Education in England has traditionally been considered one of the most prestigious in the world. British schools are known for their high level of teaching, and a British certificate or diploma provides new opportunities for further study. And, of course, living and studying abroad provides invaluable experience.
How many years of study in the UK?
Studying for children in the UK starts early: children usually go to their first preparatory level school from the age of 4 or even earlier. From the age of 5, education is compulsory. Therefore the total time of study in British school is about 13 years – children finish secondary school at the age of 18, after which they usually go to university.
How do students study in British schools?
So what is a school education in Great Britain like? To begin with, there are two types of schools in the United Kingdom: public and private. The first are designed more for locals, while the latter are ideal for students from other countries. Regardless of which type of school to choose, the learning process will be divided into several stages.
- First, the child goes through elementary school . Here he or she studies until the age of 12-13, studying about 12 compulsory subjects.
- Then children move on to middle school, where they study until age 16. At the end of secondary school pupils take a final exam and receive a certificate of graduation from high school, which allows them to go to college.
- The third stage of education – high school. Here children are prepared for university until adulthood, and the program is structured to meet this requirement. In high school, the emphasis is on those subjects that will be necessary for admission to college. Completing their studies at this stage, students also take a final exam. And most importantly: based on the results of this exam, young people can already be enrolled in university without having to take any additional tests on admission.
What do schools teach?
In the UK schools can also be divided into boys-only, girls-only, and mixed schools. There is also a wide choice of schools with different subject areas: sports (soccer, tennis, athletics, equestrian, swimming), science, humanities, arts and others.
Regardless of which of the schools you choose, you can be sure that in schools in the UK children are taught discipline and independence. Special attention is paid to the development of such things as:
- Leadership qualities. British educational institutions have always been focused on bringing up within their walls a strong personality, a person who is able to enthuse others;
- Sports training. A lot of emphasis is placed on sports, which help children develop leadership skills and are results-oriented, while team sports teach how to interact with other people.
- Own point of view. Debate clubs, where students are taught to speak in front of an audience and defend their point of view while saving face, are still popular in schools in the United Kingdom today.
- Discipline and responsibility. The program is designed in such a way that the child has to make his own decisions and make his own choices in favor of one subject or another. The school helps the child to be more responsible and independent, because the curriculum itself encourages the child to make decisions or take the initiative.
- All-round development. A traditional British school seeks to make its students a well-rounded person. That is why teaching includes the study of at least one foreign language. In addition to the general subjects, students can also study art, music, and cinema.
