Singapore UK education system equilavent

[Reddy]

I'm planning to move to the UK and may have to come back to Singapore at some point.  Trying to figure out the education system equivalent between Uk and Singapore.


School                age
Pre-nursery           3
Nursery               4
Kindergarten 1        5
Kindergarte 2         6
Primary 1-6           7-12
Secondary 1-4         13-16
Junior College 1-2    17-18
University            19

[This is it]

UK system

School                          age

Nursery                         3- 4
Reception                      4-5
Primary Years 1-6            5-11
Secondary Years 7-11    13-16
6th form Years 12-13      16-18
University                       18+

[In the pink]

That's it...yep. The 12 year olds have what is commonly called a "gap year". They venture off on a voyage of pre-pubescent discovery before knuckling down to the rigors of secondary school.

This is what separates the UK school system from the lesser western approach of constant supervision. Let them grow say the poms!

[badhairday]

That's it...yep. The 12 year olds have what is commonly called a "gap year". They venture off on a voyage of pre-pubescent discovery before knuckling down to the rigors of secondary school.

This is what separates the UK school system from the lesser western approach of constant supervision. Let them grow say the poms!

I dont know any 12 year old's who took a "gap year". Currently school is compulsory until the age of 16 - though there is talk of reducing this to 14 years old.

[Take another look]

That's it...yep. The 12 year olds have what is commonly called a "gap year". They venture off on a voyage of pre-pubescent discovery before knuckling down to the rigors of secondary school.

This is what separates the UK school system from the lesser western approach of constant supervision. Let them grow say the poms!

I dont know any 12 year old's who took a "gap year". Currently school is compulsory until the age of 16 - though there is talk of reducing this to 14 years old.

Have a look at he post which "in the pink" was referring to and I think you might find they were being very 'tongue in cheek' as the poster did not include 12 year olds in he list.

Do many jokes go over your head this badly? 

[This is it.]

Oops!  Should read

Secondary Years 11 - 16

[Reddy]

thanks.  so primary school is primary school and secondary school is called grammar school but what about 6th form?  Do they have to go to a different school or do they remain in their grammar school?

[This is it.]

thanks.  so primary school is primary school and secondary school is called grammar school but what about 6th form?  Do they have to go to a different school or do they remain in their grammar school?

Secondary schools come in different forms.  Some have their own 6th form, as well as 11-16 year olds, others finish at 16 and pupils either transfer to another school (with a 6th form) or go to a 6th form college which specialises in this age range.  Secondary schools can be 'grammar' or 'comprehensive'.  Grammar schools are selective and are only available in certain counties - Kent, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Lancashire, a few boroughs of London (and some others I can't recall)  Grammar schools are in very high demand and people will often move in order to be close to one - this pushes up house prices in these areas.  Children have to sit a competitive entrance exam to get into a grammar school.  Comprehensives take all abilities.  I know of a couple of schools in London which are a mixture of the two systems.  They take 25% of students via selection and the other 75% is comprehensive - so it's not clear cut. 

The private schools are a bit different.  The old established ones are called 'public schools' and they are often collectively known as 'independent' or 'fee paying' schools.   Within the private school sector, primary school (known as prep school) may run from 7-11 or 7-13.  Before this age it is called pre-prep.  The age at which they transition to secondary school (11 or 13) will vary depending on the school.

Many parents who can't afford private school all the way through, pay for prep school in the hope that their children will have a good grounding to get into a grammar school at secondary age.  Others feel that the state system is better for primary, so opt  for state primary and spend the money later for a private secondary school. 

[OP here]

Thanks that is a very clear explanation.  Lots of pondering to do now.

[spoilt]

Kids these days are so spoilt, no wonder they started wearing tight jeans and uses make ups (ring alarm bells there?)

Singapore local schools are WAY better than UK schools (private or public), and I really think that the local schools here are just the same as the international schools, or better. Try get your kids into local school first, then if you cant find a place for them, consider an 'international' school. Whatever that entails, probably just a lot of toft teachers talking nonsense.

One thing I noticed among expats here is that there is a sense of snobbery in the air. Back in their home countries they are generally just an average person. Locals here have a higher quality of life than the people in UK. So why come here and spend a fortune living in a fantasy (hiring condos, apartments, international schools) if not included in the package? well thats exactly that, they are living in a fantasy. If I had kids, I damn well make sure they will go to local schools over 'international' schools anyday. My experience is that the only way to learn about a country is to get mixed in with the locals, integrate and contribute; not shutting yourself from the world because you are an 'expat'.

[Clown]

Kids these days are so spoilt, no wonder they started wearing tight jeans and uses make ups (ring alarm bells there?)

Singapore local schools are WAY better than UK schools (private or public), and I really think that the local schools here are just the same as the international schools, or better. Try get your kids into local school first, then if you cant find a place for them, consider an 'international' school. Whatever that entails, probably just a lot of toft teachers talking nonsense.

One thing I noticed among expats here is that there is a sense of snobbery in the air. Back in their home countries they are generally just an average person. Locals here have a higher quality of life than the people in UK. So why come here and spend a fortune living in a fantasy (hiring condos, apartments, international schools) if not included in the package? well thats exactly that, they are living in a fantasy. If I had kids, I damn well make sure they will go to local schools over 'international' schools anyday. My experience is that the only way to learn about a country is to get mixed in with the locals, integrate and contribute; not shutting yourself from the world because you are an 'expat'.
[/quo



You sound like a very dumb person, now please return to your void deck and remain there. Nobody cares about what you think, you are the one who is living in a bubble. You have no knowledge about anything
"international".

[spoilt]

You sound like a very dumb person, now please return to your void deck and remain there. Nobody cares about what you think, you are the one who is living in a bubble. You have no knowledge about anything
"international".
[/quote]

No knowledge of what? I worked and lived in Canada, all over Middle East, Indonesia, Philippines, SG (now) UK and Germany. I am 25. Maybe no knowledge of kids yeh. But I got good knowledge of schools and I have been around long enough to know when expats are bullshittin.

The only schooling that really matters are your college years and university years. Before that, local schools in sg are as good as international schools. I would also like to add that local schools here are better than UK schools (grammar schools or whatever)!!

Stop pretending you expats are special lol, jeez...'international' schools. What a bloody joke!!

[spoilt]

Would also like to add how much I laugh when I see snobbish expats talk to me like I was a local, oh yea I always 'correct' them quite quickly. I am infact a Brit but of a Chinese descent. This is Singapore we are in, not bloody Malaysia.

Most expats here are living in a fantasy. Why pay extra when it isnt provided to you on the employment package? I must stress, stop wasting your money, local schools are just as good as international schools here, this is a developed country and the schools are better than UK schools. That I can assure you!

Snobs.

[Ho ho]

Feel better now?   Go and pour yourself another glass of wine 

[Blissful Ignorance]

Leave the 25 year old ingenue be! He/she knows better than all those multi-millionaires from China who ship their kids over in droves to the UK to attend our best schools. Let him/her keep spouting the drivel. There are WAY too many foreigners taking up places in our best public schools.