Overview of the education system in England

Eurydice at NFER, the Eurydice Unit for England, Wales and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom

• England– pop 51.1 million

• Scotland– pop 5.1 million

• Wales– pop 3 million

• Northern Ireland– pop 1.8 million

• No separate government of its own

• Primary legislation on education made by UK Parliament at Westminster

• Separate education systems in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

England

• Government departments (DCSF & BIS) & associated non-departmental public bodies e.g. QCDA, TDA

• Local authorities

• Schools (headteachers and governing bodies)

School education:shared responsibilities

School governing bodies

• setting strategic direction• approving school budget• reviewing progress• appointing headteacher• challenging and supporting headteacher

represent stakeholders (parents, school staff, the LA, the community etc). Specifically responsible for:

• all 3- and 4-year-olds entitled to 2.5 hours a day• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum

Providers include:• maintained (state) nursery schools• maintained (state) primary schools in nursery

(3+) and reception (4+) classes• private and voluntary providers who receive

government subsidies

Early years education

• Age 5-16

• Divided into 4 Key Stages KS1 5-7 years KS2 7-11 years KS3 11-14 years KS4 14-16 years

But most children start school between the ages of four and five (in the reception class).

Compulsory education

Maintained (state) schools

• receive funding from the local authority• are required to deliver National Curriculum• are subject to the same system of inspection• manage their own budgets• select and manage their own staff (including

support staff and headteacher).

But there are differences between them relating to ownership of land and buildings, the constitution of the governing body, whether they are responsible for deciding admissions policy and whether they are the legal employer of their staff. Schools fall into the following legal categories:

• community schools• voluntary aided (VA) and voluntary controlled (VC) schools - typically faith schools• foundation schools

Faith schools

• Around 1/3 of primaries but fewer secondaries• Mainly Church of England or Catholic but also

some other faiths• Fully funded for running costs• RE and daily collective worship (assembly)

delivered according to religious character• Often give preference for admission to members

of a particular faith or denomination

• Attended by around 7% of children• Funded mainly by parental fees• Don’t have to follow National Curriculum

Independent schools

Schools by age range

Primary schools

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

age 0-5 Nursery and reception

KS1 age 5-7 Y1, Y2

KS2 age 7-11 Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6

Secondary schools

KS3 age 11-14 Y7, Y8, Y9

KS4 age 14-16 Y10, Y11

and often also:

KS 5/Sixth form Age 16-18+ Y12, Y13

• comprehensive schools – the great majority of schools do not select on academic ability but there are some that do, known as grammar schools

• specialist schools – the majority of secondary schools now have a curriculum specialism

• academies – independent state schools

Types of secondary school

• Originally established in 1988• A framework which defines the minimum

entitlement and the starting point for planning a school curriculum that meets the needs of individuals and groups of pupils

• Defined by programmes of study, attainment targets and level descriptions, and assessment arrangements, not hours of study

Compulsory education: National Curriculum

National CurriculumAssessment

There is a statutory system of formal assessment against national standards at the end of each key stage.

• At KS 1 (age 7) there is teacher assessment in reading, writing, maths and science, taking into account performance in tasks and tests in reading, writing and maths

• At KS 2 (age 11) there is teacher assessment in English, maths and science and there are national tests in English and maths

• At KS 3 (age 14) there is teacher assessment in all subjects

Qualifications at 16

• GCSEs are single subject examsstudents typically take 7 to 10 subjectsexternally regulated, set and marked with some

internally assessed coursework graded A*-G 5+ A*-Cs (“five good GCSEs”) is a key benchmark

• School level results published including contextual value added

• Some qualifications for lower attainers e.g. Entry Levels

Provided in:

– schools (sixth forms)– sixth form colleges– further education colleges

Approximately two thirds of young people stay in full-time education at 17.

Post-compulsory education

Post-16 qualifications• No compulsory core curriculum

• GCE A levels; AS at 17; A2s at 18Single subject qualifications; students study 3

or more subjects in depthPasses graded A to EExternally regulated, set and marked with

some internally assessed coursework

• Also vast range of vocational qualifications

• Very diverse in terms of size, mission, subject mix and history

• 130 HEIs (86 universities and 44 HE colleges)• Single sector – all are independent self-governing

bodies subject to same QA and funding arrangements• Structure of UK degrees already conforms to the

Bologna model• Variable tuition fees introduced 2006, typically £3,070

per annum in 2007/08• Government committed to widening access

Higher education

School workforce

• Includes leadership group (eg heads and deputies), other qualified schoolteachers, teaching assistants and administrative staff

• Each school decides its own staffing complement in terms of numbers and type, recruits staff and makes appointment decisions

• Schoolteachers are employees of local authority (LA) or school, not civil servants

• National framework for schoolteachers’ pay and conditions

Initial Teacher Training (ITT)

• 3- or 4-year Bachelor of Education (BEd), or 1-year Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)

• Also School Centred Initial Teacher Training – SCITT and employment-based options, such as the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP)

• All training routes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

• ITT is followed by an induction year

QCDA: Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (England)

•Advises on school and early years curriculum, examinations and assessment

•Reapproves and regulates external qualifications

•Remit excludes higher education

Further information:Qualifications and curriculum

Ofsted: The inspectorate for children and learners in England, a non-ministerial government department accountable to Parliament

QAA: Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (UK-wide)

Further information:Inspection and quality assurance

The Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) is responsible for planning, allocating and funding education and training for all 16 - 19 year olds in England.

The Skills Funding Agency is responsible for funding and regulating adult FE and skills training in England.

HEFCE is the funding body for higher education in England.

Further information:bodies involved in further and higher education

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)Responsible for the training and development of the whole school workforce, including initial teacher training, continuing professional development and training for the wider school workforce

The General Teaching Council for EnglandA professional body for teachers with which teachers must register

National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services

Further information:Teacher training (including CPD)

Further information:Government departments and related agencies in England

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)

www.dcsf.gov.uk

Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS)

www.bis.gov.uk

Ofsted www.ofsted.gov.uk/

Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA)

www.qcda.org.uk/

Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA)

Skills Funding Agency

www.ypla.gov.uk/

www.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

www.hefce.ac.uk/

Further information:DCSF key policies and strategies

Five-year strategy for children and learners:

www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/5yearstrategy/index.shtml

14-19 education and skills:

www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?go=site.home

The Standards Site: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/

Further information:Education in the UK & elsewhere - international perspectives

Eurydice at NFER overview and diagram of education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

www.nfer.ac.uk/eurydice/information-by-topic/education-systems/overview-of-education-in-england-wales-and-northern-ireland.cfm

Eurydice network http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/index_en.php

Eurydice Descriptions of National Education Systems and Policies (Eurybase)

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/eurybase_en.php

INCA (database on curriculum and assessment frameworks in 21 countries)

www.inca.org.uk