The British Education System. In the UK education system, schools are either state schools funded by government and are free for all pupils. In England and Wales, the government introduced a National Curriculum in 1988. This provides a framework for education between the ages of 5 - 18. All UK state schools are required to follow it. The National Curriculum in England and Wales is constructed in five Key Stages: 🔸Key Stage 1 - Foundation year and Years 1 to 2 - for pupils aged between 5 and 7 y