The Education System in the UK

In this text you will find general information on the education system in the UK. As there are
separate education systems in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the actual ages
etc. might vary a little.

School in the UK is compulsory between the ages of five and sixteen. Children younger than
five can go to a toddler group (accompanied by a parent), playgroup or nursery school.

Compulsory schooling begins at the age of five. Pupils first attend primary school, which lasts
for six years. Often primary school in the UK is divided into infant school (the first two years)
and junior school (the following 4 years).

After primary school, students go to secondary school until they are sixteen (practical emphasis)
or 18 (secondary school with 6th form - academic emphasis).

The school year consists of three terms. Students have about 12-13 weeks of holiday per school
year.

When students in the UK say what year they are in, they usually use cardinal numbers, e. g. ‘year
ten’. (In the USA, students would use ordinal numbers, e. g.
‘tenth grade’.)

Age School

<5 Nursery school

5-11 Primary school

5-7 Infant school

oder
7-11 Junior school

11-18 Secondary school with 6th

form

11-16 Secondary school

oder
16-18 6th form college Classes
 At primary school, classes run Monday to Friday from about 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are usually
between 25 and 35 pupils in one class. They primarily learn how to read, write and count. They
also learn something about their country and about religion and they begin to study their first
foreign language.

At secondary school, classes also run Monday to Friday, but are usually from about 8.45 to 3.30.
Typical mandatory subjects are English, maths, natural sciences (Biology, Physics, Chemistry),
modern languages (French, German, Spanish), Religion, Citizenship, Physical Education,
Information and Communication Technology, Geography and History. Apart from these,
schools also offer optional courses from which their students can choose. At the age of sixteen,
students usually sit several exams and decide whether they want to leave school or continue in a
6th form college.

Gifted and talented students can choose to enter for examinations early (one year or several
terms) and then take additional courses in these or other subjects.

Grading Scale In the UK (as in other English-speaking countries) letter grades are used in
reports.
 A > 80% (excellent)
 B > 70% (very good)
 C > 60% (improvement needed)
 D > 50% (close fail)
 E > 40% (fail)
 F < 40% (fail)

In general, only grades A to C are a 'pass'. Still,

in the UK no student has to repeat a year –
weak students can take extra lessons at school.

Different Kinds of Schools

Most students in the UK are

enrolled in state funded schools.
These are financed through taxes,
so parents do not have to pay for
their children's education. But there
are also numerous private schools,
also known as independent schools,
where education is not free of
charge.
 Students can choose to attend a co-educational school or a single sex school.

School Uniforms

It is common for students in the UK to wear school uniforms. They consist of:
 blazer or sweater with school logo
 shirt and tie or polo shirt / t-shirt
 dark trousers or dark skirt
 black shoes

At some schools, students are required to wear a shirt and a tie, other schools only require a t-
shirt or sweater. The color of the uniform also depends on the school – blazer, sweater, trousers
and skirt are usually blue, grey, green or brown.

In the USA, children start school when they are five or six years old. Depending on the state,
schooling is compulsory until the age of 16 or 18. Children younger than five can go to a
nursery school or preschool.

At the age of five or six, the children attend elementary school (also known as grade school or
grammar school), which last six years. The fist year at elementary school is called kindergarten.

After elementary school, students attend middle school (also known as junior high school) for
three years. Then they continue at high school. In some states, students have to stay in school
until they are 18 years old. In other states they may leave school at 16 or 17 with parental
permission.

Age School

<5 Nursery school / preschool

5-11 Elementary school

11-14 Middle school / junior high school

14-18 High school / senior high school

When students in the USA say what

year they are in, they usually use
ordinal numbers, e. g. ‘tenth grade’.
(In the UK students would use cardinal
numbers, e. g. ‘year ten’.)

Classes

At elementary school pupils primarily

learn how to read, write and count. There are about 20 to 30 pupils in one
class.

At junior and senior high school, mandatory subjects are English, Maths,
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Education and History. Schools
also offer optional courses from which the students can choose, e. g. art,
modern languages, computers. Physical education is a very important
subject in the United States – many students participate in sports
programs.

Gifted and talented students can take advanced courses in their schools or
attend additional courses at community colleges in the afternoons or
during the holidays. Often such courses are later acknowledged by universities, and can
facilitate early graduation.

Grading Scale

In the USA (as in other English speaking countries) letter grades are used in reports.

