Schooling systems.
 

Hi guys,

I was just thinking about school, and realising that this forum has many people from different countries, I wanted to know what the schooling system was like in your country.

For example, in a year's time I'll have my last ever high school exams (GCSE's) and I'll do ten of them. Last year, I started my coursework that credits to my final exam grade-basically two years prepare you for your GCSE's. For example, some of the courses I picked last year have about 40% coursework and 60% examination grade. Then after I've done those, I'll go on to college for 2 years and do my A-Levels (the hardest exams on the planet-the UK wants to scrap them for an intrnational Baccalaureate) and then go on to uni. I think I want to study Economics with Business at university, or either Law with Psychology.

Each state in Australia has a different Education system, which I think is incredibly stupid. Education should be a national concern. Anyway, living in the state of New South Wales has its benefits.

Basically, we have the following structure:

• Pre-School (not compulsory)
• Primary School (compulsory)
  • Kindergarten
  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4
  • Year 5
  • Year 6
• High School (compulsory)
  • Year 7
  • Year 8
  • Year 9
  • Year 10
• Senior High School (not compulsory)
  • Year 11
  • Year 12
• Tertiary Education (not compulsory)
  • University AND / OR
  • TAFE AND / OR
  • Any other tertiary education institute

Very large exams are held in Year 10, and Year 12. But each year has its own exams / assessments, like you'd expect anywhere else. I'm currently in Year 12, and will be sitting for my HSC later this year with: Studies of Religion (1 Unit), Mathematics (2 Unit), English (Advanced), Physics, Chemistry, Software Design & Development, and Geography.

Alcar...

America is kind of interesting in that testing in schools vairy from state to state. Overall, school breaks down for everyone like this:

Elementary school: Kindergarden-5th OR 6th grade (manditory)
Middle School: 6th OR 7th grade through 8th grade (manditory)
High School: 9th-12th grade (optional untill 16 years of age)
Any education after High School is optional

Every state makes their own rules about testing. Some states require exams to pass to the next grade or graduate from High School and some don't. The way this gets evened out is that everyone who is planning to go to College after High School must take either the SAT or the ACT, two standardized entrance exams.

W.D.S. has pretty much nailed it. Standardized testing though has become a real bitch in Wisconsin. Thanks for No Child Left Behind and budget cuts, Bush! God, what a prick.

This is how it goes in The Netherlands:
Kindergarten (about 1 year, until one is 4 years old)
Primary school - 8 years
Something like high school: 4 to 6 years, depending on the difficulty
University/Other - roughly 4 to 6 years, sometimes over.

Basically, we have the following structure:

• Pre-School (not compulsory)
• Primary School (compulsory)
  • Reception (turn 5 years old during this year)
  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4
  • Year 5
  • Year 6 (turn 11 years old during this year)
• High School (compulsory)
  • Year 7
  • Year 8
  • Year 9
  • Year 10
  • Year 11 (turn 16 years old during this year)
• Senior High School / The Mighty Sixth Form (not compulsory)
  • Year 12
  • Year 13 (turn 18 years old during this year)
• Tertiary Education (not compulsory)
  • University AND / OR
  • Any other tertiary education institute

Very large exams are held in Year 11 (the GCSE's), and Year 13 (the A-levels, though AS-levels are held in year 12). But each year has its own exams / assessments, like you'd expect anywhere else. I'm currently in Year 12, and will be sitting for my AS-levels later this year and then the same subjects in year 13 for my A-levels. Perhaps I'll drop one.

Pretty simialr to Australia, it seems. :p

It's pretty simple here. You start school when you're 6 years old and you have to stay there until you're 16. From then, there's nothing more you have to do. I'm in the mood for anything more elaborate.

Esus seems to have got it all there.

I'm in year 11 right now. The dreaded GCSE's :(.

Victoria is similar to NSW (thanks Alcar) but with subtle differences:

Pre-School (not compulsory)
Kindergarten (compulsory)

Primary School
Prep <- first year of school
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
High School (compulsory)
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
VCE: (note: you can leave school once you reach 15 years old)
Year 11
Year 12

Years 11 & 12 are linked so the subjects follow each other closely and you can do some year 12 subjects without doing year 11 (depending on how much 12 follows on from 11, curriculum-wise) so you can do year 12 subjects in 11, which is common. To graduate you have to pass at least 3 semesters out of four in your subjects; a minimum of four subjects overall, including english, but most people do 6.

Each subject gets a mark out of 50 - with correction for difficulty. Your mark for English and the top three subjects are added together plus 10% of the rest. Marks are then compared to everyone else in the state and you get a score of where you rank (eg 99.95 means you're better than 99.95% of the state, the highest score possible).

Simple, really.

I'm in year 10. I hate the coursework in maths, it's so annoying.

I'm in year 10 too. I haven't recieved any maths coursework yet. I've done "An Inspector Calls" and "Great Expectations" for English though.

OK, I know I'm reviving this thread but I really want to know something. After my 16th birthday and GCSE's I'm thinking of furthering my studies in the US. So what type of school would I be in after 16 years old? Is it college or what?

A 16 year old would be in high school.

I would like to know how old you re when you go into Grades?

I think maybe the best idea is for me to stay here and do my A-Levels in college first, then go on to university there.

I'm in year 9 at the moment (U.K) I have my SATs in 4 weeks. Lucky me:p

We did "An inspector calls." in English, it was hell. Now we're currently hacking Macbeth to pieces.

Wow. Inpector calls is GCSE work. You did it in Y9?

We did Animal Farm. Then Macbeth.

It goes like this in Hungary. At least, I experienced it like this:

Kindergarten
Elementary School (Grade 1, 2, 3, 4)
High School (Grade 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
University (depends on what are you studying)

I'm in my 10th Grade in High Scool. We have exams every year since 5th Grade, prepares you for final examinations. And we have a sort of pre-final examinations this year (Hungarian Literature and Grammar, History).

What is this school that you speak of?

Elementary
K
1
2
3
4
5
Middle School
6
7
8
High School
9
10
11
12


fun eh?

I did that too, poor old Eva Smith. I did it in year 10.

I've seen the play at a theatre. It was brilliant... But I think we're straying from the topic. ;)

How long are the school days in America?

well in south wales years 3 to 6 is junior school and we have sats in year 6 they are like tests

Holland:
From 4th year: 'basischool' till about 12/13.
13-18/19: 'middelbare school'
19+:'university and study.

I didn't mention the SATs, but yeah, they're in Years 2, 6 and 9.

I heard that they are going to be canceled in year 9 I will find out soon I may be lucky because Im in year 7