A thread for the teachers/school staff of the forum!
I'm approaching the final 6 months of my university course (a BEd (hons) course based in Glasgow). As a pupil, I went through the Scottish education system, and all my teaching experience on placements have been based in Scotland. Despite this, I've recently been interested in looking at the prospect of teaching down in England upon graduation. As someone who only has experience of the system in Scotland, I have many questions about the education system/school life down in England and how this differs to my experiences up here!
Firstly, the national curriculum:
In Scotland, the curriculum delivered in all state schools (known as 'Curriculum for Excellence') set by the Scottish Government. This curriculum is delivered from P1-7 (our equivalent to years 1-7 in England) in Primary Schools, and S1-3 (Years 8-10 in England) in Secondary schools. This is known as the Broad General Education (BGE), and is based on a series of 'experiences and outcomes' (what should young people be experiencing in their learning) and standards are set by a series of 'benchmarks', set at different levels, where each learner is encouraged to work towards a level appropriate for their ability. The system is very much about being inclusive to the abilities of all learners, encouraging young people to be involved in decision-making in their own learning and to work at a level appropriate for them (the system is very 'flexible', there could be 3-4 different levels of work needed within the same class).
Following this, when learners progress into S4-6 (Years 11-13), they choose a set number of subjects to study 'national qualifications' in. The syllabi for these qualifications are set by the SQA (a Scottish government board which sets and accredits national qualifications), and all exams in all state schools are written and marked by SQA. All courses are designed to be 1 year long, and students have access to National 4/5 courses in S4 (year 11), Higher courses in S5 (Year 12) and Advanced Higher courses in S6 (year 13).
I have many questions about the English system with regards to how the curriculum is set, interpreted, and delivered by schools:
Is the curriculum centrally set and standardised across the whole country? (i.e. is the exact same content being taught in Berwick-upon-Tweed and Penzance, or is this determined on a more local (school/local authority) level, as I know happens in some countries?)
What are the main documents outlining the curriculum for schools in England? I know in Scotland that, when planning, I just need to refer to the relevant experiences and outcomes/benchmarks document for the relevant subject. Are there similar documents in England, or are teachers more/less restricted in how they wish to deliver the curriculum?
In terms of examinations, it's my understanding that there are multiple examination boards down in England, as opposed to a singular government body in Scotland. How does this work? Are there different syllabi depending on which examination board is used, or is it simply a national syllabus regulated and examined by different boards? Are exams boards decided by school/subject/local authority?
Finally, I understand that pupils only attend secondary school in England up to the end of Year 11 (S4 in Scotland), and years 12-13 are often done at a 'sixth form' college/school? In Scotland, all secondary schools offer S1-S6 so this is a foreign concept to me!
School life:
I imagine school life doesn't differ hugely between the two, but I certainly have some questions!
Generally in Scottish (secondary) schools, the school day starts around 08:40-09:00, and finishes between 14:30 - 15:30. There is normally a morning interval of around 15-20 minutes, and a lunch break of 40-50 minutes. Pupils in S2/3 (years 9/10) and above are normally permitted to leave site during interval/lunch to visit local shops and spend some time outside. Generally, extra-curricular clubs take place during lunch or after school until around 16:30-17:00.
Most school behaviour policies use 'merits and demerits' (a points system) to encourage good behaviour and monitor disruptive behaviour. It is very rare in a Scottish school for a detention to be given regularly to a pupil, and detentions are normally reserved for repeat offences/serious infringements of the school behaviour policy. What I believe is known as 'internal exclusion'/isolation is something I've never come across in a Scottish school. Generally, if pupils are not behaving in class, they will either be sent to a specialist inclusive/nurture unit for support and to work in a quieter, more comfortable environment (a much debated concept, as many see this as rewarding negative behaviour).
I would be interested to hear how life in an English school differs from the above!
Finally, in terms of life as a teacher:
I understand that there's quite a clear difference in pay between English and Scottish teachers, hence why I am keen to gain a full insight into what the career is like down south before making any decisions.
For teachers in England, how well do you feel you are able to strike a good work/life balance? I'm curious to see if the workload differs significantly between the two.
What is the availability of part time contracts (such as 3/4 day weeks) like? This is certainly something I've started to consider (potentially with a view to holding a second job if time allows).
How much flexibility do you have in your planning? Are you stuck rigidly to a very clear curriculum, or are you quite free to deliver content you feel is best for your class and deliver this in a way which you choose?
Any other insights into the differences between the two, I'd be hugely interested in!
