UK CURRICULUM & LEARNING ...The education system in England


International schools charge fees. Some are single sex, and some are faith schools. They offer a varied curriculum, ranging from the US and French systems to the International Baccalaureate (IB). International schools do not select their pupils on ability but will base their decisions on previous school records. For more information on state, independent and international schools in England, see Applying for a School Place in England, on page 52.


THE ACADEMIC YEAR


The academic year in England runs from 1 September to 31 August. It is split into three terms of about 13 weeks each, with each term divided into half. Generally, there are two weeks’ holiday at Christmas, two weeks’ holiday at Easter and six weeks’ holiday in the summer. In addition, each half term culminates in a week’s holiday. There are therefore around 39 weeks of schooling in each academic year. The school holidays are often longer for independent schools than for state-funded ones.


GOING TO NURSERY


Funding for a place at nursery in England begins at the start of the term following the child’s third birthday. However, many children in the UK begin nursery while they are still only two


years old, at their parents’ expense.


Children aged between three and four are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare or early years education per year; this is usually broken down as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. From September 2017, working parents became entitled to 30 hours free childcare a week during school term time if both parents are working.


STARTING SCHOOL


Children are entitled to a free place in a state school from the September after their fourth birthday. This means that children who are born in September will be nearly five, while those born in August will not turn five until the end of their first year at school. This first year is called reception, and here the children follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) that they will have begun at nursery. Children enter Year 1 in their second year of school and move into Key Stage 1.


The English system is broken into Key Stages: Key Stage 1 for children in Years 1 and 2 (primary/infant school) and Key Stage 2 for children in Years 3–6 (primary/junior school). Many primary schools in England cater for children from reception through to Year 6 in one school, while others are broken into two schools – infant school for reception to Year 2 and junior school for Years 3–6.


MOVING TO SECONDARY SCHOOL Children start secondary school in Year 7 as they enter Key


Culford School


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 and must remain in some form of education or training until their 18th birthday. Most secondary schools are coeducational but there are a handful of single-sex secondary schools, many of which are grammar schools.


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,


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148