Before the start of formal schooling, many children attend nursery schools or nursery classes attached to primary schools. In England and Wales, many primary schools also operate an early admission policy where they admit children under 5 into what are called reception classes.
Children first attend the infants' school or department.
Over 85 per cent of secondary school pupils go to comprehensive schools. These take children of all abilities, and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from the age of 11 to 16 or 18. There are also other types of secondary school. Grammar schools offer a mainly academic education for the 11 to 18-year age group. Children enter grammar schools on the basis of their abilities, first sitting the '11' plus or entrance examination.