Types of school

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	Schools in the UK

	Types of Schools

	A typical English school is difficult to depict as they all vary due to a number of different factors. The pupils can be from varied social and ethnic backgrounds. Some schools will be based in rural locations; some may be situated on the coast whilst others will be in small towns or inner cities. There are many excellent schools but many areas also have their share of social problems. The diverse nature of the UK teaching system means that a wide range of teaching experiences can be gained in a short time. When you return home and apply for jobs your overseas teaching experience, particularly in England, will be viewed very positively.

	Compulsory schooling
	Compulsory education lasts for 11 years. Statutory schooling ages are between 5 to 16 years. Children are legally required to start attending school at the start of the term after their fifth birthday either on 31 August, 31 December or 31 March but children often start earlier than this.

	School Terms
	The school year consists of 3 terms, starting around the first week of September, the beginning of January and the summer term starts in April. Exact holiday dates vary from school to school. Pupils are required to stay in school until the last Friday in June of the school year in which they reach 16 years of age. During this time children must receive full-time education that is suited to their age, ability, aptitude and special educational needs (SEN). If a child does not attend school, the local education authority (LEA) must be satisfied that other appropriate provision is available. Most pupils transfer from primary to secondary school at age 11 years. However, a system of middle schools also exists where pupils are transferred from primary school at either age 8 or 9 years, then onto secondary education at age 12 or 13 years. Most secondary schools in England and Wales are ‘comprehensive’ which means they do not operate a selective entrance system. However, in some parts of England, a grammar school system also operates whereby pupils are usually required to pass a formal entrance examination based on their ability.

	Types of School

	Nursery Schools and Early Childhood Centres
	In the UK long-day childcare centres are known as Day Nurseries and are either privately owned or run by the local Borough. In addition there are Nursery departments attached to Infant or Primary schools. UK regulations require Nurseries to be registered with at least half of the staff having early childhood qualifications. Pre-schools are also known as Nurseries for up to 4 year olds after which the children enter the first year of formal learning in a Reception class. The Reception class is what's known as the Foundation Stage. This would be equivalent to Kindergarten in Australia and New Entrants in New Zealand. Sometimes Nursery Nurses are employed as Classroom Assistants in both the Reception and Year 1 and indeed throughout the school. In Day Nurseries the programme, particularly for the younger children, is based largely around themes and topics and will be under the direction of a Nursery Manager.

	Primary and Secondary Schools
	England has both public and private schools within all sectors of the education system. (Ironically many private schools are called Public schools). Primary schools cater for 5-11 year olds while the secondary schools cater for 11-18 year olds. In some cases 16-18 year olds are taught in a sixth form or tertiary colleges. Since 1988, schools have conformed to the teaching guidelines of the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum was put in place to raise teaching standards and provide a consistent level of education across all schools. The core subject areas include English, Mathematics, Science, Design & Technology and Information Technology. Schools will also offer a selection of other subjects to provide a complete curriculum. In England examinations are taken at the age of 16 for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), and at 18 for the Advanced Level (A Level). For more details regarding the National Curriculum go to www.nc.uk.net In the primary sector there have been significant changes to the way Literacy and Numeracy are taught in Primary Schools. To summarise, an hour is dedicated to prescriptive learning activities for Literacy and then another hour for Numeracy. The Literacy and Numeracy Hours are well supported by resources and assessment modules. When teaching these you will know exactly what needs to be achieved from each lesson and you are guided throughout. During your induction interview with your consultant you will be given information and details about teaching Literacy and Numeracy in the UK.

	SEN Schools (Special Educational Needs)
	In addition to the SEN departments in mainstream schools, there are separate SEN schools that provide an education for pupils of both the primary and secondary age groups. SEN schools have smaller classes that are often supported by a teacher and a classroom assistant, or a Nursery Nurse in the case of primary schools. Types of SEN schools include EBD - Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties and SLD - Severe Learning Difficulties. At Just Teachers we are able to offer our teachers the opportunity to develop their experience of the SEN sector through teaching in these schools. In the UK you do not necessarily need an SEN qualification or experience to teach in this sector. Working with children with Special Educational Needs can be a rewarding and memorable experience.

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