What is independent school?
In the United Kingdom, schools are either
state schools funded by government and are free for all pupils, or they are
independent schools and charge fees to the parents of the pupils. Almost all the
schools taking part in the HMC Projects Scholarship Scheme are independent
schools. In the United Kingdom independent schools have an excellent reputation
for high standards of teaching and learning and almost all pupils go on to
prestigious universities when they leave. There are also many excellent state
schools, three of which award scholarships through HMC Projects. Scholarships
to state schools can only be offered to students from countries in the EEA.
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How does National Curriculum
work?
The National Curriculum is constructed in five
Key Stages:
├╝ Key
Stage 1 - Foundation year and Years 1 to 2 - for pupils aged between 5 and 7
years old
├╝ Key
Stage 2 - Years 3 to 6 - for pupils aged between 8 and 11 years old
├╝ Key
Stage 3 - Years 7 to 9 - for pupils aged between 12 and 14 years old,
├╝ Key
Stage 4 - Years 10 to 11 - for pupils aged between 15 and 16 years old, and
├╝ Key
Stage 5 - Years 12 to 13 - for pupils aged between 17 and 18 years old.
In state schools each year that a pupil
studies is given a number. Primary education starts in Year 1. Most pupils
begin their secondary education at the age of 11 (Year 7), but in some HMC
schools pupils join the school at 13+ (Year 9). At the age of 16 (the end of
Key stage 4 and Year 11), all pupils take a series of exams called the General
Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), usually in about eight to ten
subjects, which must include English and Mathematics. Key Stage 5 is for pupils
aged 16-18 (sometimes 19) and most schools take Advanced Level exams after a
two-year course.
Almost all HMC Projects Scholars enter the
first year of Key Stage 5. All pupils entering Year 12 (of the thirteen years
of the National Curriculum) are beginning new courses at this point in their
education.
In Scotland, pupils move to secondary
education at the age of 12. At the age of 16 they take exams called Standard
Grades and then move on to Higher and Advanced Higher. These are very similar
to the English Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level courses.
Is school education the
same throughout the United Kingdom?
There are fundamental similarities. For
instance, all boys and girls must attend full-time education until the age of
16. Many pupils stay on at school after that age to prepare themselves for
university or other careers. In the independent schools, most pupils stay at
school until the ages of 18 and nearly all pupils go on to university after
they leave school.
There are also significant divergences between
practice in England and Wales, on the one hand, and in Scotland.
In England and Wales, the government
introduced a National Curriculum in 1988. This provides a framework for
education between the ages of 5 - 18. All state schools are required to follow
it. Independent schools are not required to follow the National Curriculum in every detail,
but they must show that they provide a good all-round education and they are
inspected regularly every few years.
How many subjects do HMC
Projects scholars study?
The majority of HMC Projects scholars will
study on the Advanced level programmer but a small number will study on the
International Baccalaureate or Scottish Higher programmers.
·
I) Advanced levels: For the Advanced Level programmer (Key Stage
5), nearly all pupils study three or, exceptionally, four subjects for two
years and take examinations in these only at the end of the second year. They
may also take one or even two additional subjects for one year only at Advanced
Subsidiary (AS) level and take examinations in these at the end of the year.
Some schools will offer examinations at AS level to pupils in those subjects
they are studying for a level at the end of the first year of the two-year
course. Universities use Advanced Levels as entry qualifications.
·
ii) Scottish Higher: Students will take at least five subjects
at Higher Level, reducing to three or four for their Advanced Higher courses.
·
iii) International Baccalaureate (IB): Increasing numbers of HMC
schools are taking pupils for the International Baccalaureate, which is
a parallel course to Advanced Levels and equally well used by universities
for entry qualifications. The IB requires students to take courses in six
subjects, three at standard level and three at higher level. Students are
also required to take a course in the theory of knowledge, to write a long essay
and to undertake some community service. This course is very similar to the
Baccalaureate courses which are commonly studied in Europe.
The pie chart above shows the relative number
of scholarship places provided by schools through HMC Projects for A level (blue),
IB (red) and Scottish Higher (green).
How is the daily timetable organized?
Each school organizes its timetable
differently. Lessons might last 35, 40, 45, 55 or 60 minutes! For each subject,
a student will attend classes for about 5 hours a week, and is also expected to
undertake at least 6 hours private study. Students will usually also attend classes
in General Studies, or Philosophy, or other similar subjects. There will also
be time given to Physical Education or Sport, whether or not these are taken as
subjects for studying. In England and Wales and in some Scottish schools the
two years of Advanced Level or International Baccalaureate study are often
called "Sixth Form", but - once again - each school is different!
Will the qualifications
obtained in the UK be recognized back in my own country?
You will need to check with your own country's
education authorities, and your country's universities to find out if they recognize
and give credit for UK qualifications. Many do, but you need to ask about this
in your own country.
What activities are organized outside lessons?
Along with sport, schools offer a substantial programmer
of "extra-curricular activities"; that is, activities which are able
to offer students a wide range of experiences, intellectual, cultural and
relaxing. Music, drama, science and literary societies are offered in all
schools, and there will be opportunities for outdoor education and other
leisure activities. Visits to theatres and concerts, to places relevant to the
courses of study (such as art galleries and museums, religious centers or
historical sites, scientific companies and projects) are all part of life in a
school Sixth Form.
Can I study for my own National examinations during the
period of my scholarship in the UK?
You must check with your own country's rules
about taking your national exams including whether you can sit them in the UK
under supervision or whether you should return to your country to take them.
You can certainly study for your home country's exams while you are in the UK,
but you need to think carefully about how much extra work that will involve.
Will my qualifications that I get in the UK help me to
enter a British university?
Yes, but you will need to consider carefully
the fees which British Universities will charge. These are generally much
higher for students from outside the EEA, compared to the charge made to
students from within the EEA. It is not uncommon for a scholar from outside the
EEA to have to decline a very attractive offer from some of the finest
universities in the UK, like Oxford or Cambridge, simply because the tuition
fees are unaffordable. Visa requirements are also different for students at
universities in the UK from those you may have dealt with as a school
scholarship student. Some careful research is necessary for each country!
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