In this Tag Archive you can find all of the articles on our site related to the UK School System: and the parts it is made up of.
The UK School System covers about 13 – 15 years of schooling. Most children start a form of schooling at Nursery level, by the age of 3. From Nursery to Reception usually involves starting in a more formalised schooling system. Then the real choices are made. Some parents make use of state-funded schooling for the first few years, while others choose only independent schools. Some parents only use state-funded schools. Parents also have various options. Firstly, primary school, pre-preparatory school or preparatory school, followed by secondary school, sixth form or college.
State-funded schools have to abide by the National Curriculum and other statutory requirements. Independent schools have much more freedom. We try and provide a balanced view of the UK School System through our articles in this archive. With a clear focus on private school and grammar school entrance, these systems might be highlighted slightly more.
Have you ever imagined what it must be like to be sent away to boarding school in a different country? Coping with being away from childhood friends. Separated from family. Perhaps speaking and learning in a new language? Really tough, without a doubt. Yet parents from all over the world consider a UK independent boarding…
Home learning /Home schooling Montessori are not new concepts. Many parents opt for this even when the schools are open. There are also various approaches to this. Parents that choose to home educate are usually not fond of the term homeschooling. Parents that home educate do so for different reasons. You may in fact elect…
Murray Morrison is the creator of Tassomai, an online learning platform that embeds knowledge and helps children prepare for exams like the 11+ and 13+. Murray explains how regular retrieval practice through platforms like Tassomai builds solid foundations and ensures students go into their entrance exams confident and ready to get their best possible results.…
Tutoring is a profession now with its own Association. The Tutors’ Association, which is an open, democratic, not-for-profit, professional body. It: Has a membership of highly qualified professionals. From various fields of academia, teaching and other vocations. Sets standards Holds its members accountable to a code of professional ethics. The best tutors care about their…
We have survived a few months of having the children at home. We’ve been working and getting used to this ‘How to Home School’ concept. Many are moving away from the structured approach while others swear by a minute by minute schedule. Whatever works for you. One thing I’m sure we all learnt is that…
I watched a film once where the main character was completely ambidextrous. He could write a poem with one hand while drawing a picture with the other. How I would have loved to have a skill like that. So why is it that teachers push kids to choose a dominant hand? Why is one-handed dominance…
Designing School Grounds to assist Learning and Teaching School grounds can provide an enormously valuable resource for learning and teaching – for any subject, at short notice and for little or no cost. So it’s vitally important that their capacity to support curriculum delivery and opportunities for learning through play are considered in their design.…
Common Entrance Pass Mark Typically, the average pass mark is between 55 – 60%. Although there are difficulty levels. The standard of work for Common Entrance in most subjects is in advance of a student’s academic age. Some subjects, such as English, involve working at GCSE level. What is the Common Entrance exam? Firstly, it’s not…
When do school open days take place and what do I look for at school open days are answered in the blog below. School Open Days Is your child starting secondary school next September? As you know, applications for secondary schools for September 2020 start is 31 October 2019. Therefore, open days are usually held…
There is a new ‘no fees schools’ scheme to promote access to London’s independent school sector amongst those who cannot afford to pay termly fees. No Fees Schools Listed below are all the no fees schools in alphabetical order. You you find no fees schools admission policies and how to arrange your fee assistance. Alleyn’s School…
How will Brexit affect British school children? It isn’t just adults who are affected by protracted Brexit negotiations. Children are too. Some are under the impression there is no longer any point learning a language. Others are simply worried that Europeans will no longer like them. According to a recent report from the British Council,…
Welcome to our Boarding Schools Guide, including the new low-cost private schools being introduced. Most people experience school through the eyes of a day scholar. However, there are cases where it’s viable to send a child to live at school as a boarder. A residential school where students live as well as study during the…
International Baccalaureate Results Day 2019 5th July — International Baccalaureate (IB) Results Day. A very exciting and inspiring day. Passing your IB Diploma is a fantastic achievement, one you should be immensely proud of, but what actually happens on Results Day itself and what options do you have? IB results are issued on 5 July…