I'm approaching the final 6 months of my university course (a BEd (hons) course based in Glasgow). As a pupil, I went through the Scottish education system, and all my teaching experience on placements have been based in Scotland. Despite this, I've recently been interested in looking at the prospect of teaching down in England upon graduation. As someone who only has experience of the system in Scotland, I have many questions about the education system/school life down in England and how this differs to my experiences up here!
Firstly, the national curriculum:
In Scotland, the curriculum delivered in all state schools (known as 'Curriculum for Excellence') set by the Scottish Government. This curriculum is delivered from P1-7 (our equivalent to years 1-7 in England) in Primary Schools, and S1-3 (Years 8-10 in England) in Secondary schools. This is known as the Broad General Education (BGE), and is based on a series of 'experiences and outcomes' (what should young people be experiencing in their learning) and standards are set by a series of 'benchmarks', set at different levels, where each learner is encouraged to work towards a level appropriate for their ability. The system is very much about being inclusive to the abilities of all learners, encouraging young people to be involved in decision-making in their own learning and to work at a level appropriate for them (the system is very 'flexible', there could be 3-4 different levels of work needed within the same class).
Following this, when learners progress into S4-6 (Years 11-13), they choose a set number of subjects to study 'national qualifications' in. The syllabi for these qualifications are set by the SQA (a Scottish government board which sets and accredits national qualifications), and all exams in all state schools are written and marked by SQA. All courses are designed to be 1 year long, and students have access to National 4/5 courses in S4 (year 11), Higher courses in S5 (Year 12) and Advanced Higher courses in S6 (year 13).
I have many questions about the English system with regards to how the curriculum is set, interpreted, and delivered by schools:
Is the curriculum centrally set and standardised across the whole country? (i.e. is the exact same content being taught in Berwick-upon-Tweed and Penzance, or is this determined on a more local (school/local authority) level, as I know happens in some countries?)
What are the main documents outlining the curriculum for schools in England? I know in Scotland that, when planning, I just need to refer to the relevant experiences and outcomes/benchmarks document for the relevant subject. Are there similar documents in England, or are teachers more/less restricted in how they wish to deliver the curriculum?
In terms of examinations, it's my understanding that there are multiple examination boards down in England, as opposed to a singular government body in Scotland. How does this work? Are there different syllabi depending on which examination board is used, or is it simply a national syllabus regulated and examined by different boards? Are exams boards decided by school/subject/local authority?
Finally, I understand that pupils only attend secondary school in England up to the end of Year 11 (S4 in Scotland), and years 12-13 are often done at a 'sixth form' college/school? In Scotland, all secondary schools offer S1-S6 so this is a foreign concept to me!
School life:
I imagine school life doesn't differ hugely between the two, but I certainly have some questions!
Generally in Scottish (secondary) schools, the school day starts around 08:40-09:00, and finishes between 14:30 - 15:30. There is normally a morning interval of around 15-20 minutes, and a lunch break of 40-50 minutes. Pupils in S2/3 (years 9/10) and above are normally permitted to leave site during interval/lunch to visit local shops and spend some time outside. Generally, extra-curricular clubs take place during lunch or after school until around 16:30-17:00.
Most school behaviour policies use 'merits and demerits' (a points system) to encourage good behaviour and monitor disruptive behaviour. It is very rare in a Scottish school for a detention to be given regularly to a pupil, and detentions are normally reserved for repeat offences/serious infringements of the school behaviour policy. What I believe is known as 'internal exclusion'/isolation is something I've never come across in a Scottish school. Generally, if pupils are not behaving in class, they will either be sent to a specialist inclusive/nurture unit for support and to work in a quieter, more comfortable environment (a much debated concept, as many see this as rewarding negative behaviour).
I would be interested to hear how life in an English school differs from the above!
Finally, in terms of life as a teacher:
I understand that there's quite a clear difference in pay between English and Scottish teachers, hence why I am keen to gain a full insight into what the career is like down south before making any decisions.
For teachers in England, how well do you feel you are able to strike a good work/life balance? I'm curious to see if the workload differs significantly between the two.
What is the availability of part time contracts (such as 3/4 day weeks) like? This is certainly something I've started to consider (potentially with a view to holding a second job if time allows).
How much flexibility do you have in your planning? Are you stuck rigidly to a very clear curriculum, or are you quite free to deliver content you feel is best for your class and deliver this in a way which you choose?
Any other insights into the differences between the two, I'd be hugely interested in!
I can't remember who told me this (and I haven't researched it), but apparently there are only two counties which still use the 3-tier system. Worcestershire is one (though, naturally, each school "progression" (for want of a better term) is slightly different, eg: high school starts in year 9 in Town A, but year 8 in Town B etc), and I want to say Nottinghamshire is the other (but don't ask me where I got that idea from!).