American reacts to British Schools Explained | It's SO DIFFERENT
2022 ж. 11 Қаз.
66 866 Рет қаралды
Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to British Schools Explained.
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Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to British Schools Explained.
Thanks for subscribing for more UK reactions!
I was an extremely poor kid, way below the poverty line. Sometimes the only full meal I got in a day was at school. I loved uniforms because I got to look the same as everyone else. I was terrified of non uniform days, and sixth form, and college, because wearing my own clothes would mean I'd have been bullied to hell and back because they were more or less rags.
Me too. It's still with me 50yrs later.
100% Uniforms were uncomfortable, but all my own clothes were handme downs or didn’t fit right lmao And my shoes never fit and broke easily, having a leg condition & no money for shoes that worked for me wasn’t great
Shame your parents did not make sure that never happened :/ I was always in drip. Even with a poor single mum
I AGREE, it gives me so much anxiety to come in with your own clothes, as well the stress of planning your outfit for 5days a week like
This sounds like what my dad used to tell me. They couldn’t afford shoes for him so his brother used to give him a piggy back to and from school.
I'm a Brit who's pro-uniform. They were originally brought in for the children to feel equal - no matter what their background and nearly all the uniforms are kept in a smart condition. There are some rules about shoes but they don't all have to be the same. The uniform also helps with the pupils' behaviour because they can be identified by their uniform & school badge. Some of the uniforms haven't been changed for 60/70 years or more but they don't look dated at all because they are part of the substance of learning & we're used to them.
Yeah, no - my mother was a grammar school kid but the child of servants (it was a while ago) and relatively poor. They couldn't afford to buy a new uniform or all of it and had to get stuff second-hand. You better believe the other kids looked down on her. Good thing she got there on brains. I have no idea why the British are so obsessed with regimenting children in uniforms. The only good argument I have seen for them is that it stops kids arguing about what to wear to school - I get that is practical but otherwise I think uniforms are awful. The best thing schools can do is make sure they don't ask for any fancy, expensive items in the uniform.
@@JenMaxon “yeah no”? Which is it?
@@Stoggler Sounds likeAustralian slang, so here goes with an explanation: two people having a conversation, first person makes a point, second person comments on that point by saying “yeah, nah”. The second person is saying “yeah, I hear what you are saying and you could have a valid point but despite that, I don’t agree with that point that you have made, because…” and further discussion ensues. Personally, despite being Australian, I very rarely use that expression.
@@JenMaxon When I went to grammar school my tunic was bought large and I wore the same one five years later. It was like St Trinians. I really wasn't bothered. I came from a quite well off family and most other school age children in my road went to private schools. At my school I didn't know what sort of homes the others came from. Of two of my friends one had a miner for a father the other one's father worked for the UN.
They are hateful. And do NOTHING for behaviour.
Grammar schools made it possible for a lot of working class kids to get a top notch education and move them up to middle class jobs, which completely changed their lives.
Maybe the differences in British and American schools explains why so many American students are illiterate and cannot name 3 other countries in the world as demonstrated by this guys own channel !
They also creamed off better teachers in their day. Comprehensives mean that if you are good at a subject e.g. maths, art, you can still get the best education and more facilities can be offered for those that need extra help. In fact, better opportunities can be provided overall. Grammar schools are now limited by smaller size and restricted by focus on academic aims only.
@@moiraruff3292 Grammar schools give people who are academic the chance of a top notch education, that’s what they deserve. Then other schools should be there to do the best for all the others.
To Jemma and Mary Carver: Grammar schools don't define one's future: Students can progress from secondary or comprehensive. I remember a grown West Indian man, in a Brooklyn gym, far away from his teen years, lived in London, boasting about how he went to Archbishop Tenison's Grammar School. (It just closed two months ago!) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_Tenison's_School He still speaks Pidgeon English and is financially no better off than some high school-educated people.
Here’s one. Well me and my 3 sisters siblings. 60 yrs ago.
I hated the uniform when I went to school - now that I look back I actually agree with having them.
The scruffier you were in uniform the cooler it was!
Same. I didn’t have to think to hard about what I would wear and everyone was on an equal playing field
The uniform is not liked by the young people. But it helps with arguments as some families can’t afford fashionable clothes whereas some parents can, so those with less money can be bullied. It saves lot of problems.
I agree with this and think uniforms are overall better than no uniforms. However there is another financial problem created with school uniforms being unreasonably expensive, with very specific requirements and schools that strictly don’t allow alternatives or workarounds. Means that parents are forced to pay for expensive uniforms and can’t use cheaper alternatives. Damned if you do and damned if you dont lol
@@xXItZzLeWXx most schools now have good second hand uniforms that parents donate to the school when the kids leave or grow out of them. The other kids don’t know they are second hand. I agree it can cost a small fortune to it a child out with full uniform.
