History UsefulNotes / BritishEducationSystem

Education is now compulsory until 18, and many pupils who pass go to a Sixth Form or a College and later University, nicknamed "Uni", or choose to do an apprenticeship. A sixth form will be part of a school, a college is usually a separate establishment - they are technically the same except you can't study apprenticeships at a [=VIth=] Form. The name "Sixth Form" derives from the fact that Years 7-11 used to be, and in some places still are, called First to Fifth Years, with 'Form' the diminutive (there are still forms, but there are now multiple in a year instead of being the equivalent). Years 12 and 13 used to be called Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth, and these terms are still used in certain schools. Most students will do 4 subjects in the first year and 3 in the second, but some higher achieving students may be encouraged to take 5 then 4, and students with 7 or more A Levels are rare but not unheard of. The pre-requisite for A-levels is usually 12 points from your best 8 [=GCSEs=], which is the equivalent of 4 Bs and 4 Cs, but most places will want you to get a B or above in the subject areas you're carrying on to A Level as they're harder. The grades themselves are decided by UMS points (magic maths turns your exam marks into a random number, hopefully at least 70) so why the education system doesn't just set a UMS minimum we don't know. Some University offers, it's worth noting, are based solely on these points (which also appear at GCSE but only [[UsefulNotes/{{Oxbridge}} Oxford]] care about them) so volunteer or other projects are undertaken by students in order to gain more.

Pupils then go on to doing General Certificates of Secondary Education, or [=GCSEs=] (formerly known as O-Levels - there's a ''Literature/HarryPotter'' reference to these in the "[=OWLs=]"). These tests are done over two years (it is possible to do them in one) and these do count, very much. They affect your chances of going on further and your job prospects. Most pupils take between 8 and 14 depending on what kind of school they go to (private schools and grammar schools do more, other state schools do fewer - not true, a lot of state schools want students to get as many as possible, although sometimes in "easier" subjects, since that's what will show up on league tables. Private schools are more likely to get pupils to do fewer subjects in more depth, or often to different exams or not bother sitting exams at all at this stage in subjects like ICT or Music where the [=GCSEs=] can be basically irrelavent to what is needed for life or further study). The "pass" mark (and the one the media focuses on) is 5 A*-C grades. There are further GCSE grades going down all the way to G (an outright fail is labelled "U" for "Ungraded"), but a D grade or below is usually regarded as effectively the same as totally failing the course, and getting below a C in English, Maths and/or Science can be the kiss of death to your career prospects. Students can also do more vocational qualifications (Usually known as [=NVQs=] or [=BTECs=]) if they aren't as academically inclined, although the fact that many of them count towards league table results causes many schools to 'nudge' students who may not be suited for them into taking them in order to get better results on paper.

Education is now compulsory until 18, and many pupils who pass go to a Sixth Form or a College and later University, nicknamed "Uni", or choose to do an apprenticeship. A sixth form will be part of a school, a college is usually a separate establishment - they are technically the same except you can't study apprenticeships at a [=VIth=] Form. The name "Sixth Form" derives from the fact that Years 7-11 used to be, and in some places still are, called First to Fifth Years, with 'Form' the diminutive (there are still forms, but there are now multiple in a year instead of being the equivalent). Years 12 and 13 used to be called Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth, and these terms are still used in certain schools. Most students will do 4 subjects in the first year and 3 in the second, but some higher achieving students may be encouraged to take 5 then 4, and students with 7 or more A Levels are rare but not unheard of. The pre-requisite for A-levels is usually 12 points from your best 8 [=GCSEs=], which is the equivalent of 4 Bs and 4 Cs, but most places will want you to get a B or above in the subject areas you're carrying on to A Level as they're harder. The grades themselves are decided by [=UMS=] points (magic maths turns your exam marks into a random number, hopefully at least 70) so why the education system doesn't just set a [=UMS=] minimum we don't know. Some University offers, it's worth noting, are based solely on these points (which also appear at [=GCSE=] but only [[UsefulNotes/{{Oxbridge}} Oxford]] care about them) so volunteer or other projects are undertaken by students in order to gain more.

During Year 13, pupils start applying to universities via a body called [=UCAS=]. Qualifications are assigned '[=UCAS=] points' based on their grade and weight; generally low-end universities will make offers like '100 [=UCAS=] points' whereas high-end universities will want specific subject grades like AAB. Different universities have different requirements. You can apply to five[[note]]which doesn't include New College of the Humanities and most drama schools, which you must apply to separately, so really you can apply to six. Or more if you're a theatrician.[[/note]] and will have to whittle down your offers to a first choice and an insurance place. If you are applying for medicine, veterinary medicine, or dentistry, you may only choose four universities, however you may choose a fifth to apply for a non-medical subject (typically something like Biochemistry). Also, a student may only apply to one of either Oxford or Cambridge (with a few exceptions: mature students, post-graduates, and potential organ scholars can apply to both). Medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, and Oxbridge applicants are required to apply early because of the more intensive admissions process. Cambridge is the top University in the world, and Oxford comes in third after Harvard, so this is expected.

* Sports Day: More a primary school thing, it can be the source of some minor trauma and a lot of argument. The latter among the parents. However, some are just a bit of a laugh and a good way to leave early if you were lucky enough to get an adult belonging to you to come and watch. (UK state schools don't have the inter-school, or indeed inter-university sports scene to the same extent as the US).
** This is partly why Brits are so surprised by how SeriousBusiness the Americans take school sports teams. School sports teams in the UK are funded mainly by the school, but do not attract outside sponsors, and are generally considered affairs of minor note but not exactly important at the end of the day. Also, basically the only major teams are football (soccer), rugby and in some areas cross-country running.

