Yeah, but high school starts at year 9 (age 13-14), so:
(Y9 doesn't exist for a bit)
Y9 --> Y10
Y10 --> Y11
Y11 --> (Either leave school or just take a few extra weeks off)
Y12 --> Y13
Y13 --> (Leave school*)
This is done because, after the exams, the Y11s and Y13s have no content left to learn, so there's no point in keeping them at school.
Also, as I said, my school is strange for doing this. Most, if not all, other British high schools are normal.
*Unless you get held back, stay on for another year, or go to university
My school moves everyone up after the GCSEs and A-Levels are over, which is in May or June. The holiday starts in July.
As far as I know, we're the only school in Britain that does this.
I don't really get what you mean.
Instead of moving up to the next year (the British term for "grade") in September, we do it after the exams (finals) are over, which is in June.
Oh right, so if you're in year 7, you start year 8 before the summer holidays?
Yeah, but high school starts at year 9 (age 13-14), so:
This is done because, after the exams, the Y11s and Y13s have no content left to learn, so there's no point in keeping them at school.
Also, as I said, my school is strange for doing this. Most, if not all, other British high schools are normal.
*Unless you get held back, stay on for another year, or go to university
TL;DR: Yeah, pretty much
Where are you in the UK? High school starts age 11 usually.
North East England. Around here, it goes like this:
then
You are probably used to the two-tier system, with a primary school and a secondary school. Around here, though, we mainly have a three-tier system.