It's getting hard to spot new posts that I actually want to read.
Compulsory schooling is 4/5 to 16. At 16 usually you take GCSE's (General Certificate of Secondary Education) in several areas, I took English, English Lit, History (chosen over geography), Religious Studies (chosen over a number of other things, can't remember), French (chosen over German, Spanish), Double Award Science (Worth two GCSE's, both at the same grade. We had separate lessons for bio/chem/phys though) Graphics (technical drawing allegedly), Mathematics. That's a fairly standard selection, supposed to be rounded, notably a compulsory foreign language has been left out recently. Somewhere around 9-10 GCSE's is the upper end, some will leave with none.
After 16 you have several choices. Leave the education system, take A (Advanced) levels (Highers if in Scotland) or go and do something more vocational, that's where GNVQ's (General National Vocational Qualification) fit in. All gets complicated here, and there are other options available, I believe you can do International Baccalaureates. A levels usually are done between the ages of 16 to 18.
For A levels I studied Chemistry, Biology and History (Early Modern), with the usual General Studies thrown in. I wouldn't say that was a typical selection, people seem to do science/maths or arts or social science, there were three or four History students also doing Chemistry that I was aware of. We'd usually say that I did three A levels as no-one really counts General Studies. 3-4 is normal, my older brother did three sciences and then music in his spare time and went on to study music at university. I did History and Anthropology, after initially winning my place by requesting Philosophy and Theology (wasn't cut out for that, or university in general)
Traditionally A levels have been in traditional subjects, maths, english literature that sort of thing. Things such as politics and psychology have appeared more recently, at least that's how I understand it. My college was just getting into politics as I was leaving, don't think there were any plans for psychology.
An apprenticeship is generally a combination of practical work and college study. I don't really know how they work, my father did one under an older model, and during the course of learning the electrical engineering business he got an HND (Higher National Diploma) which is roughly a step down from a bachelors degree.
Moving on to degrees. Usually started at 18, generally in England and Wales a bachelors degree takes three years (the first year doesn't usually count towards your final mark). Usually though when doing a science degree you start on a Master's program so you sign up for four years. In Scotland first degrees take four years. Degrees usually come as Single Honours (eg Music), Joint Honours (English and Philosophy perhaps) or Combined Honours (Combined Sciences, Combined Arts, Combined Social Science, with some departmental overlap between the last two)
Generally you'd say that you went to the University of Birmingham/Warwick/Bristol or wherever, with a few exceptions. Oxbridge (Oxford/Cambridge) applicants apply to different colleges (such as Jesus/Trinity/Oriel) and will usually put down something like Oriel College, Oxford as their degree awarder. Durham (where I went) also has you apply to colleges, but the traditional is less strong so generally when I say I went to Durham people don't ask which college. Some places refer to 'Schools', but generally we refer to them as departments.
Advanced degrees. Usually a masters takes a year, sometimes two. A doctoral degree will usually require a minimum of three years I think.
Clearer than mud now? I've used the word 'usual' a lot.
