Question for British/Irish

[gooseberry]

Do you have homecoming? I know we have it here in America.

 

[Rowena]

Or...I've not seen the "prefect" system in a school setting, the word "prefect" itself is a little foreign. Could you please explain that whole idea to me?

 

[mark&sue]

Can you tell me what "homecoming" is?

Perhaps we have and is it called something else!!!



Susan

 

[catherine]

No we don't have homecoming in the UK. I know in this area the only thing that the high schools do when the pupils graduate (at 16) is a Prom and I'm not sure that all high schools do that!

 

[golfgal]

Homecoming is a celebration that the high schools and most universities have, usually in the fall centered around a football game. It is a time that encourages alumni/a of a school to return to their schools and reconnect with friends. At the high school level there are usually special events through out homecoming week, usually a coronation of a homecoming "queen" and "king". Many schools will have a parade, a dance and other activities.

 

[Goofyish]

We don't have anything like a 'homecoming' event in the UK. Some schools may have a class or year 'reunion'. But they would be locally organised events on a small scale.

Our education system is quite different to the American system. We don't have 'high schools' and 'colleges' in the same format as you do. We don't have a 'graduation' either until you get a degree in univesity.

The UK education system is organised like this, (may be some local differences, like in Scotland):

under 4: Nursery School
5 - 6: Infant School
(some infant schools have a 'rising 5s' class for children under 5)
7 - 10: Junior School
(You can get combined infant and junior schools called primary schools)
11-13: Secondary School
14-16: College or Upper School

At 16 you take 'GCSE' exams. You can then either leave school and get a job or apprenticeship, stay on at school to take 'A' level exams (you need 'A' levels to get into university), leave school and do nothing (dropping out!), or go to a further education college to study a profession or skill (i.e. hair dressing and beauty, plumbing, building etc.)

19-xx: University