Education in Wales
This article provides an overview of education in Wales from early childhood to university and adult skills. Largely state funded and free-at-the-point-of-use at a primary and secondary level, education is compulsory for children in Wales aged five to sixteen years old. It differs to some extent in structure and content to other parts of the United Kingdom, in the later case particularly in relation to the teaching of the Welsh language.
| Department for Education and Skills | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Education and the Welsh Language | Jeremy Miles |
| National education budget (2021/22) | |
| Budget | £2,728.6 million |
| General details | |
| Primary languages | English and Welsh |
| System type | National |
| Compulsory education Devolution | 1880 1999 |
| Literacy (2003) | |
| Total | 99% |
| Male | 99% |
| Female | 99% |
State funded nursery education is typically offered from age three. Children usually enter fulltime primary school at age four, enter secondary school at age eleven and take their GCSEs at age 16. After that, young people have the option of staying at school to study A-levels or enrolling in further education. From the age of 18, they might enroll at university.
Formal education was originally a luxury, then provided by charity and later through the state. Universal primary education was established by the end of the 19th century and universal secondary education was reached by the mid 20th century. Attitudes to the Welsh language in education have varied overtime.