h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Public Transport Services. Don't get me started on that on this forum, It needs a forum unto itself.

Are you suggesting that everybody should travel by bus so that the public transport system improves and that everybody should use comprehensive schools so that the state school system improves? Very idealistic, but in practice my children do not have enough time to wait until the school system is sorted out.
Regarding the 'rabble' comment, it does not matter where I live as there are undesirable elements in every community. Do you deny this or are you one of those that believe the Stephen Lawrence killers were just a nice bunch of lads having some fun? I am not saying that you do not get undesirables in private schools too but what you do get is a level of discipline and control that can minimise the effect such undesirables have on other pupils. I was in no way suggesting that all of the pupils of state schools are rabble. Sorry that you took offence.

I think that a few sweeping statements have been made here, not all state schools are crap, and not all private schools offer fantastic education. I was lucky enough to go to a very good state school. i came away with straight A's at A-level, and was far from being the brightest in my year. the school didn't have great facilities, i think we had about 4 PC's in the whiole school, and i only left three years ago, we had some crap teachers and some very good ones. In contrast, a few of the local private schools were shit (namely princess Helena's and Sherswood (or sommit!)), and the chairman of the board of govenours of the latter actually asked me personally if i would consider moving to their school, all fees paid. i said no, and stuck to my state school, where i got a far better education, and have no regrets. (even if i can't spell or type very well!)

I didn't learn much about computers at my private school because we had one Commodore Pet between 20 of us (at least). There were some good state schools in Coventry; I think Sydney Stringer was one. But the state school I would have gone to (President Kennedy) had an appalling academic record and the children who went there were widely regarded as hooligans.

I agree that not all private schools have a good academic record, though, and some turn out children that are hooligans with a posh accent. But I think that I said that in one of my replies. If not, I certainly intended to!

Augh!
(pant, gasp, wheeeeeze)
Damn, but I had no idea what a can of worms I was opening when I asked about the British school system!
Yipes!
I had a faint moment of understanding there after the first post but it's gone now. I think next time I'll ask something simpler like, can you explain your monetary system, including all slang terms for your coinage. Or maybe the rules for cricket!
If I can take anything from all the replies it's that you are as concerned about the state of education in your country as I am in mine.
Hey! Maybe you could explain your health care system now!

I have a lot of (American) friends I have tried explaining this to and I think that you really need a summary.

The British school system is a system that is constantly changing, being messed with by the government.
I will explain the English/Welsh system - as Scotland is different & I don't know anything about Northern Ireland.

PRIMARY education = PRIMARY school is seven years of school for 4-11 year olds
SECONDARY education = SECONDARY or SENIOR school is 7 years of school for 11-18 year olds - but can have loads of different names.
There is also SIXTH FORM which is the last 2 years of secondary schools and can be part of a 7 year secondary school or a separate 2 year sixth form college.

TERTIARY/FURTHER/HIGHER education = COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY/POLYTECHNIC

Education is compulsory from 5 to 16, which means that people don't have to stay for sixth form if they don't want to.

The two main divisions for types of schooling primary or secondary are:
STATE school, which anyone can attend and for which the government pays
PRIVATE school for which parents pay (a lot)
These two types apply all the way up, from 5 to 18.

STATE PRIMARY schools are typically called PRIMARY schools
PRIVATE ones are often called PREPARATORY schools and may be attached to a private or public senior school.

From age 11, divisions due to exams and purposes come in
COMPREHENSIVE school is STATE school to which anyone can go
GRAMMAR school is a STATE school with EXAM entry - pupils take exams at age 11, these have been called the "Eleven-plus" and these schools are for people who are more academically inclined.
PUBLIC school is like a PRIVATE GRAMMAR - EXAM entry with parents paying. Some pupils could get "assisted places" assisted by the government where there was no local GRAMMAR school. These schools were traditionally public funded i.e. by donations from rich people, assistance by the government and contributions from the parents. The government however is no longer giving assisted places and some public schools are now calling themselves PRIVATE. Another name commonly used is INDEPENDENT which means independent of government funding, not independent of the national curriculum. Public schools have names like "townname" HIGH school or "countyname/Saints Name" College.
PRIVATE senior schools are where parents pay for the schooling but may not have exam entry. This allows for parents who have the money who want what they think is better or more appropriate education for their children. In some cases it may be that the children can't pass the public school exams or that the parents don't think that exams at 11 is a good idea for their children or they want a particular type of education that is not otherwise available.

Cryptic was right about the school year numbering, which has recently come in, but different schools have different names and a lot of people stick to the old system unless they are actually involved in primary/secondary education currently and know what's going on.

