Princess Charlotte is growing up fast (open in new tab).

When the new school year begins this fall, the 6-year-old princess will return to Thomas' Battersea School in southwest London, where she will officially begin second grade. Hello!" (opens in new tab) magazine (opens in new tab) points out, this is a major milestone for several reasons.

First, it marks the end of an era for Charlotte (opens in new tab). British elementary schools (opens in new tab) (more or less equivalent to American elementary schools) may be divided into two phases: first and second graders (generally 5- and 6-year-olds) belong to the first phase, known as the toddler or lower grade level, while older children (grades 3 through grade 6, and children between the ages of 7 and 10) belong to the second stage, known as the junior level.

The second year milestone that Charlotte (open in new tab) is looking forward to (or not looking forward to, depending on how you feel about standardized tests) is her first SAT. In the UK, SATs stands for "Standard Assessment Tests" (opens in new tab) and are tests that elementary school students take between second and sixth grade to assess their academic progress. Children in Charlotte's grade levels take tests in math and reading (with an optional English test covering grammar, punctuation, and spelling).

Unlike most standardized tests in the United States, the SAT is inherently less stressful because it is not timed. According to The Good Schools Guide (opens in new tab) in the UK, Charlotte (opens in new tab) may be the last member of the Royal Family to take the Year 2 SATs, which will be optional starting in 2023.

We send Charlotte good vibes and happiness for the new school year.