Secondary education and schools in the UK

Types of schools in the UK

Schools in England are divided not only by the type of ownership (state or private) but also by the organization or church affiliation, funding scheme, specialization, access for foreigners.

Private, or independent, schools are open to students from other countries and offer special adaptation programs for them, while state schools are available only to British citizens and foreigners with permanent resident status.

Independent schools in the UK

Education in an independent school is paid, but it is an investment in the child's future. It is the first step towards entering a top university, which determines the future competitiveness of a graduate in the labor market.

Unlike state schools, private schools can experiment with the curriculum. But this does not mean that they are left to fend for themselves. The quality of the programs is controlled by special organizations: Ofsted and Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Typically, private schools strive to make learning more applied. Each year, more projects, practical courses, and creative activities are added to the schedule. Many schools also devote time to the psychological condition and health of the students. For example, King's College School has included empathy classes in the curriculum. There, students are taught how to deal with anxiety, rest properly, and develop awareness to reduce the negative impact of their surroundings.

Independent schools can be categorized:

• By age of students: preparatory, secondary, Sixth Form. If the school is only Prep or only Sixth Form, this is usually reflected in its name. If not, then most likely the school combines all levels or at least 2 of them (for example, from 11/13 to 18 years old).
• By sex: mixed (co-ed) and single-sex schools.
• By format:
  • Day schools — the student comes to school every day and returns home in the evening.
  • Boarding schools — the student lives in the residence under the supervision of the school staff and goes home only for the holidays.
  • Specialty: faith schools, specialist schools. There are not many of the latter, but you can find those that specialize in music, theatrics, dancing, or sports.

You can also often see the term "public schools." By drawing an analogy with American public colleges and European universities, one might think that these are free public institutions. However, in England, the opposite is true: a public school is an independent educational institution created on a public (that is, non-state) initiative. They first began to appear about 300 years ago and after two centuries have become the most prestigious and most selective schools. As a rule, they have the highest requirements for future students.

Best independent schools in the UK

When choosing a school, parents inevitably pay attention to the rankings of the schools. In Britain, they are compiled by specialized media on a commercial basis. For example, The Times and The Telegraph. They are usually based on GCSE/A-levels or IB results (see below). But here we decided to list the public schools which stand out for their reputation as the best ones, regardless of the results of the final exams. They are especially difficult to enter because of their selectivity.

Affordable private schools in the UK

1,5-2 раза ниже, при этом качество образования, как правило, не хуже.

Secondary education in England as a whole cannot be called cheap. The most affordable option is likely to be a day school with a host family or with a guardian, the most expensive is a boarding school. However, even there you can find schools, the cost of which is 1.5-2 times lower, while the quality of education, as a rule, is not worse.

State schools in the UK

Education in state schools is free, but is available only to taxpayers, that is, those who permanently live in England, be it an Englishman or a foreigner with a permanent residence permit. If the school offers full boarding, the parents pay boarding fees. Some schools have paid courses for international students.

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Secondary / Senior School in the UK — GCSE

Structure and learning process

Secondary schools are traditionally divided into the following stages:

1. Key stage 3

   Age from 11 to 14, Years 7-9

2. Key stage 4

   Age from 14 to 16 years, Years 10-11

Private schools do not actually draw a clear line between the two levels. Instead, they organize high school admissions for multiple ages: 11+ Entry; 13+ Entry; if seats are available — 12+ and 14+ Entry.

From the age of 11, students continue to study some basic subjects from primary school. According to the national curriculum, the basics of Citizenship, Sex and relationship education, and career guidance are added to the schedule. Private schools form more individualized programs for children. Often, students choose 2-3 foreign languages or focus on art-related subjects. There are about 11 subjects in total.

From the age of 14, children begin to prepare for exams within the General Certificate of Secondary Education program. At the end of year 11, students receive a GCSE secondary education certificate. However, English GCSE does not give the right to enter the university.

The iGCSE variant is the same certificate but with an international focus. The British get it when they plan to enter educational institutions outside of England.

Typically, the GCSE program consists of 5-10 subjects.

Some schools formally divide them into 3 groups:

• Core Curriculum. Compulsory basic subjects: mathematics, English, literature, natural sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics);
• Optional Curriculum. The main program is selected according to the preferences of the student. There are no compulsory subjects here, but usually, students choose 1-2 foreign languages and 1-2 humanities (for example, geography, history, religious studies), as well as art or technology. Individual subjects can be studied at an advanced level within a specialized pathway program.
• Extension Curriculum. The extended program depends on the school. Often it implies some subject unique to the school or an interdisciplinary project (individual or group).

All schools in one form or another include PSHE — personal, social, and health education — in the schedule. Some lessons or lectures are delivered by guest speakers. Much attention is paid to sports, drama, music, and other arts.

