Year Eleven is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is the eleventh or twelfth year of compulsory education. For some Year Eleven students it is their final year studying and may include final exams. In the US and Canada, it is referred to as tenth grade.
In Australia, Year Eleven is typically the twelfth year of education. Although there are slight variations between the states, most students in Year 11 are aged between sixteen and seventeen. Queensland year eleven students are the youngest in the country, as they usually enter at age fifteen.
In New South Wales, Year 11 is the shortest year as it only lasts three whole terms. Year Twelve begins its first term where Year 11]] would have its fourth.
In New Zealand, Year Eleven is the eleventh full year of compulsory education (5 year olds usually start their first year in Year 0 until the new calendar year). Students entering Year Eleven are usually aged fifteen between 14.5 and 16, but there is no minimum age. Year Eleven pupils are educated in Secondary schools or in Area schools. Year 11 was previously known as the 5th Form and for most students they are studying for NCEA Level 1 which equates to what was previously known as School Certificate.
In schools in England Year Eleven is the eleventh year after Reception. It is the eleventh full year of compulsory education, with students being admitted who are aged 15 by 31 August in any given academic year.
It is also the final year of Key Stage 4 in which the Secondary National Curriculum is taught and GCSE examinations are taken.
Year 11 is usually the final year of Secondary school. In some schools, students may stay on in the same establishment for their sixth form education, where year groups may continue to be numbered twelve and thirteen. Since September 2013, further education has been compulsory.