Education is free and compulsory for children ages 5-16 in Great Britain. [1] Children typically start primary school at ages 4-5 and move to secondary school at age 11. [2] The school day usually runs from 9am to 3pm, with subjects including English, maths, science, and more. [3]
2. Education is free and compulsory for all children between
the ages of 5 - 16. Some children are educated at home
rather than in school.
Children normally start primary school at the age of four or
five, but many schools now have a reception year for four
year olds.
Children normally leave at the age of 11, moving on to
secondary school (High school).
3. What Grade / Year Group would I be in Britain ?
Age England and Wales
1 Sept - 31 Aug
School Key Stage Year
Primary School or Infant
4-5 Reception -
School
5-6 " KS1 Year 1
6-7 " " Year 2
Primary School or Junior
7-8 KS2 Year 3
School
8-9 " " Year 4
9-10 " " Year 5
10-11 " " Year 6
11-12 Secondary School KS3 Year 7
12-13 " " Year 8
13-14 " " Year 9
14-15 " KS4 Year 10
15-16 " " Year 11
4. On what days do the children attend school?
The children attend school from
Monday to Friday, from 09:00 - 15:15.
School holidays
The main school holidays are:
•Christmas- 2 weeks
•Spring - 2 weeks
•Summer - 6 weeks
There are also one week holidays:
•end of October
•mid February
•end of May
5. How long is a school day?
School usually starts at nine o'clock in the morning and finishes at about
three o'clock in the afternoon. Most schools in Britain require their students to
wear a school uniform.
This is an example of what you can find at an English school.
09.00am Registration
09.10am School Assembly. In assembly they sing songs, listen to a story,..
09.30am Literacy Hour
10.30am Break-time. . During break time, the children have a snack and play
games out doors
10.45am Numeracy Hour
11.45am Subject class
12.15pm Lunch
13.30pm Afternoon Registration
13.35pm Classes
14.45pm Break-time
15.00pm Classes
15.30pm End of school day
Actual taught time as defined by Department of Education is 23.5 hours
weekly.
6. Most school in England require children to wear a
school uniform.
Boys
Long grey or black trousers (shorts may be worn in the Summer)
White Shirt
School tie (optional in most primary schools)
Jumper or sweater with the school logo on. The colour is the choice of the schools.
Black shoes
Girls
As above.
Girls may wear skirts
During the summer term girls often wear summer school dresses.
Why wear a Uniform?
•When they go on a school trip they all look the same and so can't get lost.
•Stops kids worrying about what to wear each day.
•Everyone is equal.
•Parents don't have to shop for expensive and varied wardrobes for their children
to keep up with or show-off to other children
•Wearing a uniform instills a sense of pride and discipline in students
7.
8. Lunch Time
Lunch time is from 12 noon to 1:10 pm.
In British schools, children can usually choose between a hot
or cold dinner provided by the school or a packed lunch
taken from home. Most children bring their own packed
lunch. A packed lunch usually consists of sandwiches,
fruit, a drink and a packet of crisps.
Some children are entitled to a free school dinner, but most
children pay for theirs.
School lunches are priced at £1.60
10. THe universiTy of oxford
The university of Oxford located in the city of Oxford is one of
the oldest and most highly revered Universities in Europe. It
grew out of efforts begun by King Alfred the Great in 872 to
encourage education and establish schools throughout his
territory.
More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student
population of over 18,000.
There have been many famous people who have studied at
Oxford University and they include: Oscar Wilde, J. R. Tolkien,
Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, All in all, Oxford
has produced four British and at least eight foreign kings, 47
Nobel prize-winners, 25 British Prime Ministers, 28 foreign
presidents and prime ministers.
www.ox.ac.uk
11. universiTy of Cambridge
The start of the University is generally taken as 1209,
when some masters and students arrived in Cambridge
after fleeing from rioting in Oxford.
The University at present has more than 16,500 full-time
students.
There have been many famous people who have studied
at Oxford Univeristy and they include Lord Byron,
Charles Darwin, Vladimir Nabokov. Cambridge has
produced 80 Nobel-prize winners (33 more than Oxford
and the highest number of any university worldwide), 13
British Prime Ministers.
www.cam.ac.uk