@@Madders23 Also charity shops often sell second hand uniforms in good condition.
@@janettesinclair6279 yes that’s right. It certainly all helps those on a limited budget and the kids are not picked on. Everyone wins. 😊
You can actually also get help from local councils and even the school itself for help with uniform costs if really poor
I believe the reason why some private school in the UK are called public schools is because when many of these schools were founded several hundred years ago there was no state education. This meant that children either got a very basic education usually from the church or more likely no education at all while the wealthy would often hire a private tutor for their children. As time went on schools were set up usually by wealthy benefactors to educate local children so this meant you were either educated privately at home or publicly at school hence the name public school. My old school was founded in a similar way back in the 1590s but while some schools stayed independent others like mine eventually became part of the state system.
You are right that the term public school dates back a few centuries but is nothing to do with private tutors. The early school system was based on guilds (trade bodies) etc creating schools for the children of guild members. Thus children whose father was not a guild member were not eligible to attend one of these schools. Subsequently, schools were established that were not guild connected and these schools were open to anyone who could pay the fees, hence these schools were open to the ‘public’. Church schools came much much later and were the forerunner of the modern state system.
We call them public, because the public (fee paying parents) fund them. The US call them private, because it's separate from the state / federal government. It's becsuse on where they enthasise the difference.
That makes absolutely no sense! haha.
I liked wearing a school uniform. I didn’t have any graduation ceremony. I walked out of the school gate and thought I was never going back.
Some private schools are called "public school " because open to the public if you can afford the fees. Two notable ones are Eaton and Harrow, others are avaliable.
yup they somehow twisted that around
I used to hate that we had to wear a school uniform when I was a kid, but nowadays I agree with it somewhat, in that it stops kids being bullied for what clothes they're wearing (although believe it or not this still happened even with uniforms). I do, however, still have nightmares about having to go to the school uniform shop with my mum before school started again after the summer... that was a hellish experience of crowds of crazy parents all manically searching for the right size shirt for their kids.
yeah, especially when there's only a few shops that sells your school uniform/pe kit. cant remember if the schools then started selling them.
I loved the uniforms. I went to both state schools and finally a private girls school. The uniform is a great leveller and eliminates the teasing to children of less well-off families. My girl's school uniform was full-on St Trinians (look it up), we even had to wear hats - straw boaters in summer.
So was mine! Summer boaters and in the winter we had actual cloaks - with hoods. We looked positively medieval.
Also in the UK (or england at least) Colleges and Universities are 2 different things. At 16, you can choose to go to Sixth Form to study A Levels, or to go to College to study a single subject. These both last 2 years, or more if you want to stay longer and take other subjects after your first one. Once you have completed that subject you can progress onto University, on the same course but a higher level which gets you your bachelor's or master's.
"At 16, you can choose to go to Sixth Form to study A Levels, or to go to College to study a single subject."... or if you went to a dodgy inner London comprehensive like me there was a third option which many kids took - leave school. I stayed on to spend a year retaking some of my 4th and 5th form subjects and then left school (and got a cushy job at the DHSS, lol).
@@bencodykirk I mean, legally you can't leave education til you're 18. Sixth Form, College, or Apprenticeships included in that.
@@sushi513 Hmm. Things have changed since I went to school. In the 1980s you could leave at age 16.
@@bencodykirk Aha yea, that was about 40 years ago so things will have definitely changed.
@@sushi513 Though if you are offered a full time job at 16 then you don’t have to stay in education until you’re 18.
I loved my uniform. You felt you were dressed smartly, the same, so no bullying, it put you in the mind frame for school, and when you got home, you took it off and changed to go out and play, separating your day. Psychologically, you relaxed, and as an adult, I have the same attitude about work. You switch off when you leave work
Honestly, I think most schools would be better off with uniforms. Instantly you'd do away with petty, childish teasing because such and such a kid doesn't have the newest big name brand shoes, or the currently popular type of hoodie or whatever. At my secondary school, in addition to the usual uniform, in year ten we were given special ties to differentiate us from the rest of the pupils, and in year eleven we wore suits and whatever colour of shirt and tie we wanted. I still have most of those ties from back then. Also yes, shoes are part of the uniform. In my case they had to be smart black leather lace ups. Again, mine were so comfortable after they were broken in that I've worn the exact same style ever since as my go-to semi formal footwear.
Wouldn't it these days then be just that the poor kids don't have the newest IPhone or some crap like that ?
@@beldin2987 No idea, I've never even bothered getting a mobile phone.
@@GiveMeBackMyUsernameKZhead Really ? And i thought i'm the last man on earth who doesn't own a mobile and who also has absolute no interest in ever getting one.
