Difference between Schools

Children in the UK have to legally attend primary and secondary education which runs from about 5 years old until the student is 16 years old. Students are assessed at the end of each stage and the most important assessment occurs at age 16 when students pursue their GCSE's (General Certificate of Secondary Education) .

Once students complete their GCSE's they have a choice to go onto further education for two years for A-level studies or potentially extend higher education if they plan to go to college or university. Each level of education in the UK has varying requirements which must be satisfied in order to gain entry at that particular level. For independent schools, main exams will take place at 11+, 13+ and 16+. Eleven Plus and Thirteen Plus is for the Common Entrance exam.

British private schools encourage a wide range of subjects, academic knowledge is not the only criteria, a variety of practical experience is also used in order to develop the ability of children to live independently. Schools focus on the child's characteristics, cultivating each child, ensuring that each student receives a comprehensive development. Such educational philosophy allows children of all abilities to maximize their personal strengths.

In the UK, the regions where boarding schools are located can be very different, for example, some schools can be in large towns or cities, whilst others are located in more remote villages or the countryside. Most schools have advanced computer equipment and independent accommodation. Some schools are located in the inner city and will be relatively small, but have a warmer and more friendly family atmosphere. Different children adapt to different environments, so we encourage parents to base their choice on their child's personality, hobbies and life skills.

Most British independent school campuses are located in magnificant grounds often with a seperate music center, Olympic-size swimming pools, soccer/ rugby fields and other advanced teaching equipment. Students at the school have access to a rich variety of extra-curricular activities, such as horse- riding, athletics, canoeing and much more.

When parents choose an independent schools in the UK, they not only need to consider the school rankings and academic achievement, they need to focus upon other factors. For example, parents need to know the size of the school, the number of students and the ratio of overseas students. Another consideration is that, when a school has a number of international students, those students often communicate in their native language, which makes it more difficult to integrate and as a consequence their standard of English suffers. It would always benefit them to mix with local British students for both cultural and custom exchanges.

Please call our UK hotline +44 (0) 744 8168 140 or email: beverley@durranteducation.com for more information about independent schools.

Durrant Education Services Limited