An infant school is a type of school or school department for young children. Today, the term is mainly used in England and Wales. In Ireland, the first two years of primary school are called infant classes. Infant schools were established in the United Kingdom from 1816 and spread internationally. They were integrated into the state school system in the mid-19th century. The teaching methods they use have evolved over time. Dictionaries tend to define the age ranges they cater to as between four and eight years old. 10% of children of the relevant age in England attended a separate infant school in 2018. In England, children bellow the age of five are taught in a manner more focused on play and those above that age have a more academically focused curriculum.