3.7: Education + Exam Practice Flashcards
Short overview of educational system
Primary ED/Prep school: 4-5 Reception. 5-11 years old. Year 1-6
Secondary ED/Senior schools: 11-16, Years 7-11
Further ED/Sixth Form: 16-18, Years 12 and 13
Higher ED: 3 yrs (standard), 4 (sandwich courses, study year abroad), 5 (medicin, vet, architectural)
Uni Post: 1-2 (masters), 3-5 (PHD)
Compulasory school age in England
Up to 18 years
Public schools in short
Fee-paying
Independent
Selective
Called private schools
State schools in short
Free
Government funded
Not available to international students
Tertiary education
- After finishing secondary education
- Higher Education
- “Oxbridge”: Oxford/Cambridge, oldest, wealthiest, most prestigious universities.
- Red brick uni (redbrick) - Built in industrial cities Manchestr, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol.
Why is talking about education tricky?
Everyone is an expert, because they have been to school and therefore have their own personal experiences and opinions
Characteristics of state schools
- Comprehensive schools
- Grammar schools (vwo/gymna)
- Secondary modern schools
Free of charge, except extra(curriculars)
Funded/regulated by the government
Follow National Curriculum
Characteristics of Independent schools
- Public schools
- Privare schools
Fee-paying schools
Design their own curriculum
Governed by an elected board of governors
Independent of many regulations that apply to state schools
Publicly funded independent schools
Academies (in between State and Independent schools)
Percentage of pupils in the UK attend state schools
93% attends state schools
7% goes to independent schools
All fee-paying schools are
Private, independent schools
Public schools info
Type of private schools
Fee-paying!
Select number of these old, public schools
Traditionally: For boys 13-18 years old (after prep school)
Developed from earlier charity schools. “Public” - Open to all regardless of living place and religion
State schools after 1944…
Butler Act 1944..
Educational act introduced two different schools: Grammar, and Secondary modern schools
State schools types
- Grammar schools
- Secondary modern schools
- Comprehensive schools
- Nowadays: Academies
Grammar schools (info)
- Academic studies
- Pupils go on to higher education
- Selective :BAssed on academic achievements (SATS/11+)
- Only 160 left in England
- Like Havo-VWO
Secondary modern schools (info)
- Pupils going into trades
- Vocational
- Hardly any left
- Like VMBO
Nowadays: Publicly funded independent schools are called…
Academies
State schools after 1965
1965 reforms
Comprehensive schools;
- Free, open to everybody
- Comprehensive: Take all pupils in their area, no selection
- Follow National Curriculum
- Mixed ability teaching: All levels together
- School uniforms & school dinners
Publicly funded independent schools started by
The Labour government, through Tony Blair. Since 2010, all state schools have been allowed to transform into academies.
Say you want to be an English teacher in the UK
Study English at University
Requirements:
5 GCSE’s, including science, English, maths
2-3 A-Levels (at least English)
Other humanities subjects: History, geography, drama
Academies being a devolved matter
No academies in Scotland, Northern Irelamnd and Wales
Academies
- Greater freedom and independence
- Set own curriculum and run their own finances
- Set teacher’s pay and conditions
- Own admissions process
- Room to be innovative
- Sponsors responsible for improving the performance of their schools
- 80% of current secondary schools are academies
Theresa May’s first speech as Conservative PM
- School makes a difference
- Poverty can kill earlier
Critique on academies
- Unable to cope with fast expansion
- 203 in 2010, now 2000+
- Lack of improement in school results
- Lack of public accountability
- Too much freedom for the schools (dictatorship?)
- Dangers for poor financial management
- Unqualified, overpaid staff
