Ghana to UK school years: which year group will your child join?
Schools in the UK place children by age, not by the class they finished in Ghana. As a guide, a child aged 12 at the start of the school year who was in JHS 1 (Basic 7) in Ghana joins Year 8 in the UK. The table below matches each Ghanaian class to its UK year group.
This guide also covers how placement works, what changes in the classroom, which exam results to bring, and how to help your child settle in during the first term.
Ghanaian classes and UK year groups compared
| Age at start of school year | Ghana | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Basic 1 (Primary 1) | Year 2 |
| 7 | Basic 2 | Year 3 |
| 8 | Basic 3 | Year 4 |
| 9 | Basic 4 | Year 5 |
| 10 | Basic 5 | Year 6 |
| 11 | Basic 6 | Year 7 |
| 12 | JHS 1 (Basic 7) | Year 8 |
| 13 | JHS 2 (Basic 8) | Year 9 |
| 14 | JHS 3 (Basic 9) | Year 10 |
| 15 | SHS 1 | Year 11 |
| 16 | SHS 2 | Year 12 |
| 17 | SHS 3 | Year 13 |
Placement is by age
Schools in England and Wales place children in a year group by age on 31 August. A child who is 11 on 31 August starts Year 7 in September. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different year names and cut-off dates.
Ghanaian children usually start Basic 1 at around six, but ages within a class can vary by a year or more.
How school places work in the UK
You apply for a school place through your local council, even in the middle of the school year. The school places your child in the year group for their age, not by the class they finished at home.
Students take GCSEs at the end of Year 11, after a two-year course that starts in Year 10, and A Levels at the end of Year 13.
The school system in Ghana
Ghana has two years of kindergarten, six years of primary school (Basic 1 to 6), three years of junior high school (JHS 1 to 3) and three years of senior high school (SHS 1 to 3).
Students sit the BECE at the end of JHS 3 and the WASSCE at the end of SHS 3.
What changes in the classroom
- Ghanaian students usually arrive with good written English and a solid base in core maths.
- UK maths uses its own methods and vocabulary, for example the bus stop method for division and different names for some topics. GCSE questions also test reasoning and problem solving in words.
- GCSE English Language rewards analysing writers' methods and structured creative writing, which is often new to students from West and Central Africa.
- Classes are often smaller and more discussion-based, and students are expected to ask questions and work independently.
Arriving in the exam years
Arriving in Year 10 or Year 11 is the hardest point, because GCSE courses are already under way. Schools may reduce the number of GCSEs your child takes, so ask early which subjects they will sit.
Records and results to bring
- School reports for the last two or three years.
- Any the BECE and WASSCE results, with the original certificates or result slips.
- Your child's exercise books or recent tests, which help a new teacher see their level.
- Bring recent school reports and exam results. For sixth form, college or university, UK ENIC can issue a statement comparing qualifications such as WASSCE or the Cameroon GCE with UK qualifications.
Helping your child catch up
- Ask the new school for the topics covered so far this year and any assessments coming up.
- Book a tutor for maths and English in the first term, while the gaps are still small.
- Choose a tutor who knows the UK curriculum and has taught students from Ghana.
- On Studoli, your first lesson with a tutor is free, and lessons take place online at times that fit around school.
Next steps
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Frequently asked questions
What year group is SHS 1 in the UK?
A student in SHS 1 is usually around 15 at the start of the school year, which matches Year 11 in the UK. Schools place by age, so the exact year group depends on your child's date of birth.
What year group is JHS 1 (Basic 7) in the UK?
JHS 1 (Basic 7) usually matches Year 8, for a child aged about 12 at the start of the school year.
Will my child repeat a year after moving from Ghana to the UK?
Usually not. Schools in the UK place children by age. If your child is behind in some subjects, the school gives extra support, and a tutor can help close the gaps faster.
Are WASSCE results accepted in the UK?
Bring recent school reports and exam results. For sixth form, college or university, UK ENIC can issue a statement comparing qualifications such as WASSCE or the Cameroon GCE with UK qualifications.