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Ask for help > Grammar Schools in England ?
Grammar Schools in England ?
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moravc
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Grammar Schools in England ?
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My friend is moving to England with two children, the older one (girl) aged 11. She is attending a "grammar school" in the Czech Republic, they have Maths, Science-Bilogogy+Chemistry+Physics, History, Geography. She is a good student but rather shy and her English is not very good.
Her parents decided to send her to a local school with extra art classes but the girl thinks that it would be great to enter a grammar school when her English is better.
Is it possible / hard to enter a grammar school at the age of 12 or 13?
Are the British grammar schools open to non-native speakers or are those schools just for the best of the best?
What experience/information do you have with/about British grammar schools, please?
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3 Feb 2012
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cindyfreksen
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I don �t know the rules, but I am fairly sure that seeing as though secondary education is compulsory your friend �s daughter can be accepted into any school in her local area.
However, there can be some problem with grammar schools. When I was young you had to pass an exam to go to a grammar, but I believe that this has changed.
Secondary schools can be:
1, a grammar school which requires passing an entrance exam (I don �t think that there are many of these left)
2. A high school which is for anyone, particularly those that didn�t pass the exam.
3. A comprehensive school, where anyone can come there is no need for an exam, and pupils are placed in classes according to their ability. So it covers both the high school and the grammar school kids.
I must warn you that I haven �t had contact with the British school system for about 20 years. that said I don �t think that it has changed that much.
Hope that this helps.
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3 Feb 2012
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moravc
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Thank you Cindy!
She has been accepted to the local school. Are grammar schools (too) demanding?
Do the students from a "ordinary" local school gain good knowledge? The girl doesn �t want to waste time with playing games, she is eager to study hard. Her only problem is the language (English) at the moment...
The grammar school students in the CR are usually hard-working and clever ones. Grammar schools are sort of "elite" schools and the students enter a university when they finish a grammar school...
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3 Feb 2012
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cindyfreksen
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I suspect that the local school is, what I would call, a comprehensive. I would advise her parents to be proactive and insist on quality! Maybe also look into extra English lessons/coaching, although the young tend to pick up the language a lot quicker than us oldies!
I moved to Denmark aged 28 with my daughter aged 5. Within 3 months she could effectively communicate. Now 18 years later she is fluent in both languages! I am sure that she has a broad inactive vocabulary that will very quickly become active! Necessity is a great motivator :-)
I went to a comprehensive school and received an excellent general knowledge - it is only now that I realize this however! - If she wishes to go to university then she just has to study hard! I think that the system in England is still much the same as in my day - at 16 you can leave school, but if you want to go to uni you have to specialise in 3 to 4 subjects for two additional years that give you the qualifications to apply to uni.
These exams can be taken at schools or colleges all over the place :-)
Wish her luck!
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4 Feb 2012
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cunliffe
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Many schools in England are called grammar schools, but aren �t selective. There are 164 �real � grammar schools left in England. They are highly selective. Students have to sit an exam (11+) in year 6 - when they are ten. Individual schools could be approached and if a newcomer is very bright, she may well be given the chance to attend. My guess is that if she can �t speak English, she wouldn �t be offered a place, as they don �t employ EAL staff. A top set in a good comprehensive would be a great option, though.
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4 Feb 2012
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