It seems like creating writing advice based on British culture is slowly becoming a theme on my blog. But oh well, if it helps people, then I'm happy. One thing I've been wanting to focus on in particular for a while is the British school system. It's a complicated system, and is especially different from the American school system. This becomes more than obvious in a lot of fanfiction that I see. You can always tell when an American has written a story set in the UK - especially if it's a Harry Potter fic. I think sometimes there's an assumption in every country that their education system is the same as everybody else's. This is not the case. When I'm writing a story set in another country, I always try to research as much as I can, but I can appreciate how difficult this can be. So I'm here to help! In regards to the UK anyway. Plus I guess this should be entertaining if you're just simply curious.
Like most countries, education in the UK is compulsory between the ages of 4 and 16. Our schools are laid out very differently, and I'm going to do my best to make it as easy to understand as possible. There are two types of schooling that all children must go through: primary and secondary. Anything before or after that is down to the individual's own personal choice. After the age of 16, people in the UK have the choice of attending sixth form college, regular college, or entering into work through an apprenticeship. It used to be that you could go straight into work at 16, but the law changed a few years ago, meaning that you can't technically work full-time until you're 18.
Nursery/Pre-School
0-4
Overview:
Nursery is not something that is compulsory for children in the UK, but it is highly recommended to help children develop their social skills. Nursery is often very casual, with kids just being either left to play, or there would be other activities given to them such as arts and crafts. Staff will often report to their parents how well their child is developing and make notes of any milestones that occur while under their care. Nursery is usually more common for children aged 2-4. The service often provides, I believe, around 20-30 hours of free childcare a week? If you require anything more than that, then you will have to pay. This can also be based on a family's income as well.
Primary School
Primary School (Infant Years)
4-5: Reception (easing children into school life essentially)
5-6: Year 1
6-7: Year 2
Primary School (Junior Years)
7-8: Year 3
8-9: Year 4
9-10: Year 5
10-11: Year 6
Overview:
Decades ago, infants and juniors used to be two separate schools, but it's quite rare to still see that these days. Primary schools are now one massive institution. These schools are free to attend (unless they're private), and students usually stay in one class with one teacher for the whole year. Depending on the school, there may also be a heavy religious element, though these are becoming less and less common due to increasing diversity and more secular education systems. Most schools are Church of England schools, though there are some Catholic ones too. Hymn practice used to be common, but is now less so.
Daily Routine:
School hours typically run from 09:00 until 15:30, though reception class will often have shorter hours. At the beginning of the day, the register will be taken to make sure who's there and who's not. After that, lessons begin. These usually consist of maths, English, science, geography, history, and physical education (P.E). However, there are also music lessons, and sometimes even guest teachers will hold a class in activities and topics such as sewing, sign-language, foreign languages, cooking, martial arts, singing, and many more. These activities tend to be a bit more random, though.
In primary school, children typically have 3 breaks at day: one in the morning, one for lunch, and one in the afternoon. Children will usually play outside during these periods, but if the weather is bad, then they are allowed to play in their classroom. Sometimes toys are provided outside, it all depends on the school. These toys are typically hoops, skipping ropes, and bean bags. No aggressive games are allowed (bulldogs charge is banned in many schools lol), and in primary school, footballs tend not to be allowed and students must use a tennis ball instead. At least that was in the case in my school. Sometimes teachers can give kids chalk to play with, and my school would even occasionally leave a CD player outside for us so that we could all dance together. Cha Cha Slide for the win!
Lunch was the longest break, and students could either bring their own packed lunches, or have school dinners. However, school dinners could cost depending on a family's income. A lot of the time, family's need to let the school know in advance if a child is having school dinners in order to make sure that there is enough to go around. In primary school, school dinners are usually set meals, and (thanks to Jamie Oliver) have a huge focus on health. Chocolate or anything else fun tends to not be allowed. If your school has a chef, then school dinners aren't so bad, but if they're delivered, then it's literally the same quality as airline food.
