UK - Education
Pre-reading: What do you think makes a good school?
Opphavsmann: Engelsk for videregående (Vega), Anne Scott Hagen, London Language Experience
Education in the United Kingdom is compulsory for children between 5 and 16 years old. More than 90% go to state schools. The school systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a little different from the system in England and Wales, which is described here. Children go to primary school from 5 until 11 years old, then secondary school until they are 16, when they take the GCSE examination. Pupils can continue at sixth form college for two years and take AS level or A level examinations. Then they are qualified to enter university. Or they can take a vocational qualification at a tertiary college. Exam results are published to show how good the school is and inspectors visit all the schools. The National Curriculum describes what to teach. The core subjects are English, mathematics, science, technology, physical education (PE), and religious education. There are other subjects, such as history and geography, which pupils take at different stages in their education. Hide
State Schools and Public Schools
School Bag
Opphavsmann: Brandy ShaulAll children in the United Kingdom between the ages of 5 and 16 are required by law to receive full-time education. More than 90% are educated in co-educational state schools. The remaining 10% attend public schools financed by their parents and non-governmental means. Therefore, these are private schools, but are known as public schools in England. England and Wales have identical systems, whereas the school systems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are slightly different.
From 5 to 18
Children start primary school at 5 years old and continue until they are 11. Then after 5 years at secondary school, when they are 16 and have completed the examination, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), education is no longer compulsory. Pupils can continue in full-time education at a separate sixth form college or in the sixth form of a secondary school. There they will study for examinations leading to university entrance qualifications. These are the AS levels (Advanced Supplementary), which take 1 year and the A levels (Advanced), which usually take 2 years.
Age | Year | State System (90% of pupils) | Private System (10% of pupils) | Exams | |
18 |
| Higher education | |||
17 16 15 | 13 12 11 | Sixth Form College | Tertiary College |
Public School (Starts at 11 or 13) | A level |
Secondary School | |||||
10 | 6 |
Primary School |
Preparatory School |
| |
Nursery School | |||||
Pupils, who want a more practical education, can choose to study at a tertiary or further education college with the possibility of choosing between different vocational qualifications e.g. NVQ (National Vocational Qualification), HNC (Higher National Certificate), etc.
Nearly a third of all young people now enter higher education attending 170 universities and educational institutions.
Writing
Arrange a press conference where the principal of your school announces that the school will introduce school uniforms from next year on. (A teacher or a student has to play this part and prepare some facts on the matter - like type of uniform, pricing, disciplinary actions etc) The rest of the class are journalists and may ask questions.
Following the press conference all the students write a news article on the topic. Add pictures from the internet and format the text like in a real newspaper by adding quotes, columns, bold text, large heading etc.
Before you arrange this press conference you may want to watch the video in the right hand menu as well as discuss the topic of school uniforms in class.
Preparation
Have a look at How to Write a Newspaper Article in the menu on the right.
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