Index

Different Levels ...................................................................................................................... 3

Public and Private System ...................................................................................................... 5
Evaluations ............................................................................................................................. 6
Admission Test ....................................................................................................................... 7
Grading Scales ........................................................................................................................ 7
Curricular and Extracurricular Activities ............................................................................... 8
Student's life stuff (hazing, fraternities, parties, etc.) ............................................................. 9
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 10
Different Levels

The education system in the UK is divided into four main parts, primary education, secondary
education, further education, and higher education. 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.
The education system in the UK is also split into "key stages" which breaks down as follows:
• Key Stage 1: 5 to 7 years old
• Key Stage 2: 7 to 11 years old
• Key Stage 3: 11 to 14 years old
• Key Stage 4: 14 to 16 years old
Generally key stages 1 and 2 will be undertaken at primary school and at 11 years old a
student will move onto secondary school and finish key stages 3 and 4. Students are assessed
at the end of each stage. The most important assessment occurs at age 16 when students
pursue their GCSE's or General Certificate of Secondary Education. Once students complete
their GCSE's they have the choice to go onto further education and then potential higher
education, or finish school and go into the working world.

• Primary Education
Primary education begins in the UK at age 5 and continues until age 11, comprising key
stages one and two under the UK educational system. Please visit the British Council page
for more information on primary education.

• Secondary Education
From age 11 to 16, students will enter secondary school for key stages three and four and to
start their move towards taking the GCSE's - learn more about secondary education in the
UK and what it will involve. Primary and secondary education is mandatory in the UK; after
age 16, education is optional.
 • Further Education
Once a student finishes secondary education they have the option to extend into further
education to take their A-Levels, GNVQ's, BTEC's or other such qualifications. UK students
planning to go to college or university must complete further education.

• Doctorate Level
A standard PhD degree is typically split into three stages. By way of illustration, a three-year
PhD may follow the following pattern:
• First year: You'll meet with your supervisor to discuss your research proposal and
agree an action plan with deadlines. You'll then complete your literature review, in
which you'll evaluate and critique existing works to inform the direction of your
project and ensure that your research will be original.

• Second year: Your focus will shift to gathering results and developing your thesis,
and potentially begin writing chapters of your thesis. You may also present your
results and ideas at academic conferences, gain teaching experience, collaborate with
other students on similar projects, communicate the benefits of your research to the
general public through workshops, lectures and presentations, or submit work for
publication in an academic journal or book.

• Third year: Primarily involves writing your thesis, though your primary research
may still be in progress. After your supervisor gives their approval, you'll submit your
thesis before undertaking a one to three-hour oral exam (viva voce) in which you'll
discuss and defend your thesis in the presence of at least one internal and external
examiner.
Public and Private System

Independent schools and private schools: These terms tend to be interchangeable for schools
which aren't state funded. All schools that are not funded by the state but by tuition fees,
gifts, and endowments

In the UK, ‘Public School’ is the somewhat misleading and archaic term used for a group of old-
established boarding secondary schools. The term ‘public’ actually refers to the fact that in 1868 a
small group of boys’ schools were given independence from the Crown, church or government in
favour of management by a board of governors. The original seven were Charterhouse, Eton College,
Winchester College, Harrow School, Rugby School, Shrewsbury School, and Westminster. There are
now several hundred ‘public schools’, including many girls’ and co-educational schools, nearly all
with a proportion of day pupils, and the majority with boarding fees upwards of £35K and highly
selective entrance requirements.

Private schools are any that are not financed by the state but largely by school fees paid by
parents. They can cater for any age group and charge a wide variety of fees. All independent
schools are private schools, and these terms are often used interchangeably, but technically
independent schools are all overseen by a board of governors or trustees, whilst other private
schools may be run by their owner with no governing body. Public schools are, confusingly,
also private schools: mostly the oldest and most expensive of boarding secondary schools
(see below).

These schools really only share the common ground of charging fees and having the
independence to operate outside of government regulations, although they do have to
conform to official standards of education, health and safety, are regularly inspected (by the
Independent Schools Inspectorate either as well as or instead of by Ofsted) and – at secondary
level – prepare pupils for the same public assessments and examinations as state schools.
Evaluations

In the eighties and nineties, due to the restriction of public funds, accompanied by pressure
from citizens and governments, the institutional autonomy that universities have will be
accompanied by greater accountability of the allocated funds. Institutions remain free to hire
faculty, select students, design their curricula, set standards, and determine assessment
methods; But the dependency of institutions on state funds and the pressure to show that they
are giving 'good value for money' in the use of public funds means that institutions have
considerable dependency on public funds. State and the norms that it establishes on higher
education
From 1992 to 1998 two quality assurance systems were in operation in the UK:
• A horizontal evaluation of quality: evaluation of the quality of teaching and review of
subjects. In this evaluation in England six aspects were analyzed:
1) the design of the curriculum, content, and organization.
2) teaching, learning and assessment.
3) student progress and achievement.
4) support and guide students.
5) learning resources
6) quality assurance and improvement.
In Scotland five aspects are analyzed and in Wales four. The review of the results obtained
by the different institutions was quite positive, although the ones with the worst results were
the Further Education Colleges.