** Other implements were used as well as the cane in English schools, notably the "slipper" (a gym shoe) or a strap (similar to the tawse but without the split end)

** The School Formal is a special event similar to the American Prom, having been imported from the states. Typically it's regulated to those in Upper Form and studying their A-Levels. Unlike the American proms and UK discos, it's often a more formal affair consisting of only a single dinner at a venue in some cases, or a dinner and a dance. The real party is after when the formal students leave (expect a lot of underage drinking).

For a start, uniforms are obligatory in nearly all schools (although variations are allowed in many for religious reasons) ((are they? are you sure? they were abolished when I was at school in 1980-1987)), with different uniforms for each school, which is useful for identifying troublemakers on the buses - state-run schools don't usually use their own transport to pick up students. The general rules for these are:

Should you fail to reach the requirements for either of your choices or choose to turn down all your offers, you may choose to go through "Clearing" - applying for any places that are left (advertised on-line or in the press). This was the subject of much contention in 2010, due to the sheer numbers of student applications made that year. A similar system called UCAS Extra exists for students who get turned down by every single university they apply to, and allows them to find course places between February and July, before the main Clearing rush (though if your application fails that dismally, it's often a better idea to bite the bullet and start a new set of A-Levels the following September). You can retake A-Levels at the same Sixth Form/ College for free the year after you leave (18-19 year olds) but if you plan on doing them again you have to pay and generally have to go someplace else to do them. This is changing, the government don't want to pay anymore, but aren't even offering the chance to resist if the student pays except in exceptional circumstances: the same for re-sitting the first year of college, too. This and the harder A-Level courses are turning people further off them.

For a start, uniforms are obligatory in nearly all schools (although variations are allowed in many for religious reasons), with different uniforms for each school, which is useful for identifying troublemakers on the buses - state-run schools don't usually use their own transport to pick up students. The general rules for these are:

*** When public schools were being founded, the children of peers were generally still educated by tutors (a deal more expensive) and children were sent on to university at a much younger age (the ancient universities' undergraduate degrees are MAs because, traditionally, one would receive one's BA at as young as fourteen.)

* [[DoubleStandard Earrings are only allowed for girls]] and must be one stud per ear.

Compulsory schooling starts at 5 years old, but most children will attend Reception classes from age 4 and will have been to pre-school/playgroup/nursery which is partially government funded after they reach 3. After one year in Reception, they enter Year 1 (quick guide for those wanting to translate into the US grade system: US grade = UK grade - 1[[note]]This is by age, so 15-16 year olds are in Year 11, not 10th Grade, however the academic levels are identical for number in both the US and UK, so British kids are a year ahead of American ones: the FridgeLogic as to why most Uni courses are three years long, not four, and why British students going to American Universities go straight into the second year - provided they've finished an A-level equivalent. The British kids do start schooling a year earlier (Reception) and they are actually taught stuff, I.e. no "nap-time" or any of that nonsense, so they get to finish a year earlier, too.[[/note]]).

** 3 used to be called "Adequate" until it was realised that nobody (schools or inspectors) considered it as such.

University degrees are usually three or four (if you study out) years. The first year often only counts in allowing you to do the other two or three. The completion of a degree course is usually the only time a typical Briton attends a graduation ceremony. Most schools and sixth form colleges simply don't have them. For UK students, a degree at an English university currently costs £9,000 a year; however, this is not paid for upfront by the student or his or her family; rather the government Student Loans Company pays this, and the student only begins to pay off the debt after he or she is earning over £21,000 p.a. This money is taken away beforehand like taxes and stuff, so you never really know it's gone (or that you had it in the first place). In addition, the SLC provides Living Costs loans and grants. It used to be free to study in Scotland, but the laws have changed so [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily St. Andrew's]] isn't as popular anymore.

After two or three years in what is called Infant School or Keystage 1, children will move up to Junior School, or Keystage 2. Often these schools will be in the same building and joined into a single Primary School. Standardised testing used to happen at the end of year 2 and year 6 but these are being phased out. They are called [=SATs=], by the way, so (Americans) if someone British tells you that their grades were all 5 in their [=SATs=] aged 10 then they're smart, but not University smart.

Then children are required to attend Secondary School. Parents will try to get said children into the best school (often a church school, which unlike in the US are mostly state schools). This allows for some comparison between schools and a sort of competition between them. Many good schools are highly oversubscribed. Some school admission to these requires proof that you live within a certain area as in places like London each school has a catchment area where it can only accept students from. Some may claim to live at a Grandparents' or half a mile down the road in order to get in. This isn't the case for places that aren't completely packed with schools, but there are some exceptions. Many church schools now will accept anyone and so are decreasing in standards. The best schools are still mostly state schools, and are Grammar schools. Unlike Boarding schools, public schools, or other state schools, you need to sit and pass the 11+ Exams to get in. They are the most oversubscribed schools, often with over 20 students competing for each place. Most often it is the number of students with the highest marks who get in, but in the odd school there ''are'' geographical catchment areas, with those living closest only having to pass the exam and those living further away having to gain nearly full marks to get in. This does create a dissonance as those from further away will, logically, be more intelligent than many who live across the street. Many are gaining Academy status so as not to be closed under the new government scheme to cut down on the number of Grammar schools.