Renata Nowakowska, Konrad Gniazdowski, Zdzisław Dudek

Generally, it may seem that educational systems in all European countries are quite similar. The youngest children go to nurserynursery (BrE) nursery. When they get a bit older, they go to reception classreception classreception class and enjoy practical, fun based learning, preparing them for school. There are three main stagesstages [stage]stages of education. The first one is primary school, followed by secondary schoolsecondary school secondary school, and then children may undertakeundertakeundertake some form of higher‑level education. They can go to a college of further educationcollege of further educationcollege of further education or university. It’s all pretty simple, isn’t it?

It is not. Even in the United Kingdom there are differences between the way the system works in England and other parts of the country. At every stage of education, there are many types of schools that you can choose from, too. Even in primary school, you can go to a state schoolstate schoolstate school, which is paid for by the government, or decide to choose a free schoolfree schoolfree school. You can also enter a posh public schoolpublic school (BrE)public school when you’re eleven. When it comes to secondary school, most people go to a comprehensive schoolcomprehensive school (BrE)comprehensive school, but in some parts of England there are grammar schoolsgrammar school (BrE)grammar schools for gifted and talented children, especially those who are focused onfocused onfocused on ambitious academic studies. There are also faith schoolsfaith school (BrE)faith schools for those who want to concentrate on religion.

Children in the United Kingdom must attend schoolattend schoolattend school from the beginning of the school year following their fifth birthday and finish their secondary education at the age of 16, but many choose to stay at school for another year or go to a college of further education which prepares them to enter university, or gives vocational trainingvocational trainingvocational training. The name ‘college’ may be confusing to foreigners because it is traditionally used for parts of certain universities (and in the US it is used as a synonym of university), while in the UK it is a name most often applied to various post‑secondarypost‑secondarypost‑secondary schools. Usually, universities give you a degreedegreedegree when you finish them, while colleges only prepare you for earning a degree.

But what if you are a fan of STEM subjectsSTEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)STEM subjects and don’t want to go to a university? You can choose  an institute of technologyinstitute of technologyinstitute of technology, a new type of institution based on collaboration between colleges of further education, universities and employersemployers [employer]employers, designed to provide vocational skillsvocational skillsvocational skills, help with skilled employmentskilled employmentskilled employment, higher study or apprenticeshipsapprenticeships [apprenticeship]apprenticeships. They may prepare you for the job of an engineer and may open many doors in life.

Most people finish their academic education in two to four years. But is it over then? Hardly. You can always enter postgraduate studiespostgraduate studiespostgraduate studies or just study on your own. After all, you can finish school but your further educationfurther educationfurther education never ends.

1 Źródło: Zdzisław Dudek, Konrad Gniazdowski, Renata Nowakowska, dostępny w internecie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_Kingdom [dostęp 18.02.2022], https://www.gov.uk/schools-admissions/school-starting-age [dostęp 18.02.2022], https://foundationyears.org.uk/2014/08/school-reception-class/ [dostęp 18.02.2022], https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/institutes-of-technology--2 [dostęp 18.02.2022], https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College [dostęp 18.02.2022], https://www.institutesoftechnology.org.uk/about [dostęp 18.02.2022], https://careerpilot.org.uk/parent-zone/all-questions/how-can-i-help-my-child-choose-their-a-levels [dostęp 18.02.2022], licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.