Question for British list members/school years

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:

> I'm not sure what GCSE exams are.

O.W.L.s Formerly O-levels (for "Ordinary").

> Do British schools have a Year Twelve, or do students finish school
> and start university (or get a job) at seventeen (sixteen for those
> born in summer) rather than eighteen (seventeen for the summer-borns)
> as in the U.S.?

Per Geoff, old First Year (First Form) is now Year 7. Which would make
Second Form year 8, Third 9, Fourth 10, Fifth (the OWL year) 11, Sixth
12, and Upper Sixth (Seventh Year at Hogwarts) Year 13.