New System Age
Primary School
Year 1 5 - 6 yr olds
Year 2 6 - 7 yr olds
Year 3 7 - 8 yr olds
Year 4 8 - 9 yr olds
Year 5 9 - 10 yr olds
Year 6 10 - 11 yr olds
Secondary School
Year 7 11-12 yr olds 1st year
Year 8 12-13 yr olds 2nd year
Year 9 13-14 yr olds 3rd year
Year 10 14-15 yr olds 4th year
Year 11 15-16 yr olds 5th year
Year 12 16-17 yr old Lower Sixth
Year 13 17-18 yr olds Upper Sixth

Years 10 & 11 are spent studying for GCSE's General Certificate of Secondary Education. People take between 7 and 13 of these and can get up to grade A* (A-star) which is kind of better than A. The sixth form is spent studying for A-levels (advanced) and AS-levels (advanced supplementary or half-A-levels). Grades at A-level count as points towards getting into university and pupils may be required to get minimum grades to get into a Uni. or may be asked for a number of points. A=10, B=8, C=6, D=4 & E=2 (AS: A=5, B=4 etc). People do from 3 to 5 A levels (or take off 1 A level and add 2 AS).

Sorry about the length of this, but I think you've guessed by now - British schooling is complicated.

Just one minor correction. Higher education is NOT the same as further education. Higher education is what you get between 11-16 (or 11-18 if you do 'A' levels). Further education is what you do after you have left school.

Hope this has left the original questioner confused again!

Can I just butt in here to say that "higher education" in the US would refer to anything you did after age 18. Actually, that's probably not right either. It really refers to college or university; going to a trade school I don't think would be considered higher education. Everything before that is primary education (through approx age 13-14) and secondary education (high school). The current term for everything after high school is simply "post-secondary education".

I say, the worst bits of the differences in English are when the same words mean different things. (Like pants. Heehee. )

I think this is the best description so far. Why don't you submit it as a guide entry?

I do understand a bit about your systems of education... but why make it so confusing? By the way... the idea of renaming all colleges/polytechnics/places-to-learn-(un)interesting-things to universities is a wonderful idea! Perhaps we could do the same in Sweden?

Just to confuse things further in your mind (if nobody else has written this) I went to Infant then Middle and then Comprehensive school and the years were 1-4 in the first two and 2 to 5 in the last one, rather than primary and secondary. Plus of course there was the sixth form (lower and upper). Then Univeristy (first degree) and then more University (second degree) because I couldn't be doin' with getting a 'proper' job.

If you want to do a doctorate course then it's two years minimum full time study having either got a 1st class or 2.I bachelors degree (3yrs min full time study) or after having got a pass for a Masters degree (Min 1yrs full time study) having first completed your bachelors. The Dr. bit (as I understand it) is quicker than in America. However, you get to be a professor after about lunchtime on your first day as a Dr.; whereas we have to wait until we have become fossilised.

I hope this has clarified things.

Sorry that last one should have been about the English school system - DOH!

Right. What precisely are the criteria for becoming a professor (in Britain) apart from the ability to profess on your chosen subject?
Who has the power to create professors? Is it the level above professor (is there is one) or merely a committee of professors, whose combined power is greater?

As far as I am aware the Prof thing is awarded by all the high ups in a department getting together and deciding it should be awarded.

Why should one be awarded??

Not that cynicism comes naturally to me, but, as far as I can see prof'ships usually get awarded in order to retain the services of someone useful. Therefore the qualifications are 1) to be attractive to competing institutions (and this usually arises because of) 2) to be getting some big research grants in.

Right. This'll be one of those bringing-glory-to-the-institution types of thing. I thought that maybe a professorship was given in exchange for three doctorates, twenty years' service and the tendency to act like a t**t when speaking to undergraduates.

Dear Researcher 6.14.86 I'll start a new conversation to you about our health care system

After all this talk about the A-levels, can someone please explain to me what the O-levels are?

'O' Levels were 'Ordinairy' levels and were the predecessor of GCSEs. It used to be that at age 16 (end of compulsory education) children would take either 'O' Levels or CSEs (Certificate of Secondary Education). If I remember right a CSE was regarded as a grade 'C' O Level (I think) and they were always regarded as a second class qualification. It was then decided to merge O Levels and CSEs into a single qualification that all pupils would take called GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) so 'O' Levels don't exist any more. I hope that clarifies things.

Yes, it does. Thanks.

i'd like to quietly point out (again), that, in the uk, school is NOT COMPULSARY.

not ever.

this seems to be a little known fact that They don't want to tell you. more people should be aware of this. education IS compulsary, but parents are under NO LEGAL OBLIGATION to send their kids to school. registering at a school + then not attending is frowned upon, but not registering + not going is legal. education welfare agencies may hassle, but as long as the child is reaching the pathetic basic standards in this country, They can't actually legally do anything. my favourite 8 year old has (by his own informed choice) missed 8 out of the last 18 months of school (meanwhile learning a hell of a lot more interesting, useful, practical stuff), he started back 6 weeks ago, (his choice too, he enjoys the social aspect), is still 2 years ahead of the national average standard for his age, + is getting hassle for being restless when he's finished his 'work' too quickly. school say they need to assess him properly before they consider moving him up a year but meanwhile he gets jaded + a reputation for being a troublemaker. and it's not like he's a genius or anything, just a bit bright.
sorry for the rant, but this is something i feel strongly about.