Please explain the English school system?

Question

My friends keep talking about all these different schools and I dont understand what the difference is. Like Grammer, Comprehensive, Public, Private and god knows what else. I went to a Roman Catholic school so I know that one lol. If someone can tell me how they are all different that would be great.

you've all been very helpful I think i understand it all now. One thing though is Comprehensive like the normal average school that most people go to? No test to get in no fees paid school.

Answer 1

Until the 1960s, there was a Grammar school system. Children took the 11 Plus exam at 11, and were segregated on the basis of that into Grammar schools (for the top, academic ones - they did the academic subjects) and Secondary Moderns (for the less able and less academic children. They covered far more vocational training.)

Then, sometime in the 1960s I think it was, they introduced the Comprehensive system to replace the old one. The idea was just that - that it would be comprehensive and include everyone. So a comprehensive school takes all children, academic, bright, or not. Some counties, however, carried on with the 11+ and the grammar schools/secondary moderns. I don't think there are many of these left, but there are some.

That is for the main national system. As an addition to that, there are the fee-paying schools, which can do more or less what they want. Something that confuses many non-Brits is that these can be called private schools AND public schools. The two terms mean exactly the same thing: fee paying, and can accept/reject pupils based on entrance criteria of their own choice. They are not part of the free, national, comprehensive system. Most religious schools fall into this category.

Schools that aren't private/public are run by Local Education Authorities - ie the education departments of the local councils. They're bound by rules set down by national government, but they do have some scope for variety. For example, most LEAs have primary schools from Year 1-Year 6, then secondary schools for Year 7-Year 13; there are some, though, that have Primary, Middle and Upper schools - they're the same, they just break the years into different groups, so that there is a smaller age range in each school. They tend to be down south, and over in East Anglia.

Answer 2

hey Grammar schools are selective secondary schools in which you have to take an exam when you are about 11 years old to get into and are most commonly single sexed. i should know because i go to an all girls grammar at the moment and know of a lot of other grammars. Comprehensive schools are secondary state schools in which you do not need to take any exam to get into..most children can automatically transfer from primary school to the comprehensive high schools.

A common misunderstanding is that people who are 'less brainy' go to comprehensives and people who are 'brainy' go to grammar schools...this is Not True...there are many people who are brainy that go to comprehensives just as there are that go to grammar.

Public schools (i think) are high schools in which you pay a very large amount each term ...such as Eton and generally many of celebrities and royal children tend to attend those.

Private schools are not run by the government (i think) but these are schools in which you pay each term to attend also.

i hope this helps! =)

Answer 3

comprehensive are generally state schools which take kids of all abilities. eg state also being local authority run. grammar schools are also state schools but are fizzling out now. they select pupils by way of an 11+ exam. private school is a fee paying school independent from local authorities and have own board of governors etc like eton. public schools prob similar to private but may have local a. involvement or similar somewhere.

Answer 4

In the 50s you began at infants,then primary ,then at 11years old.
there used to be an exam called the 11+.If you passed you went to a grammar school,if you failed to a secondary school.
This system worked very well until some bright (not) spark thought about an amalgamation of both ..called comprehensives.
This was the start of the downward spiral,mixed-ability teaching came in and setting and streaming got phased out...result...'vees kids naadays who cant wright proply or nuffink.'

Answer 5

When i was there . You start school at 4\5
You attend a PRIMARY School or ELEMENTARY same thing.
When you reach 11/12 yrs you are ready to switch schools and move up to SECONDARY school
Now then. If at that age you see yourself shaking hands with Bill Gates when you get older. You can be tested. If you show a little intelligence you may be University material which means your education should continue at a higher level with hopes of going to a University at the age of 18.
If you are MALE ----------- go to GRAMMAR school (all guys)
if you are FEMALE--------- go to HIGH School (all Girls)
If you are not particular about education and find that going to school is worse than hell. You got to Public / Comprehensive / Secondary School. This continues until you are 16 years old then GET A JOB

Answer 6

grammar school is a school that chidren used to be able to go if they acheived a very high grade at primary school.
comprhensive school is where children went who got a lesser grade, then secondary school was where they went if they got a lower grade

Answer 7

Don't mean to be rude, but it is a load of b***ocks. Really needs to be sorted out.