Beg to differ thats the system they use in England and Wales.
In scotland you have alot broader subject range and you also start school slightly earlier (4 years old). The exams are standard grades and Highers. Highers are single years course and it isnt unusal to have 5 or 6 of them when you go to uni.
Degrees are 4 years i started when i was 16 but normally it is 17/18. Graduate 21/22.
Its quite good this way because you hit the market a fair bit younger than the english graduates or if you stay on to do post grad you can be selling yourself with a PHd or Msc when the english guys only have the normal graduate degree at the same age.
MJ