After school clubs were often available and popular. These are usually sports, music, and dance clubs. Again, these often have to be paid for by the parents. Sometimes Boy Scouts, Brownies, Girl Guides etc. could be hosted at schools.
Physical Education:
There is usually much more of a laid back focus on P.E in primary school. Normally, it just consists of playing games. Parents are to provide their children with a P.E kit, and failure to remember can often result in the child and parent getting into trouble. Children are usually not assessed in P.E in primary school.
Tests & Exams:
There isn't really any standardised testing in primary schools. A teacher might quiz kids in their class, but that's usually about it. However, students do have to sit SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) at age 7 and age 11. This is usually to give teachers an idea of how a student is doing and what they need to improve on. I think they might have scrapped SAT exams for 7-year-olds, but honestly, they keep changing this so much that I can't personally keep up anymore. The ones taken in year 6 are the most important as the results are sent off to the child's chosen high school.
Secondary School (High School)
11-12: Year 7
12-13: Year 8
13-14: Year 9
14-15: Year 10
15-16: Year 11
Overview:
At the age of 11, a student then must choose what secondary school they would like to attend. This can also be known as high school. There are two types of secondary schools in the UK. There's your typical state funded schools and academies, but there's also grammar schools. Grammar schools are more selective in who they educate, and typically, children, if they want to attend a grammar school, must sit an exam known as the 11 plus. If they pass these exams, then they can be offered a place at their chosen grammar school. In a nutshell, grammar school is lot harder and more intense, with extra pressure placed on students. But apart from that, they operate very similarly.
High schools are where children have timetabled lessons and move around the school to study in a class with a specific teacher who has more expertise in a certain subject. From ages 11-14, most subjects are compulsory. These subjects include maths, English, science, physical education, technology (wood work, cooking, graphic design, textiles etc), drama, a foreign language (usually French, German or Spanish), art, music, history, geography, and ICT (computers). There may be more or less depending on the school. Each high school can also be specialised in a certain field, which means they tend to be better catered towards a certain subject. For example, my high school specialised in media and art. This meant that we had the latest state of the art equipment in these fields. During high school years, children are assigned to a 'form' which is basically a class of around 30 that you stick with for most of your time in high school. Your 'form teacher' is usually the first teacher you go to if you have any problems. You will also have a 'head of year' who is in charge of your school year and is who you also go to if you have any problems.
There are some classes that are separated into 'sets'. This is basically a division of students based on ability. At the beginning of the year, students will be tested and their results will determine what set they are placed into. This usually only occurs for maths, English, and science. The better you are at a subject, the higher the set you're placed in, with set 1 being the best. Students then receive lessons more catered towards their ability. For example, top sets will receive harder work and be pushed to achieve the highest grades, while the lower sets will receive more support from teachers, and often have to be re-taught the basics of a subject. For example, for maths, I was placed into set 5, and for English, I was placed into set 2, and for science, I was in set 3. Usually there will be about 5 sets in total. Just from that alone, you can tell which were my best and worst subjects lol.
Daily Routine:
Most schools in the UK start at 09:00 and finish at 15:30, though this can vary from school to school. There are assigned school buses to take children to and from school, but these can be very unreliable. They follow a strict route, and if you live in the middle of nowhere, then good luck getting to school if you have full-time working parents. School buses often run late (or at least they did at my school). Upon arriving at school, most students tend to chill in the canteen (or cafeteria as you call it in America), or hide out in the library. Breakfast was available from 08:00 onwards, and usually consisted of bacon, sausage and/or egg butty (sandwich), cereal, fruit, or even a full English breakfast. Again, this can vary from school to school.
'Form time' usually began around 09:00, and was essentially a roll call session. The form teacher will take the register, before giving to you any important information or letters that the school needs you to know/have. If your school assigns you a personal planner or a diary, then the form teacher will frequently check those as well for any important messages from parents/guardians, or from teachers. It's also a good way for teachers and parents to check if a student is doing all of their homework and assignments. Form time was usually pretty chill unless there was something important that needed discussing.