• A vertical evaluation: audit of academic quality, with the objective of reviewing the quality
assurance mechanisms of the universities. Its main task is to review whether the quality
review procedures were working properly and to produce a report with recommendations on
the specific areas that require further attention.
Admission Test

The British Council cooperates with Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing providing
admission tests to the best UK universities and colleges. The exams are subject-specific tests
taken by applicants for Medicine, Philosophy, Politics, Economics, Law, Mathematics, and
other related courses. They include:
• BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test)
• MAT (Mathematics Admissions Test)
• STEP (Sixth Term Examination Paper)
• TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission)
• University of Cambridge pre-interview assessments
• University of Oxford admissions tests

Grading Scales

The United Kingdom has a very specific grading system. Using Honors, letters and certain
percentages, that’s additional to the GPA, the U.K. has its own conversion scheme, which
we looked at separately.
But, as a rough guide, you should know that you can finish a bachelor’s degree in the U.K.
with:
• First-class honors: Typically, 70% or higher
• Second-class honors, upper division: Typically, 60 – 69%
• Second-class honors, lower division: Typically, 50 – 59%
• Third-class honors: Typically, 40 – 49%
• Without honors: Awarded an ordinary degree, sometimes known as a "pass"
Curricular and Extracurricular Activities

Getting involved in sports clubs, societies, volunteering, and part-time work is a great way
to meet new people, enjoy your time at university and ensure you strike a healthy balance
between studying and your social life.
‘Extra-curricular activities help students to learn about themselves and develop and use their
skills and knowledge in different contexts,’ says Chris Davison, deputy director of, and
careers adviser with, the careers and enterprise team at Durham University. ‘Such activities
are an essential element of the university experience.

Sports clubs and societies

Universities and students' unions typically host countless clubs and societies that you can
join. The three main types are:
• Sports teams
• Subject-based groups
• Social clubs organised around a shared interest.

Volunteering
Giving your time to good causes for free is another way to develop your skills and connect
with potential employers. It can increase your knowledge of a particular type of work, help
you decide what you want to do and give you 'real life' experience of hard-to-enter sectors
such as conservation. You could volunteer with a charity or non-profit organization, a school,
a hospital or a local community center. Volunteering is possible in most roles; however bear
in mind that some organizations require experience, training or knowledge, so conduct
thorough research before applying. In addition to giving back to others and allowing you to
meet new people, volunteering also gives you the opportunity to boost your CV with real
work/life experience. You’ll also gain valuable skills such as decision making, build your
confidence and explore different areas of work.
Part-time work
Working during university allows you to earn money while trying out different industries and
gaining insight into the various roles. It’s also a great opportunity to make friends outside of
your course or halls of residence.
A part-time job can give you the work experience that is sought after by employers and
provide excellent examples for you to use in future interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate
several skills including responsibility, time management and your ability to work in a team.
You need to make sure that your academic work doesn’t suffer and so it’s recommended that
you don’t work more than 20 hours a week.

Student's life stuff (hazing, fraternities, parties, etc.)

Driving in the UK
UK cities are easy to get around without a car and there is usually very limited student parking
on campuses. Very few students have cars. Before buying a car consider all the costs involved
petrol, insurance and licence (compulsory), MOT (certificate to prove your car is
roadworthy), taxes, repairs, etc. If you are caught without a licence, insurance, MOT it can
affect your student visa status and you will be punished by the law

Bicycles
Cycling is a healthy, economical, and convenient way to travel to your campus. You can buy
a second-hand bike and there are plenty of cycle parking facilities to lock your bike across
university campuses. Most universities organize free cycle safety checkups and monthly bike
events.

Fraternities
Cultural societies: This would be things like, in hull university, the Korean society, the
Islamic society, the various Christian societies, etc. You generally join one of these groups
if you’re a member of the cultural group but some join as they’re interested in the culture.
Political societies: As the name suggests, this is (in the uk) groups like the Tory society, labor
society, Lib Dem society, socialist society, communist society, etc. US equivalent would be
having republican and democratic societies
Athletic societies: Are things like football, Clay shooting (yes, even in universities we have
guns!) Etc. Generally the closest societies to frats, this is where the drinking and bad behavior
is usually found.
Parties
Every summer in August, you will have the opportunity to attend arts and cultural events at
the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For approximately three weeks, you will observe the streets
full of theater, comedy, dance, and music shows with foreign artists. Join thousands of
visitors to the world's largest art festival, and make your study abroad experience
unforgettable. You can't miss the Edinburgh International Festival, or the Hogmanay New
Year's Party, either. Nearby educational institutions: University of Glasgow, Heriot-Watt
University and University of Edinburgh.

Bibliography

• Admission tests | British Council. (n.d.). Admission Tests | British Council. Retrieved
October 19, 2020, from https://www.britishcouncil.es/en/exam/professional-
university/admission-tests

• https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/. (2020, September 9). The Good Schools

Guide. https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/choosing-a-school/independent-
schools/uk-independent-schools-explained

• The importance of extra-curricular activities | Prospects.ac.uk. (n.d.). Prospects.

Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://www.prospects.ac.uk/applying-for-
university/university-life/the-importance-of-extra-curricular-activities

• UK Education System | Study in the UK. (n.d.). International Student. Retrieved

October 19, 2020, from
https://www.internationalstudent.com/study_uk/education_system/

• What is a PhD? | Prospects.ac.uk. (n.d.). Prospects. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/phd-study/what-is-a-
phd#:%7E:text=independent%20research%20project