@@beldin2987 Well for me there's a combination of reason why I refuse to get one. For one, I live in Jersey in the Channel Islands, so it's not like I'm ever far from whoever I need to talk to. The second reason is because I'm just stubborn and the more people tell me how "essential" it is to have one these days the more determined I am to prove that it's not, because I've managed my whole life up until now just fine without one.
I’m very pro uniform. It definitely prevents bullying over clothing. Most schools in the UK (state and private) have a uniform. I went to a public school for girls, in the 60’s and 70’s from aged 5-18 years old. My two sons went to grammar school ( selective at 11.years old) My daughter went to a private school, but switched to a catholic comprehensive at 16, for sixth form.
When I was in school it started with Nursery school from the ages of 2 to 4 years old, then infants from 5 to 7, then juniors from 7 to 11, then seniors from 11 to 16, then college then university. I'm 46 now, so a lot has changed since I was at school.
So what school are you in now?
@@elemar5 Why would I be in school now, I'm 46 years old or can't you read a comment properly?.
@@emmahowells8334 I can indeed. It seems you have lost your humour bone.
@@elemar5 When you say something funny then I'll laugh. Plus just cause u think you're funny, doesn't mean u are.
@@emmahowells8334 Oh piss off.
Cramming is more last minute revision, plus none of our exams are multiple choice, we have to write stuff…
As a retired teacher and online tutor in the UK, I can tell you that many exams at GCSE and A level contain multiple choice at present. Also, multiple choice questions can be very challenging, with very similar choices as answers, double negative statements and the like.
@@simondobbs4480 kinda weird to resort to such cheap tricks to make it challenging. "Fake Difficulty" this is called in video games...
@@silkwesir1444 I agree totally
I'm not from the UK but I'm from a country that was colonised by them and uses uniforms in school too. Most people here despise wearing uniform and we get a few times to wear what we call "civvies", just normal clothes and everyone wants to wear their own clothes.
The exam at age 11 just allows you to go to a grammar school if you and your family decide. I passed the exam but declined a grammar school and went to a state comprehensive with all my friends instead. Uniforms (as much as I hated them at the time) are a good thing. It removes any bullying that could result from what a person is wearing. You can’t be bullied for not having the newest trainers or for dressing like a goth if you’re all wearing exactly the same.
Believe me, you can be bullied because of what you're wearing while wearing uniform.
@@PedroConejo1939how?
@@wft15 I'm going to invite you to use your imagination there. It'll take some effort but you can do it and when you have successfully completed the task, you'll realise it wasn't so difficult after all; it will be far more rewarding than me just reeling off a few simple facts.
Less than 1% of the UK attends regular Sunday services of the Church of England, which is the biggest religious denomination in the country
Yeah, I was gobsmacked when he reacted to the religion-thingy. It's like he didn't know they were the only developed country that describes itself as a 'Christian' country? If not, then I think that might be one of the reasons that we view various things from a different perspective?
There are more atheists now than Christians
im seeing a lot of old people saying how uniforms promote equality but from a person that left school in 2019 they are extremely expensive and for poor families it would ruin your financial situation. also a lot of young people like to be more expressive which you cannot do when every one has the same kind of clothing. you can buy normal clothes for a lot more cheaper than an actual uniform, people in school used the uniforms against children so the argument that it stops bullying is bs people are going to bully anyway. people got their bags wripped and swot knotted all the time in school which is something that involves a tie something not in casual clothing. when i was in school it was not told about equality as that was not something it did it was already a diverse school, but we was told we were walking billboards to promote the school when when outside. also grammar schools seems messed up to me.
What’s messed up about Grammar Schools?
Also with universities, if there is a course you want to do, but requires a certain grade level, they can offer you a combined course, where you do however long the first course is to enable the bump up to the second. For instance in my situation, I wanted to do a Bachelor of Arts degree in animation, but I didn't have the required qualifications to go straight onto it, so I was offered a 2-2 option... two years for a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Film & TV Design specialising in animation, then the next two years I got to do the BA in Animation course I wanted to do originally, which itself was a 3 year course, so in total I only spent an extra year at uni!
16-18 year old people can usually see the upside of uniforms, as do their parents. There was a vote by sixth formers in my nephew's school as to whether they would like to stick with a uniform, or wear their own clothes. A debate preceded the vote - student organised. They voted, overwhelmingly - 83%, for uniform, in a ballot. Democracy in action. My nephew was unhappy - ha! He is 21, now and realises he was a bit immature at 16. :)
My school had a grey uniform for years 7 - 11 and black for 6th form. Much smarter and you felt a older once dressed differently. I loved my uniform, we wore blazers with loads of pockets. I had snacks hidden in all of them 😂
@@helens3693 My old school was exactly the same.
