SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN THE UK

I NTRODUCTION TO S CHOOL L IFE Education is free and compulsory for all children between the ages of Some children are educated at home rather than in school. Children's education in England is normally divided into two separate stages. They begin with primary education at the age of five and this usually lasts until they are eleven. Then they move to secondary school, there they stay until they reach sixteen, seventeen or eighteen years of age.

E DUCATION IS IMPORTANT IN E NGLAND, AS IT IS IN W ALES AND S COTLAND TOO. British children are required by law to have an education until they are 16 years old. Education is compulsory, but school is not, children are not required to attend school. They could be educated at home. Education is free for all children from 5 to 16. Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 16 (inclusive) across England. This can be provided by state schools, independent schools, or homeschooling. About 94 per cent of pupils in England, and the rest of the UK, receive free education from public funds, while 6 per cent attend independent fee paying schools or homeschooling.

C URRICULUM All government-run schools, state schools, follow the same National Curriculum. The School Year The school year runs from September to July and is 39 weeks long. For many areas the year is divided into six terms: => September to October => October to December => January to February => February to March => April to May => June to July (Some countries in England still follow the traditional three terms a year.) The dates for school terms and holidays are decided by the local authority or the governing body of a school, or by the school itself for independent schools. School holidays The main school holidays are: Christmas- 2 weeks Spring - 2 weeks Summer - 6 weeks There are also one week holidays: end of October mid February end of May

W HEN DO KIDS START SCHOOL ? Children normally start primary school at the age of four or five, but many schools now have a reception year for four year olds. Children attend primary school for seven years, where they study English, Maths, Science, Religious Education, History, Geography, Music, Art and Crafts, Physical Education, Information technology (Computers) and a Foreign Language. Children normally leave at the age of 11, moving on to secondary school (High school). Please note also: Every three and four year old in England is entitled to 12.5 hours of free early learning per week, in nurseries, playgroups, pre-schools or at their childminders for 38 weeks of the year.

W HEN DO KIDS LEAVE SCHOOL ? British children are required to attend school until they are 16 years old. In England, compulsory schooling currently ends on the last Friday in June during the academic year in which a pupil attains the age of 16. At the age of 16, students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland take an examination called the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Study of GCSE subjects begins at the start of Year 10 (age 14-15), and final examinations are taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16). In state schools English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education and Physical Education are studied during Key Stage 4 (the GCSE years of school); in England, some form of ICT and citizenship must be studied and, in Wales, Welsh must be studied. Other subjects, chosen by the individual pupil, are also studied In Scotland, the equivalent of the GCSE is the Standard Grade. After completing the GCSE, some students leave school, others go onto technical college, whilst others continue at high school for two more years and take a further set of standardized exams, known as A levels, in three or four subjects. These exams determine whether a student is eligible for university

E DUCATION STAGES Nursery Schools3-4 years old Primary Schools5-11 years old Foundation Stage - Nursery, Reception, (Infants) Key Stage 1 - Years 1 and 2 (Infants) Key Stage 2 -Years (Juniors) Secondary Schools12-18 years old Years 7-13 (Key Stage 3, 4 &5)

T HE UNIFORM BoysGirls Long grey or black trousers (shorts may be worn in the Summer) White Shirt School tie (optional in most primary schools) Jumper or sweater with the school logo on. The colour is the choice of the schools. Black shoes As above. Girls may wear skirts During the summer term girls often wear summer school dresses.

O N WHAT DAYS DO YOUR CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL ? The children attend school from Monday to Friday, from 08: :15. EventEnglandScotland School Year Begins Approx 4 SeptemberApprox 20 August Sept Weekend- Fri &Mon of 3rd wk in Sept October 5 days (Wk 3 or 4)5 days (Wk 2 or 3) Christmas 2 weeks February 5 days1 day Easter 2 weeks May day 1 day May (end of) 5 days - School Year Ends 3rd week in JulyLast week in June

The British Government places great importance on the need to assess and test pupils in order to know what they have achieved. Compulsory testing takes place at the ages of seven, eleven and fourteen in England and Scotland but not Wales where more informal methods of assessment are favoured. All children in state schools are tested in English and Maths at the ages of seven, 11 and 14, and pupils aged 11 and 14 are also tested in Science. Most young people take GCSE examinations at sixteen, and many take vocational qualifications, A/S and A levels (Advanced levels), at seventeen and eighteen.

W HAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLS DO YOU HAVE IN E NGLAND ? Children's education in England is normally divided into two separate stages. They begin with primary education at the age of five and this usually lasts until they are eleven. Then they move to secondary school, there they stay until they reach sixteen, seventeen or eighteen years of age. The main categories of school are: local authority maintained schools ( State Schools ) Free to all children between the ages of independent schools ( Private/Public Schools ) Parents pay for their children's education.

S TATE S CHOOLS In the UK 93% of the children in England and Wales go to "state schools". State schools are non fee-paying, funded from taxes and most are organised by Local Authorities (LA). Parents are expected to make sure that their child has a pen, pencil, ruler but the cost of other more specialised equipment, books, examination fees are covered by the school. Parents are, however, expected to pay for their child's school uniform and items of sports wear. Charges may also be made for music lessons and for board and lodgings on residential trips. Schools may ask for voluntary contributions for school time activities - but no pupil may be left out of an activity if their parents or guardian cannot or do not contribute. Primary schools ( year olds) In the UK, the first level of education is known as primary education. These are almost always mixed sex, and usually located close to the child's home. Children tend to be with the same group throughout the day, and one teacher has responsibility for most of the work they do. Parents are strongly encouraged to help their children, particularly with reading and writing, and small amounts of homework are set to all children, even during the early years at school.

Secondary schools ( year olds) Most children transfer at the age of 11 Usually to their nearest secondary school, though the law allows parents in England and Wales to express preferences for other schools too. A place has to be offered at the parents' preferred school unless the school has more applicants than places; in that case it will admit the children who have the highest priority under its published admission arrangements which can vary a little in different places. Most secondary schools cater for both sexes. They tend to be much larger than primary schools. Nearly 88 per cent of secondary school pupils in England go to comprehensive schools, as do all pupils in Wales. These take children of all abilities and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from 11 to 16 or 18. All children in Scotland go to non-selective schools. Grammar Schools are selective, they offer academically oriented general education. Entrance is based on a test of ability, usually at 11 (11+). Grammar schools are single sexed schools i.e. Children either go to a boys Grammar School or a Girls Grammar School. There are grammar schools in Northern Ireland and some parts of England.

F EE P AYING S CHOOLS Independent Schools 7% of the children in England go to independent schools. Independent schools are known as private schools and public schools. Parents pay for their children to attend these schools. Nursery/Kindergarten 2 to 4 years Pre-preparatory 3 or 4 to 7 years Preparatory 7 to 11 or 13 years Public 11 or 13 to 18 years Prep Schools A preparatory school is a school to prepare pupils to go to a public school. Public Schools A public school is an independent secondary school. Public schools in England are not run by the government. The entrance exams used by most public schools are known as Common Entrance exams and are taken at the age of 11 (girls) or 13 (boys). The most famous public schools are Eton, Harrow and Winchester. Higher Education Around 30% of the 18 to 19 year olds enter full-time higher education. The formal entry requirements to most degree courses are two A-levels at grade E or above. In practice, most offers of places require qualifications in excess of this.

G ALLERY

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Created by: Karolina Chmura class 2 „b” Edyta Marszałek class 2 „b” Zofia Olchowy class 2 „b” Konrad Kozaczenko class 3 „b”