What age school starts

[Lunchlady]

Again I need help from the UK community. A lady I know says that children start school at age 4 and graduate at 16 in England. I would like to know if this is true or not. She said they go on to college at 16. Is the school system that different there? Thanks everyone.

 

[mark&sue]

Yes they start in the year they are 4 but this could be nearly 5.

Also currently you can leave school at 16 but not until you have taken exams in June. This is due to change apparently in 2013 when the school leaving age is due to be raised to 18.

Both my DH and I left school at 16 and have very good jobs now so it didn't hurt us!!! But I guess we are "old" and the world has changed so everybody tells us.


Susan

 

[Claire L]

Yes a child starts school the year they turn 5 so if 4 in August start in the September as that is the school year they turn 5. The school year is September 1st to August 31st. At the moment you can legally leave school at the end of the term you turn 16 so born September can leave December. Most kids stay on for their exams and some then go onto college for furterh academic subjects or more vocational courses. The government announced today from 2015 minimum school keaving age is to be 18 and if you leave before will commit an offence and be fined etc!

Claire

 

[wifey]

Our DS started school with nursery age 3yrs 1 month on afternoons by the time he was 4 he was going to school full time and has made great progress. He's now 7 (year 2) (and very bright) and if our government gets it's way he'll be there until he's 18 minimum, along with millions of other kids.They are also discussing changing the school days up here so that the school day is longer
Yes at the moment they can leave as soon as they have taken their final exams in the last school year when they turn 16 (year 11) but they do have the option of further education. We don't really "do" graduation here until they finish university.

 

[wayneg]

They are also discussing changing the school days up here so that the school day is longer

Does this mean you don't agree with extending the school day?
I have wanted this ever since I was at school 25 years ago, for the same reason I want it now for my DS.
I have one of the brightest kids in the school aged 12, top of everything and a member of National Acadamy for Gifted an Talented Youths BUT he his lazy(just like watching me 25 years ago)
There are too many distractions at home for homework, it is a constant battle with him to do it. Why not extend the school day by 1 hour and no homework? Yes it would cost more for teachers but I am sure the grades would improve no end.
I am also against compulsory education until 18, both myself and My brother left at 16 and both very sucessful businesses built from nothing. Staying on another 2 years who knows where my life would have led.

 

[Chilly]

In America I believe you got straight from high school to university, in the UK you to to high school until year 11 (Junior year in USA?), then years 12 & 13 are optional, it is then after this that you go to university, so I think we start uni one year later than America. This is just the most common route though, other options are available.

 

[CHEK]

I also agree that the school day should be made longer once the children reach Secondary School, what preparation is it for them once they start work, they won't finish their working day at 3.30pm!!, the schools seem to finish earlier than when I went to school, and that wasn't too long ago

 

[Claire L]

so I think we start uni one year later than America. This is just the most common route though, other options are available.

No both UK and US generally start Uni in the year they turn 19, unless of course they are gifted and enter early or drop a year and enter later.

Claire

 

[Chilly]

No both UK and US generally start Uni in the year they turn 19, unless of course they are gifted and enter early or drop a year and enter later.

Claire

Oh I thought they entered in the year they turned 18. I thought they did an extra High School year and an extra Uni year meaning they gratuated uni the same year as we did as we have the extra 2 years doing A-Levels.

Its funny how you think you know something and it turns out to be wrong and you wonder were you got it from in the first place.

 

[wicket2005]

Up here (North East) the kids start school in the term that they reach 4, prior to this they attend school nursery from 3 year's old for half a day every day. Official schooling ends at 16 when the kids have the choice of going onto further education for two years, followed by university at 18 for 3 to 4 years.

Education is provided by the government till they are 18, then they have to pay to go to university.

 

[Claire L]

This is a useful chart to comapre ages and stages of schooling.

Claire

 

[Chilly]

AH I see were I was going wrong, Our 1 is USA Kindergarden, thanks other Claire

 

[Minnie_Boo]

I think the age they start school is around 4 or 5. I think I was 4 when I started. I'll have to confirm that with my mum, but im pretty sure I was and im currently 16 and im in college. Ive been in college since last september. Im 17 In August. I have another year in college and then when im 18 I hopefully will go to Uni. I know the age is supposed to change to 18 before leaving high school.

 

[poohmadmum]

My dd's school decided the students work better in the mornings and they now start school at 8.30 am in the morning and have lunch at 1.05 pm with just one break in the morning at 10.50 am for 15 mins. However, it's odd because they return from lunch at 1.45 pm and end the day at 3.00 pm.
However, since they finish at 3.00 pm the school runs after hours clubs most nights which the students enjoy until 4.00 pm or 5.00 pm - some academic and some sports.

 

[wifey]

I have no problem with kids having a longer school day if they are not getting good grades or are failing to grasp the material.
We are very lucky DS is top of his year but the staff will not allow him to advance further because then the rest of his class will be left behind .
We realise it can be difficult for the staff to cope with 3 or 4 groups within a class all at different levels of learning but it often means that the top groups get ignored and bored silly. We had to see the headmaster just to get more advanced reading books for him, it took a couple of weeks to assess his reading abilities and decide whether he grasped the content etc but they finally agreed that he needed to be pushed more as he understands perfectly well what he reads which is 2-3 years ahead of the rest of his year. His teacher admitted he will not have any problems with his education and they have put him in the gifted and talented group so now he feels included in more advanced activities which keep his brain occupied and yet still with his class/ year .
I do agree that in the final couple of years at school they really should have the day extended to 5.30pm to give them a taste of "a full work day" before they get a job

 

[wayneg]

the staff will not allow him to advance further because then the rest of his class will be left behind .
We realise it can be difficult for the staff to cope with 3 or 4 groups within a class all at different levels of learning but it often means that the top groups get ignored and bored silly.

This is what it was like for me at school and ended up with no qualifications, when I should have walked thru them.

Now my DS and his friends at the top have unlimited help. NAGTY gives them access to Universities across the country, At age 12 he has already had 2 visits to Huddersfield Uni. Luckily his school can't do enough for the achievers. Our problem is he will do anything at school but 3pm comes he turns lazy and have to battle with him to do homework, most of his friends are the same and others can't even be bothered to do homework. 1 hour compulsory homework lesson I think would work for both achievers and underachievers. Maybe not everyday, I suppose depending on the childs age.
They keep asking me to be a school parent/Governer maybe I should go see if I can get it started