The Scottish school system is totally different to the rest of the uk. There's nursery from ages 3/4. Then you start primary school from primary one to seven. You don't have to sit any tests to decide which school you go to. You start high school at 11/12 and you can leave after 4th year to start working or go to a college. Alternatively you can continue to do your highers in 5th year and can do more in sixth year. You can leave after you get your highers and go to university or get a job.
Well explained. Uniforms are still worn in Scotland.
@@alanaw27 thanks, I thought I made it a bit complicated lol I'm totally in favour of school uniforms too. Everyone is the same that way 🙂
You can leave at 16 - some people might have weird birthdays so that could actually be S5. An additional note for everyone else - S4 you can sit national fives (N5) and in S6 you can take advanced highers (AH). These are equivalent to GCSEs and 1st year uni respectively. You can also take exams even if you're already passed the year most people do it, and you can take them earlier, but schools often don't allow this, unless you show you are capable (for example, if you have grade 5 in music theory and an instrument, which are equivalent to AH, you may be allowed to crash advanced higher).
Yes, I was a prefect in the seventies. We weren't allowed to 'hit' kids... but we could bounce them off walls... Great fun. Graduation (again serca 1970s) When you had finished taking your final year exams you didn't have to come into school again. So, as different people took different exams, and a different number of exams, gradually there were no more final year students left and school just... Fizzled out. To expand on the 'Sixth Form' a bit more. Once you went to Secondary school at age 11 you would be in the first year of that school. You would be in the First Form and so would be a First Former. At age 12 you would be a Second Former, and so on until you either left school at the end of the Fifth Form or went on for higher education in the Sixth Form. As this higher education usually ran for two years, there would be a Lower Sixth for the first year and an Upper Sixth if you were on a two-year course.
circa*
My secondary school went prep, 1st to 5th year, then 6th form which made perfect sense. To this day I have absolutely no idea what people mean by year 12 or whatever.
@@peterwilkins7013 And the Americans say they're in 5th grade, etc. What's all that about?
@@Nilguiri They just continue counting and don't start all over in secondary school. Example: in Germany you usually start school at 6 and in 1st grade. So at 10 years old you switch to secondary school and 5th grade. So 5th grade is probably about 10/11-year-olds and 10th grade would be around 15/16-year- olds.
@@jauntyone Ah, ok. That makes sense. So they don't start school until they're about 6 years old in the USA? I started school when I was 4! Maybe that's why I am always confused about it! Thanks!
She didn't really go into much detail about sixth form but its completely optional. You can leave school at the age of 16 and start college or work if that's what you want to do
I think this is not true in England: At 16 you can either continue in fulltime education until 18, Take an apprenticeship or training position, or work o volunteer up to 20 hours per week with part time education for the rest of the week,, I think it is true in the rest of the UK.
I think it’s changed in recent years, you now have to stay until 18? But was definitely optional before I finished school (England) when I was still 15, took a year off and went to college 17
@@Hdjdnsjnd yeah maybe it's changed I have no idea. I too left at 15 and started college at 16, that was in 2012
@@stephenlee5929 that's correct, you can leave the school system at 16 but must continue in education or training like, say, an apprenticeship, till 18. Working is fine as long as you are in recognised formal training as well.
