Secondary school

Most secondary schools in Britain are comprehensive schools. These are state schools, which take children of all abilities. About six percent of students go to grammar schools, state schools which only take students who pass an examination at the age of 11.

About seven per cent of students go to private schools. These schools do not receive any money from the state: parents pay for their children to go to school instead. Most expensive private schools are called public schools. Most of these are single-sex boarding schools, where students live during term-time.

Most pupils in British schools wear school uniform. The favourite colours for school uniforms are blue, grey, black and maroon.

Answer these questions for your country.

a  At what age do you have to start school?

b  At what age can you leave school?

c  At what age do you normally take exams or tests?

Michael Vaughan-Rees, Geraldine Sweeney, Picot Cassidy: In Britain. 21st Century Edition, Cornelsen Verlag, 2000, page 36