The United Kingdom implements a compulsory education system for children aged 5 to 16. In the fiscal year 1998/1999, education funding accounted for 4.9% of the Gross Domestic Product. Public school students are exempt from tuition fees. Private schools have better teaching staff and facilities, but they charge high fees, and students are mostly from wealthy families.
The United Kingdom is one of the most developed countries in higher education, possessing the highest level of higher education in the world and being the birthplace of modern higher education systems. The UK is home to the oldest higher education institutions in the world, as well as a large number of the world's top universities, which have produced many outstanding scientists, politicians, and others.
Notable institutions in the UK include the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, the University of Sheffield, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Birmingham, the London School of Economics, the University of Manchester, Newcastle University, and the University of Nottingham.
Education in the United Kingdom is generally divided into five stages. The first stage is preschool education for children aged 3 to 5; the second stage is primary education for children aged 5 to 11; the third stage is secondary education for children aged 11 to 16. The ages 5 to 16 constitute the legally mandated compulsory education phase. Children of appropriate age must enroll in school, with the state responsible for necessary tuition, books, and supplies. Ages 16 to 18 comprise the senior secondary class (or university preparatory class), serving as a transition from secondary school to university; the fourth stage lasts 5 years; the fifth stage is continuing education after age 16, which includes vocational education for youth and adults [formal universities are not included], offered in full-time, part-time, and evening formats. The duration of education varies across regions, departments, and specialties.