Uniforms are also worn at most schools both state and private in Australia
My school was built in 1620. It has its own birch room - a room for storing the whips used to beat the pupils in previous generations. They were still fixed to the walls. The stone walls were several feet thick and the radiators were very popular in winter as the oldest building was freezing. The boys got a nice new school in 1880-ish with a giant rugby field or two out front. We had playing fields down the road for athletics, hockey, etc. That’s now got Wimpey houses built on it. We had a uniform for everything - tennis, hockey, gym, but we were allowed to wear pyjamas for fencing to start with. The required uniform was set out in a 25 page booklet sent to your mother before you started at the school: blazer with embroidered crest (1), jumper with stripes around the neck, toning lightly striped shirt(minimum of 3), striped tie, winter skirt, grey socks and brown shoes, navy raincoat, summer dress in two designated patterns with a standard cardigan, white socks or natural coloured tights (ie “American tan”) We even had to wear regulation school knickers. Sandals could be worn in the sixth form. No trainers then - hockey boots, plimsolls for tennis. Now they have joggers and trainers. Hats? A navy velour wide-brimmed hat in winter and a straw boater in summer. The school pupils voted to get rid of the straw boater as they got damp in the rain and could smell terrible. Some girls resorted to varnishing them, which was a great idea in theory but when it rained the collected water formed a moat around your head. You got order marks for being inappropriately dressed - so fellow pupils used to pinch your games kit - with your initials embroidered on the front of the Aertex shirts! Then you got the order mark as your kit was missing. They usually turned up - unwashed- in the end of term sale of second-hand uniforms. (I don’t think that was generally the idea.) We had ceremonies and traditions for everything, mostly to do with the world wars and trees of various kinds found in the garden. One involved chucking cherry blossom over the assembly attendees from a great height - bit like at the end of Blackadder with the poppies. Everything had the school crest slapped on it, even the rough note books. We even had a school song - with a soprano chorus that sounded like kittens being murdered. We voted for everything - which boy band poster would be put up on the walls. We were allowed three. Hence the summer hats went via a democratic majority. They had to be attached to your head with elastic as other pupils and rival schools used to try to pinch them. Instead, if you’d attached them to a stretch of elastic tucked under your chin, you got a tremendous pinch if someone tried to nick it (ie boys - unheard of creatures banned from our school until we finally met in class in the sixth form to learn Greek and the legend of the bull of Minos for general studies A level.) We ceremoniously floated the boaters down the local canal in a nod to old Viking customs. Some set fire to them - the hats that had been varnished went out in a blaze of glory! My mum used to wear mine for gardening. (“You’re not floating that hat down the canal. It cost a small fortune!”) We were taught how to sack a servant and how to wash a hairbrush. I’ve never had a servant to sack but the hairbrush washing ritual is still adhered to. The food for school lunch was terrible - in the summer we had stewed plums from the school fruit trees with dying wasps doing the backstroke in the juice for extra protein. Arctic roll and cheese pie were popular - I’d not had those before and thought they were disgusting. The meat you wouldn’t give to dogs these days!
You are so funny I remember all those things 🤣 😂 😄 😆 😅 ☺️ and still laughing, but wouldn't change it for the world these kids to day wouldn't make it back then oh the good old days
I too remember all those things. One thing I obviously learned was to cook a dead wasp in my stew! It is talked about to this day.😮
I moved to the UK 4 years ago. My daughter hated the uniform. I loved it. She is now in college, an alternative to 6th form, which has a bit more freedom and practical study than the strict academia of sixth form. She really loves this and plans on pursuing a solicitor apprenticeship, which will leave her with an advanced qualification without going the traditional A-level and uni route.
A note on the school structure system as it's SUPER relevant to where I live. There's also the super-schools that basically combine 3 - 16 years in one place. This shift basically combines a number of previously separate school groups into one building. Both my primary and secondary schools no longer exist. A school is still there, it's just all the old buildings got demolished to create one huge super school.
Uniform is a great idea, the basics can be bought from Asda/ Walmart you can buy the basics skirt/trouser shirt blazer for less than 40 dollars, and some local authorities put an upper limit for how much a tie and badge can cost. Many schools have a donation scheme where pupils leaving school can give their uniforms to those starting, it's by far the cheapest and fairest way to dress kids, apart from many other advantages, such as pride in appearance, collective recognition and a they can foster a sense of pride and community.
I went to a Secondary Modern School after failing my 11 plus. That doesn't make a person more stupid in the slightest as it might mean the particular skills a person has may need heading in different directions. In the 3rd year we had a choice of staying at the Secondary School or a choice of moving to a Grammer School based on the type of direction we wanted to head to. I chose more engineering side so was perfectly happy to stay at the Secondary Modern which was an excellent school. As for Uniforms we wore them and rightly so. Then and now am 100% totally for them. Can remember back in the 1990's when some schools did away with them. The bullying increased and parents buying fashion clothes and footwear they could not afford which become out of hand. Can remember a documentory about a problem school. A new Headmaster came in to sort it out. First thing he insisted on was the reintroduction of school uniforms. The kids sense of pride and responsibility instantly started to improve, and their grades and success rate massively improved. Going back to when I was at school. In the 5th year we were all given the choice of being Prefects with the option of opting out. My uniform as a Prefect ID included badge and a red narrow band around the jacket sleeves. Head boy and Head Girl had two bands. When you leave school at some point in any job you may need to show some responsibilities, so makes sence to why not start at school. My years it was 5-11yrs at Primary Schools then 11yrs to 14 or like I did stay on for exams at 15yrs Secondary or Grammer. Then for me a 5/7yr Apprenticeship in Engineering which included On and Off the job training, 2 Colleges, and a Skill Centre. Everything was done for a reason and why I look at constant videos of the American education system in utter disbelief. Sadly some of those brain dead ideas then find their way into other countries like some disease. No wonder so many people know absolutely nothing, no self pride or direction, mental illness on a level never seen before, and the list goes on.
