Generally, all publicly-funded primary schools must provide the National Curriculum to their students. National Curriculum core subjects for primary schools are: English, mathematics and science. [1] Foundation subjects are design and technology; information and communication technology; history; geography; modern foreign languages; music; art and design; physical education; religious education; and citizenship. Although learning a modern foreign language in England does not become compulsory until the beginning of key stage 3 (students aged 11+), the Government encourages the optional learning of a foreign language prior to this stage.
All maintained schools in England are required to provide religious education and a daily act of collective worship. [2]
The school year consists of 380 (half-day) sessions. The actual dates of terms and holidays are determined annually by the local education authority (LEA). In general, the school year runs from about the first week of September to the third week of July. [3] The school week normally runs from Monday to Friday. The school day is divided into two sessions, one in the morning (usually between 9am and 12 noon) and one in the afternoon (usually between around 1 pm and 3.30pm).
In general, all children in their final year of key stage 2 (normally in Year 6 and aged 11 by the end of the school year) are assessed by teacher assessment in all compulsory National Curriculum subjects and by national tests in English, mathematics and science. [4] All students continue to secondary education, regardless of the outcome of the end of key stage 2 assessment.
A Unlike the key stage 1 tests, the National Curriculum key stage 2 tests are externally marked.
B At the request of a parent, any child in a publicly-funded primary school in England may, however, be excused from these activities.
C Welsh is a core subject in Welsh-speaking schools.
D Many of these are boarding schools, where children live and sleep during the term.
E It is divided into three terms, with a long summer break of about six weeks in July and August, shorter breaks of two to three weeks at Christmas and Easter, and one week in the middle of each term.
Exercise 3. Match the kinds of secondary school that exist in Britain with their descriptions.
| 1. comprehensive schools 2. grammar schools 3. secondary modern schools 4. technical schools 5. public schools 6. sixth form colleges | a. Some of the more traditional independent (privately run) schools in England and Wales. Many of these are boarding schools, where children live and sleep during the term. Eton and Harrow are the most famous schools of this kind. b. Schools that admit children of all abilities and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district. They are usually mixed. c. Schools that provide mainly academic course for selected pupils from the age of 11 to 18, usually leading to a university. d. These schools were formed to provide non-academic education up to the minimum school-leaving age for students of lesser attainment. The curriculum includes such practical subjects as cooking, gardening, typing, shorthand, woodwork, metalwork. e. These schools provide a general academic education, but place particular emphasis on technical subjects. They admit children with lower marks than grammar schools. There are very few schools of this type in England and Wales. f. Offer opportunity for specialised study (the curriculum is narrowed to about 5 subjects) after the compulsory schooling age, often aimed at university entry. |
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Exercise 4. Fill in the missing information in the table.
| Certificate | Country | Age | Number of subjects | notes |
| GCSE ('O' level) | 15-16 | 6-7 | ||
| SCE | Scotland | |||
| 'A' level | ||||
| SCE 'Highers' |
