Emilie Bonay, a UK education advocate who interned with Mizizi Elimu Afrika, takes us through the UK education system from primary school to university, and asks what the UK and Kenya can learn from each other.
I am an education advocate from the UK, working with NGOs, schools, students, teachers and the government to improve education. I was educated in state-funded schools in England from age 4 to 18, then studied Philosophy at university. In this article, I describe the UK education system, its structure, outcomes and values and weigh up its strengths and weaknesses.
A note on scope: the UK is made up of four nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each with its own devolved government and education system. My experience is of the English system, but much of the data cited here refers to the UK.
An outcomes-focused system
Overall, the UK education system is strongly outcomes-focused: exams are the gateways to each next level of education. As a result, the UK is very good at measuring academic performance, ranks highly in international assessments and consistently records high attainment in foundational learning skills. But the focus on a knowledge-based curriculum and assessments means that many students leave school feeling unprepared for the modern world and dissatisfied with the education system
Primary school: building the foundations (ages 4–11)
In England, children start primary school in the academic year they turn five. The focus is on developing literacy and numeracy, which are assessed in Year 6 (age 11) through national Standard Assessment Tests (SATs). In the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the UK consistently scores above the OECD average in foundational skills, with 74% of 15-year-olds reaching basic proficiency in mathematics and 80% in reading. Primary schools receive substantial government support, including good infrastructure and universal free school meals from Reception to Year 2 (ages 4–7), with free meals continuing beyond that for eligible families. Beyond core literacy and numeracy, the curriculum is more flexible, and each school adapts subjects such as science, humanities and languages. Parents are also more involved in their children’s education at this stage, through parent associations and school events. Teachers are well trained, though many describe the day-to-day routine as repetitive. This stage of education matters most for closing attainment gaps for children from disadvantaged backgrounds
Secondary school: the GCSE years (ages 11–16)
From age 11 to 16, students attend secondary school, where they are often grouped into ‘sets’ by ability. The first three years offer a broad curriculum, including English, Maths, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, History, Geography, Religious Education, languages (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin and Latin, among others), Physical Education, Art, Design and Technology, Music, Drama, Photography, Food Technology, Computing and Citizenship. Learning becomes more knowledge-based, although varied assessment types and collaborative classwork leave room for creativity and practical work. Preparation for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams then dominates the final two years.
English, Maths and the sciences are compulsory; most schools also require a humanities subject, and students add two to four subjects of their own choosing, including new options such as Business, Economics and Media Studies. Many students find GCSEs challenging because of the sheer volume of knowledge they must memorise for exams, and teachers can struggle with an inflexible workload. GCSEs are also treated as critical to getting a job and succeeding in life, so students face intense pressure to do well. It is at this age that many students begin to question the disconnect between what they learn and how they live.
Not one system: schools, regions and nations
Resources, curriculum and values vary from school to school, region to region and nation to nation. Private (independent) schools have the most resources, funded through tuition fees and private donors.
They place greater value on community, holistic development and preparation for the workplace, and embed these in the curriculum, while smaller class sizes mean students receive more tailored support.
England also has a marked North–South divide. Government is highly centralised in the Southeast, so, for instance, Northern interests are less represented in policy, and more people live below the poverty line in the North than anywhere in the South except London. Schools in the North of England have less access to infrastructural support and to the funding needed to tackle ‘entrenched inequalities’, resulting in larger attainment gaps and poorer education and economic outcomes.
Scotland and Wales place greater emphasis on skills and well-being, through Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and the Curriculum for Wales. National identity and heritage are also more highly valued across the devolved nations: Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) in Scotland, Irish (Gaeilge) in Northern Ireland and Welsh (Cymraeg) in Wales are taught within their respective curricula, and some schools teach entirely in these languages.
After 16: sixth form, college and A-levels
In England, young people must stay in some form of education or training until 18. After 16, students can continue at sixth form or take up vocational training at a further education college, which offers a broader range of qualifications beyond academic subjects. Most commonly, students study three A-levels (Advanced Level qualifications) or equivalent. The range of subjects widens to include courses such as Further Maths, Film Studies and Psychology, depending on the institution. This period is seen as determining a student’s post-18 pathway: whether they go on to university, start an apprenticeship or enter employment. Independent projects are introduced, teachers have more say in what they teach and critical thinking is encouraged, but the focus on assessment is intense and often takes a toll on students’ mental health. Vocational routes are still stigmatised as ‘less prestigious’, while academic paths leave students poorly equipped with practical skills.
University and apprenticeships (18+)
Tertiary education from age 18, including apprenticeships and university, is optional. Both routes are designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to find work in their chosen field. Apprenticeships centre on industry experience and skills development, whereas universities are predominantly academic and knowledge based. Both qualifications are well recognised nationally and internationally, and give students access to resources and experts, with support for special educational needs, disabilities and mental health.
Although government loans help students cover the cost, university is expensive. In England, students pay up to £9,790 a year for an undergraduate degree (Scottish students studying in Scotland pay no tuition fees), and even at this price, universities remain vulnerable to disruption caused by funding shortfalls. Many students feel that teaching quality suffers because lecturers treat it as secondary to their research. A degree has also lost some of its value: it no longer guarantees employment, and graduates and young people face a tough job market as the few available vacancies increasingly prioritise skills and experience. Apprenticeships offer a more direct route into work, but outdated perceptions and low pay mean that fewer people choose this path.
What the UK and Kenya can learn from each other
Based on this experience, a curriculum that balances skills and knowledge more evenly, and uses forms of assessment beyond high-stakes exams, would address many of the outcomes-focused challenges that schools and students face across the UK. Drawing inspiration from Kenya’s Competency-Based Education (CBE), formerly the Competency-Based Curriculum, could improve student engagement and outcomes without compromising on quality or on high attainment in foundational skills. The exchange can run both ways: as Kenya embeds CBE, the UK’s strength in consistently measuring foundational learning offers useful lessons for tracking whether competency-based reforms are delivering for every learner.
