Hi! Today my English teacher has asked us to search information about the Educative system in the UK, I've visited Wikipedia, but it's too long and complete :S
So, I'd be pleased if someone could tell me a bit how the system works, how many years you have to study before University, this kind of things...
Hi! Today my English teacher has asked us to search information about the Educative system in the UK, I've visited Wikipedia, but it's too long and complete :S
So, I'd be pleased if someone could tell me a bit how the system works, how many years you have to study before University, this kind of things...
Any information is welcome. Thank you!
The English (note English. Scotland, for example, has a different system) school system starts officially at age 4-5. The school leaving age from then on varies from town to town, and even from school to school. However, from my own experience ( I have two kids), it's been primary school up to age 11. Then high school attendence is legally required from 11 up to age 16. After that you can leave, go on to a college or stay on at school.
At 16 students take GCSE's, external exams, in roughly 6- 10 subjects, which qualify them, if successful, for the next stage.
Between 16 & 18, if you're aiming for a university place, you study A levels, in typically 3 subjects. The exams are in June when the average age is 18, and the results are published in the August.
University typically starts at any age from 18. That depends on the student, not the uni.
That's a potted view of the school system in England. It's very rough, but should give you a guideline. Ask any questions!!!
Hi! Today my English teacher has asked us to search information about the Educative system in the UK, I've visited Wikipedia, but it's too long and complete :S
So, I'd be pleased if someone could tell me a bit how the system works, how many years you have to study before University, this kind of things...
Any information is welcome. Thank you!
The English (note English. Scotland, for example, has a different system) school system starts officially at age 4-5. The school leaving age from then on varies from town to town, and even from school to school. However, from my own experience ( I have two kids), it's been primary school up to age 11. Then high school attendence is legally required from 11 up to age 16. After that you can leave, go on to a college or stay on at school.
At 16 students take GCSE's, external exams, in roughly 6- 10 subjects, which qualify them, if successful, for the next stage.
Between 16 & 18, if you're aiming for a university place, you study A levels, in typically 3 subjects. The exams are in June when the average age is 18, and the results are published in the August.
University typically starts at any age from 18. That depends on the student, not the uni.
That's a potted view of the school system in England. It's very rough, but should give you a guideline. Ask any questions!!!
Can I just add, secondary and primary school education aren't legally required. All the law states is that children should receive an education either from school or otherwise.
I was home educated, i.e. educated otherwise. There's an organisation for us home edders called (you guessed it) Education Otherwise :-)
GSCEs are General Certificates of Secondary Education, and you're generally only required to achieve 5 A*-C grades. In some cases (especially the cases of home ed kids), colleges will accept 3 A*-C grades. Exams are taken in May, results in August.
A-Levels are two year courses. First year is your Advanced Subsidary (AS) exam which is essentially half of a full A-level. These exams are taken in early June, results in August. Your second year is spent taking A2 levels, your Advance level exam (this is what I'm studying this year). This is the second half of your A-Level. Exams are taken in late June, again results are in August.
If you don't want to take A-Levels, you can take other qualifications such as NVQs, vocational courses etc. I have no idea how these work, so you'll have to ask someone with more knowledge than me ;-P
UCAS points are gained for taking A-Level and other exams. The amount of UCAS points you gain depends on your grade. This year, A* grades are available at AS and A2 level which I believe are worth an extra 20 UCAS points. You must earn UCAS points (either through A-Levels or other qualifications) to gain entry to university. Different universities require different amounts of UCAS points, generally the more the better.
If I think of anything else, I'll let you know but the main point I wanted to make is that none of this system is compulsary. Recently, there's been a load of news coverage surrounding home educated children. The government seems to think that home ed kids are more open to abuse and have less opportunities, which is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard. There's a MASSIVE difference between home educated kids and kids who simply don't go to school, and home educated kids are the ones who have parents who have had a huge decision to make. Taking your child out of the school system isn't something which isn't taken lightly, and it's a lengthy process of debate on whether to home educate or not so parents have to consider every aspect of their child's lives. Is this something which parents who abuse their kids would do? I don't think so.
