More grad school application questions: translating US school to UK equivalents

I've done some googling (the search function for the forums isn't working - boo!) and am trying to figure out how to correctly represent my previous education - specifically for a scholarship application.

First they are asking for my schools since age 11 (oy!  I feel so old), including examinations taken and level and grade.  Part of this scholarship is academic achievement based, so how do/should I talk about my middle school and high school experience in that framework (I was top ten % in high school and took two AP classes, but I'll be darned if I remember my GPA or anything like that)

Same question applies for undergrad and my previous grad degree.  I graduated cum laude as an undergrad, had no equivalent for my Master's program. 

Any suggestions on how to talk about my education in the UK framework would be mucho appreciated!

ETA: I have found a couple of threads discussing the US high school as being 4-5 GSCEs and AP classes as A levels.  What I am completing is an application for a scholarship specifically for overseas students, though, so I am not sure whether I should attempt to make the equivalency arguments or let admissions draw their own conclusions.  Also, I don't have a copy of my high school transcript attached to my application (lordy, I don't even know how I would get it).  Should I bother?

I believe you shouldn't translate your academic achievements there.  Universities tend to understand what a high school degree in the US entails, as well as AP/SAT scores.  However, I wouldn't give them middle school.  Oh, unless you took the AP test for your AP classes, I don't think that'll make a big difference (it didn't for me when I applied to university in the US).  They also know (or should know) what cum laude on a degree means.  It would be wise to find out your GPA from HS (did your parents keep a transcript or your last report card?) or guess close to what you had.
Also, are you applying for a research program (my assumption) or a taught program?  I suggest focusing on what you have done which supports your research goals (i.e. that A in music appreciation your freshman year isn't as important as the B you got in your senior-level course).  When I applied for my PhD here, I just quickly listed my HS diploma and GPA, BA major and GPA, and MA area and GPA. I don't think I even mentioned AP classes, SAT 2's, the GRE, ACT, or SAT.

This is a taught degree (Marine Environmental Management). I'm not really that concerned about being accepted into the program (I have some professional experience in the subject area, and the program directors have informally let me know that there's no chance I'd be turned away).

I'd like to make as strong a case for the scholarship as possible though (wouldn't we all). One of the reasons I'm pursuing this degree is because I have no educational background in the topic (i.e. I have no college-level science, and this is a science degree program).

Crap.  I don't even think we had GPAs calculated for my grad program.  Looks like I've got some digging to do!

In the UK a Masters is just pass or fail, we aren't given grades, so don't worry about that.

Vicky

In the UK a Masters is just pass or fail, we aren't given grades, so don't worry about that.

Vicky

I think that depends on the uni, mine did give a numerical grade for the masters (although I couldn't tell you what mine was off hand) and we had Distinction & Merit results in addition to Pass (and Fail!)  I agree that the actual number isn't usually important, though.

Yeah, I think I agree that the GPA for an MA program isn't very important.  In most universities in the US, they require at least a 3.0 to graduate (some even demand a 3.75!).

Yeah, I think I agree that the GPA for an MA program isn't very important.  In most universities in the US, they require at least a 3.0 to graduate (some even demand a 3.75!).

I had a post saying basically this same thing.  Your grad school GPA is unlikely to be less than 3.5 unless you were really struggling.