Graduation is kept for University. We don’t graduate from high school - we just survive it 😂 it doesn’t matter what grades you get, you are released into the swamp like ocean of life to sink or swim on your own.
I’m a Brit living in the US. I loved wearing a school uniform especially when we become sixth formers. I was a prefect as a junior and it mainly came into play when it rained and prefects were assigned to classrooms during break (recess) times and patrol the hallways. Prefects could award demerit marks for infractions. We were divided into houses. As a senior, at thirteen we chose what GCSEs and A levels we would take. I was pre-med so my curriculum consisted of science and maths, English Lit and Comprehension, Maths, Biology, and RE (religious education) were taken throughout senior schools. In the lower and upper sixth, we wore a different uniform from the lower school. We had a common room that only sixth formers could use. Good times. 😂😂😂
I loved my uniform and the school colours were a definite thing to be proud of. Think sports teams colours. It gave you a sense of belonging, equality with your classmates and when you put it on it got you into the right headspace. Also it stopped school being a fashion show. Not to mention it looked great! Still got mine.
I always liked any form of uniform (only good part of my military service), because I really don’t want to waste a second on what to wear in the morning. May sound strange for many, but I actually buy similar cloth that looks almost the same, so I just pick the first „uniform“ in the morning. Also the shoes I just go through a line and pick the first, so the others rest and I know it fits to the rest, because they all fit to all my cloth:) I know it’s a bit monk
I wasn’t the biggest fan of my uniform at school but I was grateful that atleast everyone was wearing it. If I had had to go to school in my regular clothing then I think the bullying I received due to my epilepsy would just have been escalated 10 fold as my clothing was very cheap. I grew up without a single item of designer clothing. It was mostly supermarket clothing & charity shops. Equivalent in America would be like saying all my clothes come from Walmart & goodwill. Until I was in my 20’s the most expensive pair of even foot wear I owned was 25 dollar pair of Nike trainers 👟. So I’m all for uniform- it’s an equaliser.
In New Zealand our schools have uniforms and the high schools have prefects. When I was at high school, you sat school certificate exams in the 5th form, in the 6th form you had the choice of University Entrance exams or 6th form certificate, depending on your academic ability and in the 7th form there was the University Bursary exams. Also we don't have graduation ceremonies, the closest we come is the award ceremony, one for 3rd and 4th form students and a separate one for 5th, 6th and 7th form students, where awards are awarded to students who've stood out in certain subjects.
My school had a strict uniform with blazer, tie etc. We were even told when to wear socks or tights. I had some complaints about not being allowed to wear trousers, but I definitely agree with wearing a uniform. I was a prefect, I got to leave early on a Friday in exchange for working with 1 struggling younger kid and do yard duty a couple of times a week.
We were allowed to wear trousers in the 5th year and civvies in the 6th year (not that I stayed on for the 6th)
How things must have changed since I was at school. I went to a Grammar school and wore a school uniform but cannot think of anyone ever being bullied over their clothes. Maybe because we were all poor and were just happy playing games free of worries.
In Australia (NSW and Vic) we have primary school from age 5 for 7 years (kindergarten/prep to year/grade 6) and then high school/ college for 6 years (years/grades 7-12). You do a school certificate in year 10 and Higher school certificate or Victorian certificate of education. You can do these last 2 years at a TAFE ( vocational training centre) as well as completing a pre apprenticeship whilst getting the HSC/VCE. We were uniforms in all high school levels. Quite a sight to see a grown man with a beard in a school uniform.
Absolutely love uniforms. All kids can feel equal.
A school uniform stops an expensive fashion parade. Lots of pressure on poorer families.
There are ups and downs to uniforms. I think I would have enjoyed them if they looked stylish, or we were allowed to style it to our liking. Uniforms was meant to make syudents feel equal, but expensive phones or bags still makes a difference and people get bullied anyways.
*were - go back to school
It's changed now, but we could leave at 16 when I was at school (I'm 28) but I left at 15 because my birthday is in August
At my school the classes in senior school were: removes, lower fourth, upper fourth, lower fifth, upper fifth. Sixth form was for those aged over 16.
Where I grew up, I had to wear a uniform for first 3 years of my school. Then they abolished that rule and I was very happy at first. But my family was struggling financially back then and I felt quite bad about not having clothes or shoes as good as some other kids. So now living in England, I’m very happy about my kids wearing the uniform coz it does take away at least some inequality among kids at school.
The Private schools are open to any member of the public who can afford the price.