Curriculum

Classes begin at approximately 8.30 am, the last lessons end at approximately 4 pm. Then students attend additional courses: from Animation, Robotics, and Astronomy to Debates, Carpentry, and Fencing. Schools also organize trips and extracurricular activities within the boarding house. Every day, students prepare homework assignments for 2-3 subjects, each taking up about 40-50 minutes, but these requirements vary.

Grading system

At the end of each term, there is an assessment week. Previously, all written works and final exams were graded on a letter scale: from A* (excellent) to U (extremely unsatisfactory). Since 2017, most schools have switched to the new 9-point grading system^[6].

Sometimes schools introduce their own evaluation systems and additional grades, not only for the actual success but also for the child's efforts. This helps to motivate students, even if they somewhat struggle with the subject. Schools also send progress reports to parents and host parenting days/seminars.

At the end of Year 9, students take internal school exams, at the end of Year 11 — GCSE exams for all the courses they have studied. High school graduates receive a general secondary education certificate/diploma. With it, you can enroll in high school programs (Sixth Form): A-level or IB. To graduate, it is enough to get grades of at least 4 in all subjects. To move to the Sixth Form, depending on the school's rating, grades 6-8 are required.

How to enroll in a British secondary school

Admission periods to UK high schools vary greatly. Registration closes at least one year before the start of classes (September-November). Then in October-January, internal entrance tests and exams are held. In December-January, schoolchildren are invited for interviews, and in February-March, the results are announced.

To some high-ranking schools, you need to apply 2-3 years in advance. In this case, students receive conditional admission to school based on tests’ results and other documents. The student is properly accepted only after they pass an exam or confirm their academic performance in the year of admission.

Examinations are conducted either by the school itself or by a special organization — Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB):

• 11+ Entry. ISEB Common Pre-Tests and/or internal school tests in mathematics, English, and reasoning. Sometimes — Common Entrance for 11+ girls^[7].
• 13+ Entry. To ranking schools: 2-3 years before admission — ISEB Common Pre-Tests and/or internal school tests in mathematics, English, and science; a year before admission — Common Entrance at 13+. The rest of the schools only do either tests or Common Entrance at 13+ one year before admission.
• 14+ Entry. Internal school tests in mathematics, English, reasoning, and science. Applications 14+ are accepted only if there are vacant seats.

Exams can be taken in British schools. For foreigners, the requirements can be reduced. For example, a science exam is canceled and/or a simplified version of the English language exam is used — English as an Additional Language (EAL).

For schoolchildren from other countries, there is an alternative option — take the UKiset test either in a certified center in their country or online, by agreement with the school. More than 250 educational institutions accept UKiset instead of pretesting, some take it as their primary test. It is necessary to clarify the specific conditions and requirements in schools.

The next steps at any age:

• Interview (in person or via Skype)
• Assessment / Activity / Taster / Orientation Day. Includes group lessons, additional tests, interviews, and sometimes an overnight stay at the boarding school. Teachers observe how the child behaves socially
• Child Student visa.

• Best English schools by GCSE results

Source: The Times

Upper Secondary School / Sixth Form — A-Levels

Structure and study process

In high school (Key stage 5) students between the ages of 16-18 study. Most often this stage is called the Sixth Form. It is required only for those planning to enter a British university. Private schools offer several training programs, the most popular of which is A-Levels.

A-Levels — it is a two-year intensive preparation for the Advanced Levels final exams. When moving to Year 12, students choose 3-5 subjects for in-depth study. There are no compulsory disciplines at this stage, but there are recommended ones: mathematics, English, and one of the traditional school subjects — physics, chemistry, biology, history, or geography. When choosing additional subjects, it is imperative to take into account the future specialty: it can be law, media and communications, economics, design, art history, and others. Each school has its own set of courses, lists can be found on the official websites.

In the second year, students can abandon 1-2 disciplines and focus on the three main ones that are needed for later university admission. However, the first year of study will not be in vain: in the selected subjects, the student can receive the AS (Advanced Subsidiary) qualification. Sometimes, instead of the fourth subject, students make a project and earn an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Some universities award additional points for AS and EPQ.

The British also believe that extracurricular activities are equally important for personal development. Therefore, in addition to studying, high school students master sports, participate in various activities and make joint trips.

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Curriculum

The division into classes of 10-15 people in high school is rather formal. Moreover, often in one group, there are students in both the first and second year of study. Each class is assigned a tutor or curator. This helps to individually approach the education of future university applicants.

The schedule depends on the school. Most lessons (here they are often called periods) run from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm with a lunch break. For each A-level subject, approximately 6 lessons per week are allocated. Often these are double classes, reminiscent of higher education institutions’ schedules. In addition, schools fix the time for independent work — about 8-14 lessons per week.

As a rule, educational institutions do everything possible so that students can master exactly the subjects they want. However, some classes still overlap in time, which should be taken into account when choosing A-levels.

