Secondary education
Secondary education, or secondary school, is a period of education which follows directly after primary education, and which may be followed by tertiary education. One of the differences between primary and secondary education is that in secondary education, the teachers usually have to be certified by some higher authority (like a state) before they can teach. Primary and secondary education together are sometimes referred to as "K-12" education, especially in the United States.
The purpose of a secondary education can be to prepare for either higher education or vocational training. It is referred to by various different names in different countries, including high school in the United States and Australia, gymnasium in Germany, Austria and Scandinavia, or middle school in the Netherlands. It occurs mainly during the teenage years. The exact boundary between primary and secondary education varies from country to country, but is generally around the seventh to the ninth year of education.
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2 Gymnasium 3 High school 4 Lycée 5 See also 6 External Links |
A grammar school is a type of school found in some English-speaking countries. Its original intent was to educate the young the grammar of one or two European languages. Grammar schools date back to earlier than the 16th century.
In the British case, that originally meant Latin and sometimes Greek in addition; and in the the American case, that of English. However, the meaning of the term has since changed considerably, and grammar schools now provide as full an education as any other type of school.
In the United Kingdom, a grammar school is a secondary school attended by pupils aged 11 to 18 to which entry is controlled by means of an academically selective process consisting, largely or exclusively, of a written examination. After leaving a grammar school, as with any other secondary school, a student may go into further education at a college or university.
The examination is called the eleven plus. Partly due to the failure to fully implement the tri-partite system prescribed by the 1944 Education Act, the examination came to be seen as delivering a pass/fail result with the academically selected pupils passing and attending grammar schools and the remaining pupils being deemed to have failed and being consigned to schools euphemistically designated Secondary Modern Schools.
This arrangement proved politically unsustainable, and, over the period 1960 to 1975, non-selective ("comprehensive") education was instituted across a substantial majority of the country. The eleven plus examination had been championed by the educational psychologist Cyril Burt and the uncovering of his fraudulent research played a minor part in accelerating this process.
To understand grammar schools in the UK, some history is needed. After WW2, the government reorganised the secondary schools into two basic types. Secondary moderns were intended for children who would be going into a trade and concentrated on the basics plus practical skills; grammar schools were intended for children who would be going on to higher education and concentrated on the classics, science, etc. This system lasted until the 1960s, at which point it was accepted that it was a discriminatory system which was not getting the best out of all children. this was partly because some authorities tended to prioritise their budgets on the grammar schools, damaging the education prospects of children attending secondary moderns.
The decision was taken to switch to a single type of school designed to give every child a complete education. That is why this new type of school is called a comprehensive school. However the timetable of the changeover was left to the local authorities, some of whom were very resistant to the whole idea and thus dragged their feet for as long as possible. The result is that there is now a mixture. Most authorities run a proper comprehensive system, a few run secondary moderns and grammar schools (except that they've renamed the secondary moderns as "comprehensives").
Most private schools provide the same type of education as a grammar school, but there are exceptions, Gordonstoun for one. In areas where the local authority provides a comprehensive education -- which some parents don't like for various reasons -- independent schools are particularly common.
In the Germanic, Scandinavian and the Benelux countries gymnasium has, at least since the Reformation in the 16th century, had the meaning of a secondary school preparing for higher education, at university.
In general, Gymnasiums provide more generic education, as opposed to vocational secondary schools which provide more specialized education.
Grammar school
Gymnasium
Gymnasium is a school of secondary education in parts of Europe. The word "γυμνασιον" (gymnasium) was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for the education of young men.
The final degree is called Abitur, Artium, Matura or Student.
In countries like Croatia, most university faculties only accept students from high schools that last four years (rather than three). This includes all Gymnasium students but only a part of vocational high schools, in effect making Gymnasium the preferred choice for all pupils aiming for university diplomas.
High school
High school is the last segment of compulsory education in the United States, Canada, China, Korea and Japan. It provides a secondary education.
In the United States, high school generally consists of grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, though this may vary slightly by school district. In some areas, high school starts with tenth grade; a few American high schools still cover grades 7 through 12. American students are allowed to leave high school at age 16-18, depending on the state, or when they graduate or go on to college or other education. This school-leaving age is usually in grade 10 or 11 if the standard curriculum has been followed throughout life, without skipping grades or being held back. Thus, the last two years of high school are not compulsory, but most students complete high school and receive a diploma. A high school diploma or G.E.D is generally required for entrance into a college or university, but many colleges accept a small number of students after eleventh grade.
U.S. law mandates school attendance until graduation or age 16, but enforcement of the truancy laws is sporadic. Conversely, students who have failed a grade may remain in high school past the age of 18, if they have not graduated on time.
In Canada, secondary schooling differs depending on what province one resides in. Normally it follows the American pattern, however in Quebec, for instance, high school lasts five years and is started earlier and finished at a younger age than elsewhere in Canada. In Ontario high school students used to have the option of attending a fifth year of high school, but OAC or grade 13, as the fifth year was called, has now been phased out. In Quebec most students follow high school by attending a cegep, which is comparable to a junior college, and which is obligatory for Quebec students wishing to go on to university in Quebec.
High school in Australia is the former name for secondary schools. The name was officially changed to secondary college in the early 1990s, but to the majority of the adult Australian population they are still "high schools". The exact length of secondary school varies from state to state, but the majority teach Years 7-12. It is compulsory to attend school until the age of fifteen, but most students remain at school to complete their studies and go on to college or university.
Lycée is a school providing secondary education in the French educational system. Graduating from a lycée leads to the Baccalauréat degree. Famous lycées in Paris include: Lycée Henri IV, Lycée Louis-le-Grand and Lycée Saint-Louis.
Lycée
See also
External Links