It’s not just exam results that will get your son or daughter set for career success. If all that your child leaves school, university or an apprenticeship with is grades, they may have a very difficult time in the job market. Start setting your child up for success now Even if your son or daughter…
The focus of this page is What are the new GCSE pass marks? Introduction to the new GCSE pass marks? You may be used to the GCSE pass grade being a ‘C’. However, the new GCSE pass grade is a GCSE Grade 4. Thus, GCSE Grade 7 approximates to the ‘old school’ GCSE grade ‘A’. The…
Firstly, we discuss last year’s 11 plus exam tips. Our premium ISEB 11 Plus practice tests and CEM 11 Plus Pretest Plus. Secondly, we have a look at the different types of 11 Plus tests independent schools use for school entrance. The different exam boards, where you still find 11 Plus and content covered by each.…
With the upcoming exam times, the following primary school league tables might give you a good indication of which schools are performing. If you are looking for a good primary school so your child is prepared for a place in a good secondary school It’s not so easy choosing the right primary school for your…
Our latest Pupil Pulpit guest blog comes from Eve, aged 14, who relates her recent personal experiences of selecting her GCSE Options. PUPIL PULPIT – Eve’s GCSE Options Recently I made my options decision for GCSE. The choices or amount of freedom varies from school to school but I had to choose between history and geography,…
Our Which School Guides are designed to help with some of the main school entrance dilemmas that many parents face. Go Private? or Grammar School? Which Sixth Form? Should they spend the money and send their child to a Private School? Or is going down the Grammar School route a better option? Our Which School Guides…
Want to get your child into a top secondary school? One way of doing it is to get them a place at a top London ‘prep’ school first. As the name suggests, prep schools prepare children for private secondary education. Usually, these independent schools take children from the ages of eight to 13 when they…
What Are Montessori Schools? If you’ve been searching for a nursery for your child, you may have come across the term Montessori School. But what does that mean, exactly? These schools follow an educational movement developed by the Italian doctor and educator, Maria Montessori, in the early twentieth century. Dr Montessori’s educational philosophy is based…
Everyone knows education is one of the most valued things in our culture; it shapes young minds that take us into our terrifying future. Children starting school in September 2019 won’t be retiring until around 2090. We children have to be taught how to survive in the world in 30 years. Yet we don’t know…
As private schools make offers to students, we look at the most prestigious private schools in the UK Getting into the most prestigious private schools Over the coming weeks, you will find out whether your child has been successful in getting into his or her private school of choice. Fingers crossed you get the one…
There are many private schools, independent school and public school differences. Public school differences A private school is a school that is not financed by the State but by school fees paid by parents. Private schools can catertor any age group and there is a considerable range in the size of the fees they charge.…
How best to follow a school appeals process if you don’t get the school place you wanted. Managing School Appeals You’ve just handed in your secondary school application form. Now the patient waits to find out if your child has got into the school of their choice. But what do you do if he or…
The Sunday Times Parent Power league tables 2019 make a fascinating read for anyone looking at which secondary schools to send their children to. This year’s results reveal that state schools are starting to close the gap in the independent sector. Below we have a closer look at these results and what they mean. Sunday…
The top Private Girls Schools in London offer an excellent academic education. Living in London, or relocating here? Many education experts believe that girls’ only education is best for girls. This will, of course, depend on your daughter and the best environment for her. To help with your choice, see five of our top picks below: Central…
Children are missing out on their chosen schools with many oversubscribed schools, especially in big cities. However, the situation varies considerably across the UK. We look at some of the areas where demand is outstripping supply. Top selective schools Getting your child into their chosen school is getting more difficult than ever. According to figures…
We want the best education for our children; we want them to reach their full potential and to remain healthy in mind and body in the process. What’s the best education for my children? Private or grammar school education? We cannot predict where their journey will take them or when their talents may begin to…
Welcome to our study guides. We start with our introduction to T Levels. What are T Levels? How are T Levels subjects explained? Our ‘T Levels explained’ blog gives all the details you need on these new technical qualifications. They are designed as two-year courses to offer young people aged 16 to 18 a technical…