Education in the UK

-Different types of school (private, state, boarding, religious..)

-Different stages in education (nursery, primary, secondary..)

State schools

• Funded by the government

• Provide free education to pupils

• Majority under control of local councils

• Minority funded by central government, “academies” and “City Technology Colleges”.

• All local authority maintained schools follow the National Curriculum

Private schools

• Also known as “independent” or “public” school in UK

• Students must sit an entrance exam

• Funded by charging students tuition-average £3,000 per term

• Scholarships to reduce cost• High tuition used to pay for the

best teachers and provide enriched learning environments (small class sizes, libraries, science labs, computers)

Faith schools• Around a third of all state

schools • Many linked to the Church of

England• Sets the ethos of the school• May give priority to applicants

who are of the school’s faith• Also Jewish, Muslim and Sikh

faith schools• Follow the same national

curriculum • In Church of England schools,

Religious Education is monitored, but doesn’t take up much more of the timetable than in secular schools

Boarding schools• Around 700 in UK• Most are private, very few state

boarding schools• Students live in or near the school

grounds• Most boarding schools also have

day students • Boarders normally return home

during school holidays• Students separated into residential

houses• Senior staff appointed as

housemasters, taking responsibility for pupils in their house

• Prefect system gives older pupils certain privileges and responsibility

Single-sex schools

• Male and female students attend separate classes

• Most are private schools• Some studies show

children from single-sex schools are outperforming those from mixed schools

• Some people feel single-sex learning creates inequalities and gender stereotypes

Nursery school

• For children between 3 and 5 years, although many take younger children

• Each child entitled to 12.5 hours per week of free early education

• Most nurseries are privately run

• Teachers supervise educational play, rather than just providing childcare

Primary school

• For children aged from 4 to 11 years

• Key stage 1 and 2 of National Curriculum (Reception-Year 6)

• Fee-paying schools known as “preparatory schools”

• Designed to prepare students for exams into private schools

Secondary school

• For children from ages 11 to 16 or 18

• Key stage 3 and 4 of National Curriculum (Year 7 to Year 11)

• Can also include Sixth form (16-18)

• After 16, compulsory education ends

College

• Between secondary school and university

• Sixth form or further education and mature education

• Prepare students for university degrees

• Apprenticeships provide vocational training (National Vocational Qualifications or NVQs)

University

• Tuition fees 2009/2010- £3,225

• Students can apply for a state-provided loan for tuition fee and living costs

• Most degrees are 3 years, 4 years “sandwich course”

• Must apply online through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)

• Apply for up to 5 courses• Oxbridge applications treated

differently, as are Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary science

School discipline

Behaviour

• Schools should have a written policy which sets out the standards of behaviour it expects

• They should review them regularly and publicise them to parents, staff and pupils

• Should include a code of conduct, which can apply before and after school as well as during the day.

• Government advises schools to promote positive behaviour, build self-discipline and encourage respect for others

SanctionsSchools have the right to impose sanctions if a pupil misbehaves. These can include:

• Reprimands • Letters to parents• Removal from class• Confiscating belongings• Detention

Teachers are not allowed to punish pupils physically, but can restrain them when necessary.

Fixed period exclusions

• Child can be excluded for seriously breaking school rules

• If allowing them to stay in school would harm the education or welfare of the child or other pupils

• Only the head teacher can exclude a child• Should set work for pupils who are excluded for

longer than one school day• Should call parents the day exclusion is given

and also send a letter

Permanent exclusions

• Only as a last resort

• Try to improve child’s behaviour through other means first

• In exceptional circumstances, may be excluded for a one-off offence

• Parents can appeal against an exclusion

• Full-time education must be provided from the sixth day of a permanent exclusion

Teacher training

To work as a teacher in state schools you need to have qualified teacher status. To be

awarded QTS you must:

• Complete a period of training, such as a one-year professional or postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE)-known as initial teacher training (ITT)

• Complete a period of induction-first year of employment in a school

• Pass tests in literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology (ICT) by the end of ITT period

When applying for a PGCE applicants must choose which age range to specialise in:

• Early years (3-5 years)

• Lower primary (5-7 years)

• Upper primary (7-11 years)

• Secondary (11-16 years)

• Further education or post-compulsory education (16+ years)

• Once QTS is achieved, it is legal to teach any age range (unless training in FE), although can be difficult to change

• Most teachers stay within the age ranges they trained in

• In order to change age range, you need to provide evidence to persuade the head teacher you are able to teach the ages you are applying for