After form time would be the first class of the day. Classes usually ran for up to an hour. In my school, we had 2 hours of classes in the morning, followed by a fifteen minute break, then another hour long lesson, and then students would have an hour for lunch. After that came 2 more hours of classes before the official end of the school day. In total, we had around 5 classes a day, and these would all be timetabled out for us. We would usually have at least 3 classes in maths, English, and science per week, and then at least 2 classes a week of everything else.
Lunch could be eaten either in the canteen or outside. Like primary school, students could either bring their own food in or have school dinners. Again, whether or not you paid for school dinners depended on your family's average income. There is often a lot more food to choose from compared to primary schools. However, once again, if your food is delivered, then it can be pretty gross. I once squeezed my slice of pizza and enough grease came out to fill a bowl, and my friend once found a giant hairball in the middle of her cupcake. That's the food standard at my high school anyway. I could tell you so many horror stories about my schools. If you weren't eating then you were only allowed in the library or had to go outside. I usually hid in the library, because if I went outside, I was either being hit in the head with a football, or being bullied. If it was raining outside, then my school would open the theatre and let us watch a movie or TV show - usually it was either The Simpsons or Futurama.
After school clubs were available, though there was always more of an emphasis on sports clubs. A lot of students tend to stay after school hours and study or complete homework - especially if they were in years 9-11. Teachers sometimes offer after school classes to help students study. Art classrooms tend to be left open so that students can complete artwork, or even just to keep them out of trouble.
Physical Education:
P.E in high school could be very hardcore. Unless you were super fit or really into sports, you were screwed. Your fitness was frequently tested in front of others via the 'bleep test' (or beep test). I'm sure any other people from the UK who are reading this just shivered. This is basically a humiliating test where you must run from one line at one end of the hall to the other and then back again. This apparently determined how 'fit' you were. You had to keep pace with the 'beep' noise and as the level increased, the faster it would get. Once you got too tired and couldn't make it to the other side in time, you were done. Of course, nobody wanted to be the first one out. Level 4, level 5 and level 6 tended to be the average scores for people. The teachers would then record your score and test you again later in the year to see if you have improved. It is as cruel as it sounds.
P.E, like I'm sure it is in many high schools, is the territory of the popular kids. Students tend to often be divided by gender where boys get to do all the fun stuff, while girls were more limited to dance, gymnastics, hockey, and netball. At least that's how it was in my school anyway. The activities we focused on always seemed to be backwards for some weird reason. In the middle of winter when it was cold and dark, we'd be forced to go outside in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts and complete cross-country runs in icy conditions, while in the middle of summer, we would be inside playing badminton. That's some pretty weird logic there. The teachers were always pushing us to extremes as well. I had a friend who ended up with a nail going through her foot, and the teacher just really didn't give a sh*t. Yeah, there could be a lot of injuries: broken bones; bruises; dizziness; people being knocked unconscious.
These classes were compulsory until the age of 16. Changing rooms are usually always gross, and the equipment tends to be decades old and smell weird. Occasionally students might be treated to something fun like an obstacle course, but those events were rare. Dodge ball is a game that students either love or hate. As for me, I hated them. I always ended up getting injured, usually a super hard ball to the eye. I got a lot of black eyes during my time in P.E.
Tests & Exams:
Tests become a lot more common in secondary school. However, multiple choice questions actually tend to be very uncommon. Students often have to write the answer out themselves. There is a lot of essay writing too. From year 7-9, students in the UK are typically graded by a level system in a certain subject. Level 5 is usually the average that most people get. These aren't important or anything, though you can be punished if you keep doing really badly.
