UNIT 65: THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING

COMMUNITY
INTRODUCTION
This unit aims at giving a general overview of the educational system in the English-speaking
countries. In order to do so, the educational system in the United Kingdom will be
considered first. In chapter one the educational system in the UK will be considered from a
historical perspective in an attempt to bring light on the current educational system. Then a
comprehensive analysis of the different elements of the educational system in England ,
Wales , Northern Ireland and Scotland will be analysed. Primary, Secondary , Vocational
Training as well as Higher Education will be studied. Education in EIRE will also be considered
due to its relevance within the English Speaking countries. Finally, the educational system in
the United States will be scrutinized. .
1. The Education System in the United Kingdom.
In the United Kingdom, schooling is compulsory for all English children from the age of 5 to
16. The academic year in England runs from September to July and is divided into 3 terms:
Each term is divided by a one-week break called half term, usually at the end of October,
mid-February and the end of May. There are 2 parallel school systems in England, the state
sector and the private sector.
Schools in the state sector are financed by the government and administered through local
education authorities, although many schools now manage their own finances. No financial
contribution to a child’s education is required of parents. Broadly speaking, secondary
education (from age 11 onwards) is comprehensive i.e. schools accept children of all
academic levels, and are, in the main, co-educational.
However there are still some grammar schools which select only the more academically
gifted children on the basis of an examination and these tend to be single sex schools. All
schools in the state sector are day schools.
Schools in the private sector are known as independent or public schools. They rely for
finance solely on fees charged to parents. The majority are boarding schools, although there
are some independent day schools, particularly in the London area. Children live at school
during term time, only returning home at half term and during the main holidays.
However children may also spend one or two weekends per term at home - these weekend
breaks are called exeats. As children live at school, there is a wide range of extra-curricular
clubs and activities.
In education in the United Kingdom, a grammar school is a secondary school attended by
pupils aged 11 to 18 to which entry is controlled by means of an academically selective
process consisting, largely or exclusively, of a written examination. After leaving a grammar
school, as with any other secondary school, a student may go into further education at a
college or university.

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A public school, in common British usage, is a school which is usually prestigious and
historic, which charges fees, does not arbitrarily restrict admissions, and is financed by
bodies other than the state, commonly as a private charitable trust. Often but not always
they are boarding schools. Confusingly to a non-native English speaker a public school is
actually a private school!
Many of the independent schools in the UK do not refer to themselves as public schools.
Many choose to use the term independent school.
Today most public schools are highly selective on academic grounds, as well as financial
grounds (ability to pay high fees) and social grounds (often a family connection to the school
is very desirable in admission).
2. Primary education.
Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that
occurs during childhood.
Typically, primary education is provided in schools, where the child will stay, in steadily
advancing classes, until they complete it and move on to secondary schooling.
The major goals of primary education are achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all
their students, as well as establishing foundations in science, geography, history and other
social sciences. The relative priority of various areas, and the methods used to teach them,
are an area of considerable political debate.
3. Secondary education.
Secondary education, or secondary school, is a period of education which follows directly
after primary education such as intermediate school or elementary school and which may be
followed by tertiary or «post-secondary» education. The purpose of a secondary education
can be to prepare for either higher education or vocational training. . Secondary education
occurs mainly during the teenage years. Primary and secondary education together are
sometimes (in particular, in Canada and the United States) referred to as «K-12» education,
(K is for kindergarten, 12 is for twelfth grade).
4. The National Curriculum.
The National Curriculum is set by the government and must be followed in all state schools.
Most private schools follow the National Curriculum, but they have more flexibility in the
number of subjects on offer. The National Curriculum is made up of the following subjects:
English, Design & Technology, Geography, Maths, Information Technology, Music Science,
Art, Physical Education and History.
Northern Ireland follows a similar framework; however, schools can develop additional
curriculum elements to express their particular ethos and meet pupils’ individual needs and
circumstances. The curriculum also includes the Irish language in Irish-speaking schools.
After five years of secondary education, students take examinations in a range of subjects at
the level of General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).

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The GCSE is a single-subject examination set and marked by independent examination
boards. Students usually take up to ten (there is no upper or lower limit) GCSE examinations
in different subjects, including mathematics and English language. After taking GCSEs,
students may leave secondary schooling; alternatively, they may choose to continue their
education at vocational or technical colleges, or they may take a higher level of secondary
school examinations known as ASLevels after an additional year of study. Following two
years of study, students may take A-Level (short for Advanced Level) examinations, which are
required for university entrance in the UK.
Approximately 1.8 million students are currently enrolled in the UK higher education system;
about one third of young people go on to higher education at age 18 (with almost 50% of
students in Scotland), and an increasing number of «mature» students are studying either
full-time or part-time for university degrees. Higher education is a current policy priority for
the government, with a target set to attract 50% of 18- to 30-year-olds to higher education
by 2010.
5. The Education System in Ireland.
The language of instruction depends on whether the school lies in an Irish (Gaeltacht) or
English-speaking district or provides Irish medium education in an almost predominantly
English-speaking community.
Irish schools at the first and second level are, by and large, privately owned but State
funded. While the schools remain in private ownership (largely owned by religious
communities) and are locally managed (largely by representatives’ boards of management),
teacher’s salaries and capital/ operational costs are almost entirely met by the State.
While compulsory schooling doesn’t begin until children are 6 years old, almost half (49%) of
4 year olds and all 5 year olds are enrolled in infant classes in primary schools. The state also
provides funding for other early childhood education provision, including targeted
interventions such as Early Start for children in areas of socio-economic disadvantage.
When pupils complete primary education (at the age of 12), they are admitted to the junior
cycle of secondary level schooling. Parents may choose the school. Schooling is free except
in privately funded schools.
The Primary School Curriculum (1999) comprises seven curriculum areas: Language (Irish,
English); Mathematics; Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (history,
geography,science); Arts Education (visual arts, music and drama); Physical Education; Social,
Personal andHealth Education (SPHE) and Religious Education. It is an integrated curriculum
and promotes the child as an active agent in his/her learning.
Compulsory schooling ends at 16 years of age. There is no formal examination at the end of
primary education.
6. The Education System in Scotland.
Education in Scotland differs from the system used elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Basically, there are two systems: one covering England, Wales or Northern Ireland and one

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covering Scotland. The two education systems have different emphases. Traditionally, the
English, Welsh and Northern Irish system has emphasized depth of education whereas the
Scottish system has emphasized breadth. Thus English, Welsh and Northern Irish students
tend to sit a small number of more advanced examinations and Scottish students tend to sit
a larger number of less advanced examinations.
In conclusion, what makes the education system in the UK so popular? The UK has grown to
become one of the top destinations to study around the world. With over 330,000
international students during the 2005/2006 school year, the UK is the second most popular
destination for international students behind the US: The degrees and qualifications from UK
higher education institutions are known around the world: Oxford and Cambridge. In
2005/2006 approximately 57.3% of the population in the United Kingdom (including
Scotland) aged between 0 and 29 were in education. With such a superior system its
popularity continues to grow
In order to develop this essay, the following bibliography has been used:

1. JONES, K. Education in Britain 1944 to the present. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2003.
2. MATHESON, D. An Introduction to the Study of Education. London: David Fulton
Publish, 2004.
3. PHILLIP, D. The Education Systems of the United Kingdom. Oxford: Symposium Books,
2000.