a short piece of writing: the parts of the test and how schools use the results.
Next step
Questions about your plans?
Tell us your child's year and the schools you are considering, and we will suggest where to start.