There are 36 primary schools widely spread across the Island providing education for children from as young a 3 years up to age 11. Children must start full-time education in the term following their fifth birthday although most parents send their children to school earlier than this. Children attend secondary school from the age of 11. Secondary school serve their local communities; there are school in the north, the west and the South and two in Douglas. Children can leave school at the end of May in the school year in which they reach the age of 16. Each secondary school has a sixth from for 16-18 year olds. There are also 2 independent school.
The Department of Education and children has overall responsibility for the standard and management of school but each school has its own governing body. The Chair of Governors at each school is one of the elected members of the Board of Education (a 15 member body directly elected every 5 years). Each governing body includes a teacher-governor and parent-governor. Most examination courses offered by school in the Isle of Man lead to qualification awarded by examination boards in England, but there are many differences between the Manx and English education systems. Children in the Isle of Man do not automatically sit the tests that are statutory in England (SATs). The curriculum has many similarities to England but school in the Isle of Man must cover Manx history and culture wherever possible.