FS1 or Pre-KG? Is KG1 the same as FS2? What year is Grade 5? Dubai schools use different names for the same age group depending on the curriculum, which confuses almost every parent at some point. This guide puts them all side by side.
The year group table
Find your child's age in the first column, then read across to see what their class is called in each curriculum.
| Age | British | American, IB, UAE & most others | Indian (CBSE / ICSE) | French |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 3 | Nursery (ECC) | Nursery (ECC) | Nursery / Playgroup | Crèche |
| 3 | FS1 | Pre-KG | Pre-KG / Nursery | Petite Section (PS) |
| 4 | FS2 | KG1 | LKG / KG1 | Moyenne Section (MS) |
| 5 | Year 1 | KG2 | UKG / KG2 | Grande Section (GS) |
| 6 | Year 2 | Grade 1 | Grade 1 | CP |
| 7 | Year 3 | Grade 2 | Grade 2 | CE1 |
| 8 | Year 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 3 | CE2 |
| 9 | Year 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 4 | CM1 |
| 10 | Year 6 | Grade 5 | Grade 5 | CM2 |
| 11 | Year 7 | Grade 6 | Grade 6 | 6e (Sixième) |
| 12 | Year 8 | Grade 7 | Grade 7 | 5e (Cinquième) |
| 13 | Year 9 | Grade 8 | Grade 8 | 4e (Quatrième) |
| 14 | Year 10 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | 3e (Troisième) |
| 15 | Year 11 | Grade 10 | Grade 10 | Seconde |
| 16 | Year 12 | Grade 11 | Grade 11 | Première |
| 17 | Year 13 | Grade 12 | Grade 12 | Terminale |
Age is the age your child reaches by the cut-off date (see below). Individual schools may use slightly different names, so always confirm placement with the school.
How age is worked out
For children joining a Dubai school for the first time, KHDA uses a cut-off date to decide the year group:
- Schools starting in August or September (most British, American, IB and French schools): your child's age on 31 December of that school year. This applies from the 2026-27 school year. It used to be 31 August.
- Schools starting in April (many Indian and some Pakistani curriculum schools): your child's age on 31 March.
Example: a child born in October 2022 turns 4 in October 2026. For a September 2026 start they are 4 by 31 December, so they go into FS2 at a British school or KG1 at an American or IB school.
Children already enrolled in a Dubai school, or moving between Dubai schools, keep their current year group.
Nursery, FS, KG and Pre-KG explained
- Nursery or early childhood centre (ECC): for babies and toddlers before school starts. Dubai's early childhood centres can take children from 45 days old. On KHDA listings you may see this shown as "ECC" with an age range, for example ECC (2-3).
- FS1 and FS2: the two Foundation Stage years in British schools, for ages 3 and 4. In the UK, FS2 is usually called Reception.
- Pre-KG, KG1 and KG2: the kindergarten years in American, IB, Indian and UAE schools, for ages 3, 4 and 5. Some schools start at KG1.
- Pre-primary: a general term KHDA uses for the years before Grade 1 in some curricula.
Watch out for KG2 and Year 1: they are the same age group (5), but in British schools Year 1 is already the first year of primary, while KG2 is still kindergarten.
British: Years and Key Stages
British schools group years into stages, and you will hear these names on tours and in reports:
- Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): FS1 and FS2
- Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2
- Key Stage 2: Years 3 to 6 (end of primary)
- Key Stage 3: Years 7 to 9
- Key Stage 4: Years 10 and 11, ending with GCSEs or IGCSEs
- Key Stage 5 (Sixth Form): Years 12 and 13, usually A Levels or BTECs
American and IB: Grades
American schools usually split into elementary (KG to Grade 5), middle school (Grades 6 to 8) and high school (Grades 9 to 12). In the US, the year before Grade 1 is called Kindergarten, which matches KG2 in Dubai.
IB schools use the same Grade names and group them into programmes: the Primary Years Programme (about ages 3 to 12, Pre-KG to Grade 5), the Middle Years Programme (about ages 11 to 16, Grades 6 to 10) and the Diploma Programme (ages 16 to 19, Grades 11 and 12).
Indian: LKG, UKG and Classes
Indian curriculum schools often use LKG (Lower Kindergarten, age 4) and UKG (Upper Kindergarten, age 5), then Grade or Class 1 to 12. Board exams come in Grade 10 and Grade 12. Remember that many Indian schools in Dubai start in April and use the 31 March cut-off, so the same child can fall into a different year group than at a September-start school.
French: from Petite Section to Terminale
French schools have three stages: maternelle (PS, MS, GS), école élémentaire (CP to CM2), collège (6e to 3e, ending with the brevet) and lycée (Seconde, Première and Terminale, ending with the baccalauréat). Note that French secondary classes count down, from 6e to 3e.
Moving between curricula
When children switch systems, schools place them by age first, then may assess them. Moving is easiest in the early and primary years. Switching in the last two or three years of school is harder because exam courses differ, for example from GCSEs to an American high school programme. If you are planning a move, talk to the new school about placement and which courses your child can join.
Not sure which curriculum suits your family? Read our curriculum comparison guide.
Quick answers
- Is FS1 the same as Pre-KG?
- Yes. Both are for children who are 3 by the cut-off date.
- Is FS2 the same as KG1?
- Yes. Both are for 4 year olds.
- Is KG2 the same as Year 1?
- Same age group (5), but Year 1 is the start of primary in British schools, while KG2 is the last kindergarten year elsewhere.
- What year is Grade 1 in the British system?
- Year 2.
- What is Year 13 in the American system?
- Grade 12, the final year of high school.
- What are LKG and UKG?
- Lower and Upper Kindergarten in Indian schools, the same as KG1 and KG2.
Find a school for your child's age
Filter all 229 Dubai schools by age group: early years, primary, secondary or post-16.
Sources
- Age cut-off dates and early years placement: Gulf News, February 2026 and Gulf News, August 2026.
- Early childhood centre ages: Gulf News.
- IB programme stages: International Baccalaureate.
- School year ranges: KHDA school directory, checked 23 October 2026.
This guide is general information. Placement rules can change, and schools make the final decision on year group, so always confirm with the school.