The real fun in school begins once you reach either year 9 or year 10 (this varies from school to school). This is when kids begin their GCSEs or 'General Certificate of Secondary Education'. Maths, English and science remain compulsory, however, teens then have the option of choosing 4 other subjects that they would like to specialise in. For example, my chosen subjects were history, art, drama, and Spanish. Coursework must be completed in these subjects, as well as exams that will determine your overall grade in the subject. Back when I was in school, school grades were as follows: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, U. An 'A*' was the best grade you could get, whereas a 'U' was the worst. A 'U' basically means you either didn't complete the work, or you barely got anything right. One complete, you are then officially qualified in that subject. All employers in the UK require you have have at least 5 GCSEs that you achieved a 'C' or higher in. Nowadays, students are graded on a score of 1-10. Alternatively, you can also opt to study for a BTEC which tends to be more coursework based, with less exams. This grading system includes Pass, Merit, and Distinction. These are equivalent to a C, B, and A respectively.
As an example, here are my GCSE qualifications:
- English Language (B)
- English Literature (B)
- Mathematics (C)
- Modern World History (A)
- Spanish (C)
- Drama (B)
- Art & Design (B)
- General Studies (B)
- Core Science (B)
- Additional Science (B)
- ICT OCR (Distinction)
- Statistics (C)
Uniform:
As you may already be aware, most schools in the UK require you to wear a uniform. This will typically consist of:
- School blazer and/or jumper with the school's logo on it
- White shirt
- Black or grey trousers/skirt (length of skirt must not go higher than the knees)
- Tie
- Black leather shoes
- Black, grey, or white tights are permitted
- Socks must be black, grey, or white if they are visible (can be knee or ankle length)
- No heavy make-up
- No unnatural hair colours (e.g. blue, green, pink etc.)
- No outlandish jewellery
- No head coverings (unless for religious reasons)
- No piercings except for studded earrings.
- Shirt must always be tucked in
- Top button of the shirt must always be done up
- Tie (if a regular one) should be no fewer than 5 stripes in length
- Tie must also always be done up properly
Punishments:
Detention - Pretty much what you would expect. I think most countries have these. This punishment often depends on the teacher and how strict they're feeling. The detention could run through break time, lunch time, or even take place after school. This is the classic punishment that is the most frequently used.
Isolation - This punishment is more common when your appearance violates the school's dress code. However, this can be used as a punishment if you're thought to be disruptive. Basically, isolation is where a student is separated from all the others and are forced to sit classes alone and under strict supervision. They are not allowed to see their friends and spend the duration of their school time alone or with a teacher. Even during breaks and lunch. This usually lasts for a few days, or until their appearance has been rectified (for example they dyed their hair purple).
Report - This is a three tier punishment system for those who consistently misbehave. There are three types of report card you can be placed on: yellow, blue, and red. Red is for the most severe cases. The length of time you are on report depends on your behaviour and if you can stay out of trouble. Teachers monitor you closely and must write on your report card how you behaved during their lesson. If your behaviour improves, you can come off report, but if your bad behaviour continues or gets worse, you can be put on a more severe report card, or even be suspended.
Suspension & Expulsion - This is usually only used as a last resort. It was rare for students to be suspended, and ever rarer for them to be expelled. You have to have done something very very very bad in order to receive these punishments.
College/Sixth Form College
At the age of 16, students can choose whether or not to stay in full-time school-like education. Most opt to attend sixth form college. This is a college strictly for 16-18 year-olds to study for their A-Levels, or 'Advanced Level Qualifications'. Basically, it makes you more qualified in certain subjects. This is when subjects also become more specified as well. The difficulty increases, and students usually have to initially choose 4 subjects, which they can then drop down to 3 if they so desire. The same thing happens at regular colleges, however, colleges are open to people of all ages above 16, tend to be slightly more relaxed, and include a larger variety of qualifications and courses. More time is devoted to independent study, and coursework and exams must be completed much like GCSEs. Sixth form includes the years 12-13. A lot of the time, a sixth form college may be attached to a high school, or there may be independent ones.
