1. EDUCATION IN THE UK

2. QUESTIONS: At what age do children start primary school? School is compulsory until the age of ____? What is the difference between state school and public schools? What are the three core subjects compulsory until age 16?

3. QUESTIONS: What are the GCSEs? What is the UK grading system like? Are the A-Levels like the French bac? Are universities public or private? What does undergraduate mean?

4. Vocabulary Nursery school Primary school Junior school High school GCSEs Compulsory Sixth Form A-Levels Loan Scholarship Undergraduate Postgraduate Degree Bachelor’s degree Lectures and seminars Independent/public schools Grammar schools Fees Facilities Housing Library To sit an exam To pass/fail an exam Term (spring term, fall term)

5. UK School system

6. Facts In England children must attend school from the age of 5 to 16 and many extend their education to 18 before entering university or college. From the age of 5 to 11, children attend primary schools and generally at 11 they then transfer to secondary schools. State pre-school education is available for ages two to four/five through playgroups and nursery schools. The emphasis is on group work, creative activity and guided play. Compulsory education begins at five in England and Wales. At primary level, there is little or no specialist subject teaching and there is great emphasis on Literacy (English) and Numeracy. All students must wear a uniform!

7. Types of schools State-funded schools:Independent schools: Approximately ninety percent of British students attend state-funded schools. State schools follow the “National Curriculum,” with core subjects including English, Mathematics and Science. State schools (and some independent schools) are inspected by the Office for Standards in Education, Child Services and Skills (Ofsted) every three years and publishes the results online. Also referred to as ‘public schools,’ independent schools set their own curricula and are funded by student fees and interest earned on school endowments/investments. There are approximately 2,600 independent schools in the UK. About half of these institutions participate in a voluntary accreditation program facilitated by the Independent Schools Council.

8. GCSEs At the end of Year 11, students take national standardized exams, the GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary Education ). Students may choose the number and subject of their exams (from the 48 GCSE exams available). GCSE exams English, Math and Science are required subjects, and UK universities typically expect students to sit at least five GCSE exams. After GCSEs, students may choose to pursue either an academic or vocational track. Students on a vocational track can choose to obtain a work qualification such as the BTEC or OCR Nationals.

9. A-Levels Students continuing on an academic track attend sixth form colleges during Years 12-13. Students may choose the number and subjects of their A levels (from approximately 80 subjects available). However, universities typically expect students to complete at least 2 A level qualifications, and some university degree programs may specify A level subjects and results required for admission. A level results range from A – E and are awarded by external examination bodies.

10. Higher/Further Education After the A-Levels students apply to different universities. Students usually choose one or two subjects for their first degree. The typical first degree offered at British universities is the Bachelor's degree (typically three years). During a first degree students are known as undergraduates. UK students are generally entitled to student loans for maintenance.

11. Postgraduate education Students who have completed a first degree are eligible to undertake a postgraduate degree, which includes: first degree postgraduate Master's degree (typically taken in one year)Master's degree Doctorate degree (typically taken in three years)Doctorate degree In the academic year 2009/2010 undergraduates pay up to £3225 per year. Postgraduate fees vary but are generally more than undergraduate fees depending on the degree and university. There are numerous bursaries (awarded to low income applicants) to offset the undergraduate fees, and for postgraduates, full scholarships are available for most subjects which are awarded competitively. International students must pay more to attend UK universities (from £5000 - £20000 per annum)