Education in England is divided into private schools attended by 7% of children and state schools for 93%. State education includes nursery, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. The National Curriculum sets common standards and subjects for primary and secondary schools. Key stages divide schooling into age groups. Core subjects are English, maths, and science, and other foundation subjects are also taught. Secondary schools can be community, voluntary, academy, or free schools. The sixth form caters to students aged 16-18 prior to university. OFSTED inspects state schools and each school has a governing body that oversees strategic matters.

1. An Overview of
Education in England
2015

2. Full time education:

3. Private schools
• 7% of school children
• Independent
• Private / Public
• Fee paying
• Boarding
• Traditionally single sex

4. State Maintained Schools
• Attended by 93% of school
children up to age of 18
• Nursery (ages 3-4)
• Primary (5-11)
• Secondary (11-18)
• Tertiary / Higher (18+)

5. The National Curriculum
A set of subjects and standards,
used by both primary and
secondary schools, so students
learn the same things.

6. The Key Stages
• KS1 ages 5-7
• KS2 ages 7-11
• KS3 ages 11-14
• KS4 ages 14-16

7. The core subjects:
• English
• Mathematics
• Science

8. Foundation subjects:
• Art and Design
• Computing
• Design and Technology
• Modern Foreign Language
• Geography
• History
• Music
• Physical Education

9. • Religious Education is taught in all
key stages
• Sex and relationship education from
KS3
• Citizenship from KS3
• Work related Learning in KS4
• A number of schools also include
Personal, Social and Health
Education (PHSE)

10. • There is a programme of study for each
National Curriculum subject
• Programmes of study describe
essential subject knowledge, skills and
understanding that every student
should have at each key stage
• At Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 the National
curriculum is accompanied by a series
of 8 attainment levels

11. What are attainment levels?
The Attainment Levels describe
exactly what a student working at
that level will be achieving. They
measure students progress
compared to students of the same
age across the country.

12. • There are 8 National Curriculum attainment
levels covering ages 5 - 14 (each level is divided
into 3 sub levels)
• The lowest is Level 1which describes the the
achievements of students around the age of 5
• The highest is Level 8 which is attained by the
most able students at the age of 14
• The expectation is that the majority of 11 year
olds will achieve level 4 by the end of Year 6
(currently around 75% achieve level 4 or above)

13. • Assessments are carried out at three ages:
seven (school year 2, at the end of Key Stage
1), eleven (Year 6, the end of Key Stage 2) and
fourteen (Year 9, the end of Key Stage 3).
Some subjects are teacher-assessed, whilst
others involve sitting an examination paper (end
of KS2).
In Sept 2014 the DfE removed the assessment
system of NC attainment levels. Schools now
decide how they can best assess student
progress. (They may, if they wish, still use the
NC level descriptors)

14. Primary Schools
• Ages 5-11 (Years 1- 6)
• Key Stage 1 and 2
• Children of all abilities
• Mostly always mixed sex
• One class teacher who teaches
all subjects

15. Secondary schools
• Ages 11-16 (Years 7 -11)
• Key Stages 3 and 4
• Ages 11-18 (Years 7- 13)
• The Sixth Form = Students
aged 16-18

16. Types of Secondary
Schools
•Community schools
•Voluntary Aided schools
•Voluntary Controlled schools
•Academy Schools
•Free schools

17. •Community schools - run by
the local authority, which
employs staff, owns the land
and buildings and determines
admission arrangements.

18. • Voluntary Aided schools - are religious or
faith schools (C of E or RC).The governing
body employs the staff and and sets
admissions criteria. Land and buildings are
usually owned by the religious organisation
which can input a small proportion of the
capital costs.
• Voluntary Controlled schools - are a cross
between community and voluntary aided
schools. The LA employs the staff and sets the
entrance criteria. Land and buildings are
owned by a religious organisation.

19. • Academy schools - Academies are
independently managed and free
from LA control. Set up by sponsors
which can include education
charities, universities, business, faith
or voluntary groups. They are held
accountable through a ‘funding
agreement’ - a contract with the DfE.
Academies have greater control over
their finances, the curriculum and
teachers’ pay and conditions.

20. • Free schools - are normally brand new
schools set up by teachers, parents,
charities, community or faith groups in
areas where there is is a parental
demand. They are independent and
free from LA control and, like
academies, are funded directly from
central government. They also exert
greater control over their finances,
curriculum and teachers’ pay and
conditions.

21. • Mostly comprehensive - all
ability, mixed sexed
• 164 selective Grammar
schools still exist (out of
approximately 3500
secondary schools)
• Students are taught by
subject specialists

22. • Up to the age of 14 (end of KS3)
a broad balanced curriculum
• Mixed ability groups or classes
set by ability
• For KS4 students opt for
subjects they wish to study
alongside the core subjects
• GCSE or BTEC

23. The Sixth Form
• Ages16- 18: Years 12 and13
• 11-18 Secondary schools, Sixth Form
College, Further Education College
• A-levels but also BTEC qualifications
and International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Entry to University

24. Higher Education
• Up to £9000 for
undergraduates
• B.A. / BSc. degrees
• 3 years
• Postgraduate degrees M.A.
or Doctorate (PhD)

25. OFSTED
All state schools are regularly
inspected by the the Office for
Standards in Education.

26. The Governing Body
Every state school has a
Governing Body consisting of
specified numbers of various
categories of governors
depending on the type and size
of the school.

27. Types of governors:
• Headteacher
• Staff
• Parent
• Authority
• Community / Co-opted
• Foundation, Partnership, Sponsor

28. •Anybody over 18
•No qualifications
•Willingness to give up time

29. The role of the Governing Body is
a strategic one with governors
providing leadership and
accountability.The Headteacher is
responsible for the internal
organisation, management and
control of the school.

30. Key functions:
• Ensure clarity of vision, ethos and
strategic direction
• Set aims and objectives for the school
and set policies for achieving these
• Appoint the Headteacher and be
involved in the appointment of other
staff
• Be a source of challenge and support
for the Head

31. • Monitor and evaluate the progress of
the school and hold the Head to
account for the performance of the
school and its students (Annual targets)
• Oversee the financial performance of
the school making sure that the budget
is properly managed and money is well
spent

32. The governors use a committee
structure to carry out its
monitoring and evaluation roles.
These can include:
• Finance
• Staffing
• Curriculum
• Premises
• Health and Safety