I hated my uniform when I was at school because of the colour - green. Green skirt, green jersey, green blazer with badge you had to sew on, white blouse, green raincoat and green beret. Summer uniform was either green and white stripe or green and white gingham dress. Shoes were black lace ups and white socks. White Airtex blouse, charcoal gym skirt (like a modern tennis skirt) and plimsolls (canvas shoes). We made our summer dresses in our first term in our sewing class. Basically school uniform is business dress. These sort of uniforms were worn at my childrens' schools. My son had to wear short trousers until age 7 when the boys then had long trousers. The girls had a pinafore dress with a pleated skirt section. They both wore white shirts ties jerseys and blazers. Their school uniform was changed when they were half way through primary school and became polo shirts and sweatshirt type jerseys. I didn't like it because I think if you are dressed smartly you have a better attitude. Sweatshirts is like going to school in your pyjamas it looks slovenly and gives a don't care air.
The term "public school" makes sense if you understand its origin. Before education became compulsory and the state started opening schools, a number of private and church-affiliated schools offered education to the public so they were called public schools to distinguish them from schools that were more restrictive. You had to pay to attend the privately-run public schools which were generally expensive and therefore exclusive.
So in my school in my country, we did wear uniforms, but at least for girls they never involved a tie, for boys only formal events they needed a tie, we didn't have prefects, but there were monitors for younger kids and class assistants, also there was the school mayor, votes on amongst 3 students from the last 3 years, and the school representative chosen between 5 students from the senior year, the mayor gave ideas from the students to the school council, the representative was more related to discipline, the most they ever did was to get to redesign the uniforms
Proms are now becoming more and more popular in the UK
Which is a bit costly for kids who's parents can't afford clothes to let them go to a prom.
@@angelavara4097 yes I agree. It can be very expensive night out.
Definitely a thing here now. Completely undermines the egalitarian argument for uniforms.
In the US schools are called Public or Private based on who owns the school; in the UK on the other hand, we name them based on who pays for them not who owns them. Schools are considered State Schools if the state pays for them, and Public Schools if the public pays for them through fees. So even though the school is privately owned it's still called a Public School because the public pays to use them. Schools which are privately owned and do not charge fees do exist in the UK, just outside of Northern Ireland they are very rare, you're almost always expected to pay.
at my grammar school it's actually way less strict than public schools. at my brother's school someone got a detention for yawning in assembly but at my school people were sending pictures of teachers on group chats and calling people slurs and literally you only get 1 negative point, and need 10 for a lunch detention and 20 for an after school detention
Btw literally know one calls private schools public schools in the UK anymore, they were called that before schools were free
The type of uniforms in the UK depends on the type of school for example the primary school I attended(St Mart's)has polo shirts in green, sweat shirts in green, smart trousers and smart shoes the first secondary school I attended(Brighton Hill Community school)has the classic British school uniform in Navy blue and yellow and in the second secondary school I attended(Samuel Cody specialist sports college)has polo shirts in black or white, sweat shirts in black, smart trousers and smart shoes.
When i went to school in the 70s and early 80s, there was no uniform in the Inner London Education Authority as it was back then, but it was abolished in 1982 and the borough's took over. We moved south of London and in Surrey we had a uniform with a v neck jumper. It was comprehensive all the way and they practicesd streaming. I left the education system in 1987. Loved the uniforms but hated wearing a tie. We also call prefects, Defects. Having done both, i would say that all secondary/high scools wear a uniform. Having also had two years in the Jamaican school system, it was a khaki uniform with epaulettes to denote which school you went to.
My two youngest grandchildren go to the same school. They are soon to celebrate their 5th and 7th birthdays and are currently in reception and year 2. Both attended the school nursery from the age of three and even in nursery (kindergarten) they wore the school uniform - minus the tie. The uniform is a great leveler and gives the children a sense of belonging. Oh, I forgot to say that trainers (sneakers) are banned..
The point about uniform is couple of things: Removal distractions, individuality is nice but it can he distracting in a work/learning environment. Level the playing field between class: if everyone dresses the same then they can be treated as equals (or that’s the ideas) Different uniforms for different roles: makes it easy to identify what kind of job someone does. Finally, it’s a sign you’re willing to be a team player. If you can put aside your selfish individualism for the collective good the that’s good(?)
I think uniforms are a good idea overall, though I don't think I did when I had to wear one. Less bullying for poorer kids but on the other hand parents then have to buy said uniform which can be difficult too.
I loved the uniform. You knew what to wear. I would always forgot my school tie. My headmaster was so use to it, she'd hand me one as soon as i knocked on her door. We were all dressed alike. Ours were grey skirts, white shirt, burgundy jumper, black blazer and a burgundy tie, with thin yellow stripes.
As a German I think it's strange to put all kids in the same class levels. Those with more talent for academics will get bored and stop paying attention and those struggling with learning will suffer and get frustrated because it's all too fast and too much for them. The average kids in the middle get distracted by the those that can't follow or don't need to follow.
