The School System in England

[* عبد الجليل *]

The School System in England


Preliminary glossary

LEA

Local Education Authority
Part of the local government structure, the LEA provides services, advice and guidance to schools and funds the Special Needs provision for individual pupils.

Primary Schools

A School for children aged 5 to 11 years, a combined Junior and Infant school.

Junior/Infant (J.I.)

Another name for a Primary School.


Infant School
A school for children aged 5 to 7 years.


Junior School
A school for children aged 7 to 11 years.

Secondary School

A school for children aged 11 to 16 years. Some secondary schools have a sixth form, children can stay on until they are 18. Also known as Comprehensive Schools.

Sixt Form College

A Further Education Institution which provided education to GCE Advanced Level. Students enter Sixth Form Colleges from schools without a sixth form.


The school system in England
Present day schooling in England is governed by Acts of Parliament, the most important being the 1944 Education Act, the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Education Act 1993.

93% of children are educated in State Schools where education is free, money is provided by Central Government and Local Education Authorities (LEA's). 7% of children are educated in independent or private schools. (These are known as public schools!) Parents pay for their children's education at these schools.

Schools attendance is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16 years.
Before the age of 5 and after 16 years, education is not compulsory, but is still free until the children reach the age of 18.

Stages of the School Education System

Under 5 years
This can vary according to the LEA.
Some LEAs provide free nursery education for children ages 3. (Parents can pay private nurseries who provide play groups for children even younger – like kindergarten.)

5 – 16 years
All children must start school at 5. In most LEAs, children aged 5 to 11 years attend Primary Schools; children aged 11 – 16 years attend Secondary Schools. All children in state schools follow the National Curriculum as defined by the Government (Parliament).

16 – 18 Years
Post-compulsory education is normally provided by secondary schools with 'Sixth' forms or Further Education Colleges.

Post 18 Years
Outside the school system, after the age of 18 students attend Universities or Colleges of Higher Education. Students have to pay fees. Financial assistance is available for low-income families.


The National Curriculum

Established by the Education Reform Act 1988, this document was revised in 1995 and 2000, and defines the Curriculum, which must be taught in state schools. The period of compulsory education is divided into 4 key stages (KS):

KS1 5 – 7 year olds
KS2 7 – 11 year olds
KS3 11 – 14 year olds
KS4 14 – 16 year olds

At KS1 and 2
Children study English, Mathematics, Science, Information Technology, History, Geography, Art, Music and Physical Education (PE), citizenship.

At KS3
Children study the same subjects as at KS1 and " plus a modern foreign ******** and citizenship.

At KS 4
Children study English, Mathematics, Science, PE, Information Technology. Additionally, other subjects may be studies from choice.

State schools are also required to provide religious education and (in secondary schools) sex education.

Assessment and Examinations

At the end of every Key Stage, children are assessed:
7 year old children assessed in English and Maths
11 year old children assessed in English, Maths and Science
14 year old children assessed in English, Maths and Science
16 year old children sit examinations – GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) in all subjects studied.

For children who choose to remain at school after 16, most study 3 or 4 subjects of their own choice at Advance Level (GCE – 'A' Level). This is usually a 2 year course and success in these examinations lead to a place at University or College of Higher Education.

Special Education Needs (SEN)

This term is used to describe all kinds of learning disability – Sensory Impairment (visual, hearing), physical disability, mental and psychological disorder or simply the need for extra help to enable children to learn. SEN also includes those gifted or particularly able children who need special provision to allow them to progress at a faster rate than the average child.

About 20% of pupils have a Special Educational Need at some point during their compulsory schooling; this may simply be the need for some extra support in one (or more) area(s) of the curriculum.

About 2% of children have needs that cannot reasonably be provided within the resources normally available to a mainstream school and, following an assessment process, will have a forma; statement of Special Educational Needs from their LEA. The statement sets out the pupil's needs and the extra help that he or she will receive. This help is provided by and paid for by the LEA.

Children with SEN – including those with Statements – should as far as possible, be educated in ordinary (mainstream) schools alongside children of the same age.

Every school has a teacher who is the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). It is the responsibility of this teacher to identify children with special needs within the school. A plan of action is drawn up according to the 'Code of Practice on the identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs'. Children are given Individual Education Plans (IEPs); these set targets for the individual child and these targets are monitored and reviewed every half term.

In most mainstream schools, the SENCO will deal with children who have difficulties with reading or mathematics, and / or children who have behaviour difficulties.

Some mainstream schools have special units attached to them. These units, called Resource Centres, deal with specific difficulties, for example visual impairment or physical disability. The children attending these schools will have most of the education in the classroom alongside their able-bodied peers but will also spend some time in the Resource Centre. Specially trained teachers support the learning of these children, some schools also have Pupil Referral Units whose function is to address the needs of pupils with behavioural difficulties.

For some children, education in a mainstream school is not appropriate. Children with severe mental or psychological disorders, children with extreme physical disabilities or sensory disabilities (deaf/blind) may be educated in a Special School. In such schools the National Curriculum is followed as far as possible but may be disapplied. Specially trained teachers support the learning of these children.

[sami simpson]

جزآأإأآك الله كل خير

[manet94]

جزآأإأآك الله كل خير

[* عبد الجليل *]

شكرااا لكم اخوتي الاعزاء

[sacha sousou]

جزآأإأآك الله كل خير