Less time is spent in class and more focus is placed on a students' independence in their studies. They're now required to do more of their own research. Classes are a lot smaller as well, depending on the popularity of the subject. Students would then be graded with the same grading system as GCSEs. The results basically define what university or jobs you will be able to get into in the future. So again, the higher your grade, the better your chances are and the more options will be available to you.
I attended sixth form college, and these are the A-Levels I came out with as a result:
- English Literature (B)
- Media Studies (B)
- History (C)
I'm still salty over my grades in that one. I was predicated and should have achieved B, A, A, but they chose to make the exams ridiculously hard that year and moved the grade boundaries to stupid levels. Yeah, that was something that could occur quite a lot. The exam boards just love to troll students and make their lives as miserable as possible. Grade boundaries never stay the same 'to prevent things from being too easy', but in reality, it was just cruelty. What might have been an 'A' grade one year, would only count as a 'C' the next. It's an incredibly unfair system. It depends more on luck than it does skill.
Apprenticeships
If college isn't your thing, then you can enter into a government funded apprenticeship scheme upon reaching the age of 16. This is basically on the job training with perhaps a bit of coursework thrown in there as well. You can receive an apprenticeship in just about everything (though the most common ones are trades such as engineering, plumbing etc.), and students can even earn a wage whilst doing so. Granted, the wage usually isn't very good, often something stupid like £2.50 (US$3.45) an hour, but it's better than nothing like you'd get attending college. Apprenticeships are great for gaining work experience, and anyone over the age of 16 can apply for one. That's right, even older adults can do them as well, though it is more common among 16-25 year-olds. Most companies will then fully employ you when your apprenticeship is over, so it's also great for stability.
University:
At the age of 18, free compulsory education comes to end (apart from in Scotland). Students can then choose to go onto university if that is what they desire. It's something that's highly encouraged (though a degree tends have less and less value these days). At this point, the system becomes very similar to the rest of the world. Some universities are more 'prestigious' than others such as the famous universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Each university will have different entry requirements you must meet in order to be offered a place. In England, the standard fee is usually around £9200 (US$12,725) per year. In Scotland, it's free, and I think in Wales and Northern Ireland, it tends to cost a lot less. Depending on your social class and the wages your parents bring in, the government may fund all or part of your university education. Though this is only a loan.
University students are also entitled to a maintenance grant and a maintenance loan, however, they keep getting rid of the grant and then bringing it back. This is where the government gives or loans a student money to them to live off essentially. Grants do not need to be paid back, but loans do. Once again, this is often calculated based on the average income of your parents. This is paid to students in instalments 3 times a year. Middle class families tend to get screwed over a lot by this system. There's a huge push to make universities free all over the UK, but to be honest, I can't see that happening any time soon. To access free university education in Scotland, you have to have lived there for a certain amount of time, otherwise you pay a fee. It's less than the average English university, but it's a shame that only the Scottish government seem to care about these things.
All student debts don't need to be paid back unless you are earning over £25,000 (US$34,529) per year. At that point, the government automatically takes a small percentage of your wage, depending on how much you're earning. If by a certain point your debt has not been re-paid, it will be cancelled.
And there you have the British education system. Of course, not every school is the same and there may be some differences, so feel free to leave those in a comment to provide a better all-round view. If you want to get a better visual idea of British school life and how British teens behave, then I would highly recommend checking out the TV show The Inbetweeners (the original UK version of course). That will literally be your best source. It may seem like exaggeration for the purpose of comedy, but... no... to be honest, it isn't, and that's the sad thing lol. I hope that I've managed to help in some way, or even just provide you with a new insight.
Helpful Links:
The Bleep Test Audio (PTSD trigger warning for British kids lol) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz2m1PJ0gj4
Typical Primary School Day (ignore the early 2000s cheesiness) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMUJKH1fFF0
British Secondary School Vlog - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X4XsIFOb9I
Clips from The Inbetweeners (mature content!) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwqslHTAOik
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