Yeah.. Rant over lol. Hope I've been of some help :-)
Can I just add, secondary and primary school education aren't legally required. All the law states is that children should receive an education either from school or otherwise.
I was home educated, i.e. educated otherwise. There's an organisation for us home edders called (you guessed it) Education Otherwise :-)
If I think of anything else, I'll let you know but the main point I wanted to make is that none of this system is compulsary. Recently, there's been a load of news coverage surrounding home educated children. The government seems to think that home ed kids are more open to abuse and have less opportunities, which is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard. There's a MASSIVE difference between home educated kids and kids who simply don't go to school, and home educated kids are the ones who have parents who have had a huge decision to make. Taking your child out of the school system isn't something which isn't taken lightly, and it's a lengthy process of debate on whether to home educate or not so parents have to consider every aspect of their child's lives. Is this something which parents who abuse their kids would do? I don't think so.
I'm sure that there is nothing factually wrong with what you're saying, and it's obvious, from the fact that you've ranted (your word) in two threads about the same topic, that it is very personal to you. However, for the purpose of this thread, you are a-typical. I have no idea of the stats, and I'm sure you do know them. But home educated kids form a very small percentage of the population, possibly under 5%, I hazard a guess.
I don't think that the original poster really needed to know that level of detail or deviation from what constitutes the norm.
But you're entitled to share your rant, it's a free speech forum. I just think you're slightly over complicating the answer to the question, and perhaps you should keep the speeching for your own recent thread.
Can I just add, secondary and primary school education aren't legally required. All the law states is that children should receive an education either from school or otherwise.
I was home educated, i.e. educated otherwise. There's an organisation for us home edders called (you guessed it) Education Otherwise :-)
If I think of anything else, I'll let you know but the main point I wanted to make is that none of this system is compulsary. Recently, there's been a load of news coverage surrounding home educated children. The government seems to think that home ed kids are more open to abuse and have less opportunities, which is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard. There's a MASSIVE difference between home educated kids and kids who simply don't go to school, and home educated kids are the ones who have parents who have had a huge decision to make. Taking your child out of the school system isn't something which isn't taken lightly, and it's a lengthy process of debate on whether to home educate or not so parents have to consider every aspect of their child's lives. Is this something which parents who abuse their kids would do? I don't think so.
I'm sure that there is nothing factually wrong with what you're saying, and it's obvious, from the fact that you've ranted (your word) in two threads about the same topic, that it is very personal to you. However, for the purpose of this thread, you are a-typical. I have no idea of the stats, and I'm sure you do know them. But home educated kids form a very small percentage of the population, possibly under 5%, I hazard a guess.
I don't think that the original poster really needed to know that level of detail or deviation from what constitutes the norm.
But you're entitled to share your rant, it's a free speech forum. I just think you're slightly over complicating the answer to the question, and perhaps you should keep the speeching for your own recent thread.
Sorry if it offended, I just felt that all aspects of UK education should be covered. I don't think it was an overly complicated answer. The fact of the matter is you are not legally required to attend school, and I felt that this aspect of UK education may have been in some way useful to know about. After all, home education is still education never mind how little of the population follows this route. My rant (yep, I do rant. Sorry) maybe was over the top, but this is a fairly big issue in the news recently, at least where I live. I did rant at the end of this post, and went on to form another thread covering this issue so as to avoid taking over this one.
Irene herself did say that
Quote:
Any information is welcome. Thank you!
What I posted still falls under the term of 'Any information' does it not?
No hard feelings, I just thought that I'd give another perspective as to the education system.
Thank you two :)
Tonie, your information was really useful for my classwork, and Moo, as I said, anything you could tell me would be OK, so thank you for your answer too :)