Grading system

There is no single grading system at the high school stage. As a rule, each subject has its own specifics. There are courses where:

• Work during the year is not assessed (or practical assignments are assessed on the pass/fail basis), the final grade consists of 3-4 exams (papers), which are either taken at the end of the course or gradually over the learning process.
• There are no exams, the final grade consists of practical assignments and other written work during the year.
• Written papers/assignments/projects/exams make up the final grade as in a certain proportion (e.g. two exams 80%, a 3,500-word essay — 20%).
• In creative disciplines (drama, art, music), a play staging, a project, an interpretation of a literary work, or the portfolio gathered during the course can be assessed.

A-Levels exams are conducted by an independent committee. They can be taken in January or May-June, and most are held at the end of the school year. A-Levels results are recognized by universities throughout the UK as well as in the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe.

Accommodation

Sixth Form students can live with host families or with a guardian while attending day schools or 5-day boarding schools. However, more often than not, schools offer both local and foreigners full-time living at school throughout the entire year of study.

How to enroll in a British high school — Sixth Form

The high school application period closes in September-October a year or two before the start of school. Almost immediately (in October-November) entrance tests and interviews take place. Students receive invitations with conditional admission in December-January. The main enrollment is done after confirmation of academic performance. For graduates of British schools, these are GCSE exams (in August), for applicants from other countries — GPA after grade 10 or 11 (in June-July).

The selection of entrance tests depends on the school. They can be:

• English tests — English as an Additional Language (EAL), mathematics and sciences;
• EAL and separate tests in future A-levels subjects;
• Ukiset, reasoning test and a free selection of 2 tests in future A-levels subjects.

To pass the tests, as a rule, you need to come to the school. Some educational institutions allow exams to be taken for a fee at the foreign offices of the British Council.

The Ukiset International Test is not a substitute for basic testing, but it is often a prerequisite for a preliminary assessment of the English language, especially of its use in other subjects. Usually, the results must be submitted at the same time as the application. Ukiset costs 386 USD.

Applicants will also face additional selection stages. Whether before or after the tests, is determined by the school:

• Interview (in person or via Skype);
• A tour of the school (often at the same time as the interview);
• Final school grades.

It is worth checking the final grade requirements on the schools' websites. The student receives the relevant info in a letter along with the conditional admission. Some Sixth Form colleges accept 5s in the diploma (and foreign equivalent grades). Top-ranking schools only accept good and excellent grades (6 and above).

Best British schools by A-levels results

Source: The Times

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Study programs in UK schools

In addition to the traditional British GCSE and A-level, schools in England implement a number of educational programs with their own features.

International Baccalaureate in the UK

International Baccalaureate is an international high school program developed in Switzerland half a century ago. Like the A-level, it prepares students for university admission. The program is implemented all over the world in accordance with uniform standards, thanks to which the diploma is recognized by universities in England, the USA, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

IB in any country is often chosen by foreigners for whom their education is not enough to enter the desired university. However, in the case of Great Britain, there are also many Englishmen on this program. Often there are those who plan to enter not British, but European universities. Others see advantages in IB over A-level: a more interdisciplinary program or the ability to apply to several universities located in different countries at once.

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Best schools in the UK by IB results

Source: The Times

Foundation Year program in the UK

Foundation Year is designed for those who need to get additional language training and cover the academic gap before entering a British university. In most countries, such programs are offered by the universities themselves. In Britain, however, you can take them in schools, which will be a little cheaper.

As a rule, such programs have lower language requirements — approximately IELTS 4.5 versus 5.5 for A-level. Many schools also have partnership agreements with universities: students receive conditional admission during their studies, and in case of successful graduation, they immediately enter the corresponding university.

The curriculum includes one-year academic English courses for schoolchildren with a level of Intermediate or higher, a generalist preparatory section of subjects taught in English, and sometimes also specialized training for the specialty that student is planning admission for.

Unlike A-level or IB, the Foundation Year diploma is usually recognized only by UK universities.

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Schools with the Foundation Year program in the UK

Enrolling in a university after a secondary school in the UK

After graduating from high school in Britain, a student can enroll in any British university. Faculties often set specific requirements for A-Levels subjects. So, students choose a future specialization two years before graduation. It is worth checking the requirements in advance on the official websites of universities.

A-Levels and IB programs are also recognized by universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Europe. However, it is necessary to clarify whether there are additional conditions. For example, when entering American universities, you will still have to take the SAT exam (although due to the pandemic it became optional in most of them).

It is believed that when considering applications, British universities tend to look at the rating of the school that the applicant graduated from and that only graduates of elite independent schools with a high degree of selectivity can enter the top universities. However, this is a stereotype. For the admissions committee, it is only important that the applicant has good academic performance and what other achievements (scientific, social activities, projects, hobbies) they have.

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