 A > 90 % (excellent)
 B > 80 % (very good)
 C > 70 % (improvement needed)
 D > 60 % (close fail)
 E > 50 % (fail)
 F < 50 % (fail)

In general, only grades A to C are a 'pass' – a plus (+) or minus (-) might be added (e. g. A-,
B+).

Different Kinds of Schools

Most students in the USA are

enrolled in public schools. These
are financed through taxes, so
parents do not have to pay for
their children's education. About
10 % of US students attend
private schools, where parents
have to pay a yearly fee.

Another option is
homeschooling: approximately 1-
2 % of parents in the USA
educate their children at home.
Some reasons for homeschooling are religious views, special needs (e. g. handicapped children),
or problems in traditional schools (bullying, drugs etc.). However, there is also opposition to
homeschooling claiming that the students have difficulties socializing with others, that
homeschooling (often carried out by the parents) is of a poor academic quality and that
(especially concerning religion) extremist views might be encouraged.

School Uniforms - It is not common for students in the USA to wear school uniforms, but many
schools have dress codes telling students what kind of clothing is or is not allowed in school.
Some schools (especially private schools) have started to require their students to wear school
uniforms in order to improve school discipline and avoid 'fashion cliques'.

OKTATÁSI INTÉZMÉNY TÍPUSA

school - iskola

nursery school - óvoda

primary school -általános iskola

secondary school- középiskola

state, public school -állami iskola

private school vagy independent school - privát iskola

boarding school-bentlakásos iskola

sixth-form college- a középiskola szabadon választható utolsó általában két éve

technical college- műszaki főiskola

vocational college- szakiskola

art college -képzőművészeti főiskola

teacher training college- tanárképző főiskola

university- egyetem

ISKOLA

classroom- osztályterem

desk iskolapad

blackboard - iskolatábla

whiteboard - fehértábla

chalk - kréta

marker pen vagy marker- filctoll

pen- toll

pencil -ceruza

exercise book -füzet

lesson -tanóra

homework -házifeladat

test -teszt

term -félév

half term -félévi iskolai szünet

class -osztály

reading -olvasás

writing -írás

arithmetic -számtan

spelling-betűzés

to read -olvasni

to write- írni

to spell -betűzni

to teach-tanítani

head teacher -igazgató

headmaster -igazgató

headmistress -igazgatónő

teacher -tanár

pupil -tanuló

head boy -a diákokat kéviselő vezető fiú

head girl -a diákokat képviselő vezető lány

prefect- prefektus

school governor vagy governor- iskolai igazgató

register- nyilvántartás

assembly -iskolai gyűlés

break -szünet

school holidays -iskolai szünet

school meals -iskolai étkeztetés

school dinners -menza

LÉTESÍTMÉNYEK

computer room -számítógépes terem

cloakroom- ruhatár

changing room -öltöző

gym (a következő rövidítése: gymnasium)- tornaterem

playground- játszótér

library -könyvtár

lecture hall -előadóterem

laboratory (gyakran úgy rövidítik, hogy lab) -laboratórium

language lab (a következő rövidítése: language laboratory) -nyelvi labor

hall of residence -kollégium

locker -öltözőszekrény
playing field- sportpálya

sports hall- sportcsarnok

EGYETEM

professor -professzor

lecturer- előadó

researcher -kutató

research -kutatás

undergraduate -egyetemi hallgató

graduate -egyetemet végzett

post-graduate vagy post-graduate student -posztgraduális hallgató

Masters student -mester hallgató

PhD student -doktorandusz

Master's degree -mesterfokozat

Bachelor's degree -Bsc fokozat

degree -egyetemi diploma

thesis -tézis

dissertation -disszertáció

lecture -előadás

debate -vita

higher education -felsőoktatás

semester -félév

student loan -diák kölcsön

student union -hallgatói önkormányzat

tuition fees -tandíj

university campus -egyetemi campus

EGYÉB KAPCSOLÓDÓ SZAVAK

exam (a következő rövidítése: examination)-vizsga

to sit an exam -vizsgázni

essay vagy paper -esszé

to fail an exam -megbukni a vizsgán

to pass an exam -levizsgázni

to study-tanulni

to learn- megtanulni

to revise -ismételni

student -diák

curriculum -tananyag

course -kurzus

subject -tantárgy

grade -osztályzat

mark -osztályzat

exam results -vizsga eredmények

qualification -végzettség

certificate -oklevél

attendance -jelenlévők

calculator -számológép

projector -kivetítő

textbook -tankönyv

question -kérdés

answer -válasz

mistake vagy error -hiba

right vagy correct -jó

wrong -hibás