Please Explain

[EngTeach]

This should probably be in education, but...
When people refer to going into sixth form, what does that mean? is it like the US grade system? and what ages are they?
For example we go to Kindergarten at 5, 1st grade at 6, etc. (there are some variations, but those are the norm)
We go to high school until 12th grade. Is college there like our high school?
These GSCE tests, are they given at the end of each year?
Sorry, but I want to understand the posts better and learn something. Thanks,
NOSEY ENG TEACH

[sense4all]

It's 11th and 12th grade.
A sixth form is usually part of a school ... a continuation of education in the school where the child studied in the junior high and high, or middle and high school years. Age 11/ 12 ish to eighteen.

Gcse is a basic examination that is taken when kids are around sixteen. They can then opt to leave school at that stage or return to sixth form or year 12 and 13. They will normally be studying for A levels which is a two year course of study, but in the middle they take an AS exam, to assess if they are on course for the A level. These are all externally marked examinations.
Some kids schools may have good records for these first exams gcse,but a poor record or rigid subject parameters for the A levels. So they may go to a specific 6th form college. It is usual that our kids will go to University ( Uni) at 18 for their undergrad. college studies.
When children are 11 in some parts of the UK they sit a selective test and the top fifteen ( approx ) per cent go to Grammar schools.

[sense4all]

An International school here

http://england.tasis.com/pages/sitepage.cfm?pa ge=55756

A Secondary school ( the eighty five per cent who were not selected at eleven )

http://www.beaconsfield.bucks.sch.uk/default.a sp?id=26

A Grammar school ( the fifteen per cent.)

http://www.beaconsfieldhigh.bucks.sch.uk/

Sixth form college in interesting part of London

http://www.bsix.ac.uk/

Have a poke around the sites and ask again if it raises further points. In the interests of anon I have picked places that my kids do not attend, but that I am familiar with.

[scoobydooby]

The school year runs from 1st September to the 31st August (with holidays in between). So if a child was born on the 31st August and their friend was born on the 1st September (with only a day between them), they would be in different school years. If a child chooses to leave school after taking their GCSE's, they will leave in their 16th year (the younger ones will still only be 15) - this will be year 11 at school (previously known as 5th year). If they choose to stay on, they'll go into years 12 and 13 but it's still known as 6th form because of the way school years used to be. Infants (first 2 years) and Juniors (years 3 to 6) were not previously numbered. Therefore, what is now year 7 was previously known as 1st year!

[ethandron]

we call it 'reception' at 5, then year 1 at 6, year 2 at 7 and so on.
gcse's are taken towards the end of year 11, and usually the results of that determine what will be studied at a level.

[bigmamma]

I found it confusing when we came over from Australia when my son was 6 and a half. He had been in pre school and had just been entered into kindergarten a couple of months before his 6th birthday . Yet when he was put into school here it was straight into year 2 !!!
Hope you are well today EngTeach , thoughts are with you .
xx

[Scarlett]

I think the main difference is that in USA everyone stays on til they are 18. We don't. Kids here can leave at 16, having taken their GCSEs- between 8 and 12 subjects usually.
Then they can either get a job, go into some sort of training, go to the 6th form (usually back to school but they don't have to wear a uniform etc) or go to a FE College. (Further Education). An FE College is the same as 6th form except it is not in a school- so there will be more adults learning, a variety of vocational courses- BTECs rather than just A Levels, and things like hairdressing, catering, building, plumbing etc. Students can learn a trade rather than studying academic subjects.

When I was 16 I stayed on at school cos I was happy there, in the 6th form. All the rebels in my class who hated school went to FE College where they could smoke and call their teachers by their first names. College is much more "free" usually.

After the 6th form (usually at 18) students can either leave and get a job or go onto university (HE- Higher Education). University is 3 or 4 year courses.

There is talk about the government raising the school leaving age to 18 though.

[annie0000]

Those answers all relate to the English school system, in Scotland it is different again.

Children who are 5 on or after 1 March up to 28 February the following year are eligible to enter school in August that year. If they will not be 5 until after school starts, parents can defer them until the next school year, but in practice only parents of children who are not 5 until January or February delay their childs entry. Prior to this age, children have an entitement to 12.5 hours per week pre school education from age 3. Children in Scotland go straight into primary 1. They attend primary school for 7 years then go to high school for a minimum of 4 years (some younger children will not be allowed to leave until they are 16 so will have to stay at school past the 4 years). These will then be called First year, second year etc. Most children will sit exams at this time and will decide whether to stay at school or leave - they can start work or go to college if they want. Children can then stay for on for either 1 or 2 years and sit Higher exams or Higher Still exams - these exams qualify them for college or University where they can go to after the 5th year if they have the appropriate qualification - this means that you could go to University at 16 and a half. Children in preschool have free play and no formal education until Primary School, but they would be expected to be able to read and write at the end of primary 1. They have national tests that they should be able to pass by certain age groups and schools are targeted to have a minimum of 90% pass by the recommend stage. Private schools in Scotland also offer English A levels as it is expected that children may want to go to Oxford or Cambridge.

[sense4all]

Just to further ' muddy the waters' lol, my Son is following the International Baclaureatte course while others in his year are taking A.P. courses.

Can you clear something up for me ? Every year the families that are returning to the US get in an absolute lather over the school registration period what hapens if you move mid semester? Why is it such a HUGE deal? What is the process, can you choose any school to register your kids at? here you have to live in a designated catchment area for local free (state) schools.

[EngTeach]

I wrote a big, long post answewring sense4 all's questions over an hour ago. Where did it go??????

In a nutshell, it is crazy enrolling children here at times. It depends on what district you live in. However with The No Child left Behind Act you can move your child from a failing school into a better one in your district. If all the schools in your district are failing you are stuck. In NYC system it is different as the 5 boroughs are one big system. There are sub divisions within the system (called districts), but it is difficult to go outside your zone. The use of the word district makes it confusing b/c outside NYC the districts are independent of each other and run based on taxes. Thus the affluent areas have good schools and economically challenged areas often have poorly performing ones.

In NYC the districts are all part of the same school system and supposedly are funded equally. I disagree, but that's another story.
I will be happy to field any other questions if I can. My NYC system is its own story. and is run quite differently than the rest of the country.

[sense4all]

OMG the only other time that it is as frenzied is if there is even the suggestion that something will be noted down about child. Heads spin like Carrie not the permanent record ???
How long do you guys need to hold a grudge for misdemeanours LOL !!!

[EngTeach]

You are correct. Some people refuse to let their children be tested or referred to Special Education. I mean "Instructional Support Services" as we now call it. Usually those are the children who need it most. Then there are those who work the system to get all they can needlessly. A child can be classified for special services here even if they wear glasses. This can evolve into private busing, extended test times, a heath aid who travels around the school and works for that child only. These are people who abuse the system. Other parents have threatened to sue the school b/c we felt that a boy who started numerous fires in the building needed more helpthan our mainstreamed school could offer. The firebug stayed until he aged out at 22. Imagine your 14 year old bringing him home the 1st week od school as her new bf. LOL

[sense4all]

He does sound like a keeper ... but I think I'll pass !! lol.
My kids have that kind of sense of humour too, wee rascals, would have extended the offer.