What is school like in United Kingdom?
Classroom
The state school system is free to students in the United Kingdom. Even all writing materials, textbooks, and other needs are provided for the students, unlike most countries that claim to provide free education but actually charge for a range of things, such as textbooks and other similar learning materials.
The condition of the schools depends mostly on the community they are in. Schools in older areas with high unemployment and lower family incomes are often quite rundown. In schools filled with students from high-income families, the buildings and grounds are nicely maintained. Although all classrooms have at least one computer, additional computers are more likely to be found in schools in upscale neighborhoods. The classrooms themselves are decorated by the teachers and can be quite colorful if the teacher is particularly creative. In primary school, the class size is normally kept to about 30 students in each class. Because teachers do a fair amount of small group learning activities, it is quite normal for the students to sit around tables rather than at desks, with five or six students at each group table.
As students get older, and subjects are taught by different teachers, the students change classrooms to attend the right teacher’s class.
Because of shootings in several schools a few years ago, all doors in primary schools and all classrooms in secondary schools are locked during school hours. This is true throughout the United Kingdom.
Education Culture
Although each division of the United Kingdom has its own system of state education, run by its own department of education, they are all being increasingly guided by national curriculum guidelines. (Scotland’s educational system is independent of those in the rest of the United Kingdom.) By law, children aged 5 through 11 attend elementary school (in Northern Ireland, children begin at 4 years of age). From 12 to 16, they attend secondary school, and then all students must take and pass a general test called the General Certificate of Secondary Education, or GCSE. After passing the test, those students who want to continue their education may take an additional two years of secondary school, which prepares them for higher education.
Most state-run schools are free. About 95% of all schoolchildren will attend the state school system. The remainder attend independent schools funded by parents or private gifts of money. These independent boarding schools emphasize discipline, character, and scholarship, and have developed very impressive reputations (for example, Eton, Harrow, and Winchester). Although it sounds odd to American readers, the schools funded and supported by the government are known as “state” schools, whereas the independent schools are called “public” schools.
Some primary schools also offer nursery schools for children three and four years of age. Others may offer such classes for ages four and five-year-old preschool children.
The school year is broken into three “semesters.” The first begins in early September and ends in mid-December, with a one-week break in late October. The second semester begins in early January and ends in late March, with a one-week break in mid-February. The third begins in mid-April and ends in late July, with a one-week break in late May or early June. The breaks are called “holidays.” Students total 190 days in school each year, and it is not normally acceptable for families to take their children out of school for personal vacations when school is in session.
No discussion of schools in the United Kingdom would be complete without mentioning boarding schools. Students attending these schools live at the school while classes are in session. Students will usually go home during the holiday, although it is also common for students to invite their classmates home to spend the holiday with them. For those students whose families are unavailable (because of personal travel or distance from the school), arrangements can be made for them to stay at the school or travel to a local “host” family. Boarding schools provide a good breakfast each day, a healthy lunch (such as a salad buffet or a fish, pork, or chicken meal), and a good dinner in the evening. Saturday mornings will bring classes, but that afternoon is often filled with sports activities, and Sundays are free for relaxing all day.
Learning
Both state and public school students wear uniforms, but the uniform might consist of a sweatshirt with the school name and logo on it, accompanied by conservative pants or skirts. Wealthier public schools with high standards may require more formal uniforms, including blazers and ties for boys, and white blouses and conservative blouses for girls.
Since 1988, the government has dictated a national curriculum for teachers to follow, with standard books and course materials for all students.
School generally begins at 9:00 a.m. The day begins with a daily assembly. Two subjects are taught in the morning, with a playtime break at about 10:30, and then lunch comes at noon. Students often bring a packed lunch from home, and they have an hour’s break for eating and playing. For students who choose to eat at school in the “canteen,” each meal usually has a meat, chicken, or fish portion, at least two portions of fruits and vegetables, and a bread, potato, or cereal. Parents usually pay a modest fee for lunch, although they can pay less or nothing if they qualify for low-income assistance. At about 1:00, school begins again, with two more subjects in the afternoon. At 3:15 the school day is over.
Computers are introduced to students from the beginning, including four- and five-year-olds. Language classes are required beginning at age 11, the most common being French and German. Because there are high numbers of immigrant families in the >United Kingdom, English is required for those who are not native to the U.K.
Primary schools teach English, math, science, technology, history, geography, art and design, music, and physical education. Schools also have to teach religious education, although parents have the right to pull their children from a religious class if they want. The courses taught in secondary schools will vary according to the emphasis each school has on either particular vocations or academic pursuits.
To School
Primary school begins at 9:00 a.m., so students gather shortly before then to ensure they are on time. Students up to age 8 must walk to school if they live within two miles of the school. Students aged 8 and older must walk if they live within three miles of the school. If a child lives more than this distance from a suitable school, he or she is entitled to free transportation on a bus. Bicycles are also an option for getting to school. Some wealthier families may send their children to school by car. After school, students return home the same way they came.