Year levels in the US, UK and Australia
Pupils of the same age sit in classes with different names in different countries. That matters when you search for a worksheet: "Year 5" means a child of nine or ten in England and Australia, but would be a much older child in some other systems. This guide explains how the three systems covered by Maths Library line up.
The basic pattern
In the United States, elementary school begins with Kindergarten at around age five and runs through Grade 12 at seventeen to eighteen. In England, children start Reception at four to five, then Year 1 at five to six, up to Year 13 at seventeen to eighteen. In Australia the first year is called Foundation (or Prep, Kindergarten or Reception, depending on the state), followed by Year 1 to Year 12.
Why the numbers differ
England counts Reception as a separate year before Year 1. The US counts Kindergarten as grade zero. So a child in US Grade 1, English Year 2 and Australian Year 1 are typically all six to seven. Australia's Foundation and England's Year 1 are the same age as US Kindergarten. Australian school start ages and cut-off dates vary by state, so an age is a guide rather than a rule.
A quick conversion
For the middle years, add one to a US grade to get an English year group, and use the same number as the US grade for Australia. A US Grade 5 pupil of ten is in Year 6 in England and Year 5 in Australia. This holds from Kindergarten up to about age sixteen, and is only a rule of thumb. The levels table gives the exact matches we use on this site.
Stages and phases
Each system also groups years. England uses Key Stages: Key Stage 1 is Years 1 and 2, Key Stage 2 is Years 3 to 6, Key Stage 3 is Years 7 to 9, and Key Stage 4 is Years 10 and 11. The US speaks of elementary, middle and high school, though the boundaries differ by district. Australia uses primary and secondary, with secondary usually starting in Year 7, or Year 8 in some states.
Curricula and what each year covers
Each system has its own document. The US uses the Common Core State Standards in many states, with others writing their own. England follows the National Curriculum, and Australia uses Australian Curriculum version 9. The documents do not cover topics in the same order. For example, formal methods for long multiplication appear at different ages, and the age at which fractions, ratio or algebra are introduced varies by a year or more.
Using this when you choose a sheet
If you are a parent or tutor moving between countries, match by age first and by topic second. Find the level for your child's age, then check the topic list on the level page to see whether the content they need is taught there. If a topic is missing, look at the level above or below. Each topic page links to the same topic in other countries, so you can see where it appears in each system.
Start from the US, UK or Australian level lists, or open the editor and pick a country.