UK CURRICULUM & LEARNING
...The education system in England
MOVING TO SECONDARY SCHOOL Children start secondary school in Year 7 as they enter Key
Stage 3 (Years 7–9). Key Stage 4, for children in Years 10 and 11 (preparing for GCSEs), follows. By law, children in England must stay in full-time education until their 16th
birthday.
Most secondary schools are coeducational but there is a handful of single-sex secondary schools, such as performing-arts schools for girls and sports academies for boys.
State secondary schools in England are either selective (grammar) or non-selective (comprehensive, city technology college or academy). Provision can vary depending on where you live. In the majority of counties, children move from their local primary school to their local comprehensive school. However, in some counties, such as Kent, Essex, Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire, pupils have a choice between selective and non-selective schools.
Grammar schools select their pupils on academic ability. At the beginning of Year 6, pupils sit an entrance test, which assesses their knowledge of verbal and non-verbal reasoning, English and maths. However, in some areas, passing the test does not automatically guarantee a place at a grammar school, as many are oversubscribed. Added to the mix are super-selective grammar schools, which choose the pupils with the highest marks, regardless of where they live. For more information, see page 110, England’s Grammar School System Explained.
In 1998, the Labour government passed a law banning the creation of new grammar schools. However, in 2015, a Kent grammar school was given permission to open a satellite school in a neighbouring town. Prime Minister Theresa May has reopened the debate about new grammar schools, telling MPs in September 2016 that she wanted “an element of selection” in the education system.
Many secondary schools provide children with the opportunity to remain at school for a further two years to study for their A Levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB). In England, until the age of 18, children must either remain in full-time education, enrol in an apprenticeship or traineeship, or work or volunteer (for 20 hours or more a week) while in part-time education or training. There are exceptions to this rule. In some areas, children attend first (up to age nine), middle (ages nine to 13) and high (ages 13 and above) schools. Many local councils operating this three-tier system have plans to adapt their age ranges to fit the new Key Stage system introduced in 1998, so it seems that this system is gradually being phased out.
SECURING A PLACE
Places at state primary and secondary schools can sometimes be difficult to secure, and this can prove stressful for parents. Places at non-grammar state schools are generally awarded on whether a child already has a sibling at the school, how far away from the school the family lives, or a combination of both. This can mean that parents will move house to secure a place at what they believe to be a better school. Parents will sometimes move into an area to secure a school place and then move back out once the child has started at the chosen school. Even newly married couples may base their decision about where to buy their first home on proximity to popular schools. If parents decide to move their child before he or she
has started secondary education, a major factor in their choice of school will be what they want the child to learn, how the child will be examined and what qualifications will be awarded at the end of school. England’s examinations and qualifications system is organised by levels of learning. Within these levels, there are many recognised qualifications, and – surprise, surprise – different schools support different systems. The government is backing numerous systems within state schools, widening choice but also adding to the confusion. However, although there are numerous options, a student in an English school will typically study for GCSEs between the ages of 14 and 16, and then A Levels between the ages of 16 and 19. There are further post-16 options in some schools – for example, the BTEC Diploma and vocational qualifications such as the NVQ and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, which is now quite widely available in state and independent schools.
The Pre-U was introduced into independent schools and sixth forms in 2008, and the International GCSE (IGCSE) was recently accredited for study.
Denstone College
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