Do you mean levels based on the kids skills? Here in the UK we call them Sets. You wouldn't get bored if you were good at your subject because you would be moved up a set. If you were lacking in skill you would be moved down. Top sets are lower numbers like 1-3.
I don't know if it has changed, but when I attended a comprehensive school classes were still streamed by ability. I believe there were 6 streams at my school ranging from the smartest in the top streams to those in the bottom with very limited academic abilities. Movement between streams was possible at the end of each year. If a pupil was struggling in a stream then he or she could be moved into a lower stream or if they were doing very well they could be moved to a higher stream. Again, not sure if it is the same now, but pupils were also divided into 'houses'--like in Harry Potter. On sports days or other competitions within a school, teams would compete as houses not as classes. Allocation into a particular house was based on if you already had a relative at the school. If so, you were allocated to the house your relative was in. No relatives, then house allocation was based on getting roughly the same number of pupils in each house.
I actually always loved buying a new uniform I was proud to wear it lol. parents often take a picture of their kid in a new uniform.
The term 'Public' schools is hangover from hundreds of years ago when there were no schools and children were educated privately at home by a private tutor employed by the family. When schools started to be set up for groups of children to attend outside the home, they were called 'public' because the child was educated outside the home. So it is a bit of an old-fashioned term. Anybody who goes to 'public' school therefore is showing that their family is of an upper class with money. Though public schools do have scholarships for clever but less financially well-off pupils.
It would be more accurate to say that the name 'public' school comes from the fact that they were open to anyone (assuming they could pay) as opposed to schools sponsored by churches or trade guilds which were open only to the children of members. The term 'public school' only refers to a small number of older establishments. In general the preferred term is 'independent school.
My husband and his brother both won scholarships to a very prestigious public school. Their parents could not have afforded the fees, which included boarding.
@@MrPaulMorris You're right, your definition is more accurate.
I grew up in 70-80's and you where placed after around 12 by your scores, either in normal class or advanced class. It basically is to let you keep up where you learning abilities/skills! We aren't all the same ❤
As someone who goes to a British school, we wear school uniforms to avoid judgment and so members of the public or visitors can recognise us. I thought a prefect was more of an American thing because at my school, a random teacher gets selected to do lunchtime duty (same thing as a prefect but its a teacher) Also, in sixth form there is a dress code but you dont wear school uniform. You could also go to college instead of sixth form after your gcses.
So much easier to get the children ready for school, no arguing about what they are wearing 😂😂
I went to a Secondary modern school which was more vocational. One of those who left my primary school and went to Grammar and University joined the company i worked for but on a lower grade and of course lower pay than me
Also in year six or the last year of primary school we have a week of tests called the SATS
I'm a Canadian. I like the uniforms. Where I live in Canada elementary schools are from grades 1 -6, junior high is 7 -9 and high school is 10 - 12. When I was in the Philippines the children wear uniforms also. Each school had a different uniform. Also in Canada universities and colleges are different. There are also other different post-secondary schools.
in my school prefects are sixth formers who are really good at a particular subject so they help younger students
Loved my uniform. Black skirt, black jumper, white shirt and socks, black shoes and house tie. The only thing that was mandatory in style was the school / house tie everything else you could choose whatever style you liked.
at my school we need black leather or leather look shoes, black socks, trousers with school logo or green skirt, green shirt, green jumper with school logo (optional) and the blazer. also the shirt needs to be tucked in if you have no jumper or not visible from the bottom of the jumper
I think school uniform is a great thing. It saves time in the morning trying to decide what to wear. Kids are less likely to get bullied for not having the latest fashion. It creates a sense of belonging & pride. If kids are antisocial to & from school they can be identified & reported to the school. I had an optional uniform in primary & in my secondary I had a a navy blue & white uniform for 4 years (age 11-15) then grey, black, blue & white for 1 year (age 15-16) then anything in 6th form. The thought process behind it was to get students ready for suitable work wear clothing. Denim was banned. The county I live in (Kent) there is still the grammar & secondary. I went to secondary as I failed the 11 plus exam but my twin daughters passed & went to grammar. I would have struggled at grammar with the workload. Grammar schools are a great thing as bright kids’ learning is not held back by teachers having to teach at a slower pace for the less academic ones. Secondary kids can succeed just as much as grammar kids though. At the end of the day, if a kid is keen to learn they will succeed wherever they go.
That sorting is happening in Germany, too. It's not ideal, but it's deeply ingrained into our school system as well.
We have graduation at degree level... the 11+ decided whether you'd go to Grammar school or a Secondary Modern and wasn't fair to those who developed later/not so good at cramming for exams as you got quickly. I hated my school uniform and we tried to adapt it (rolling up skirts/tieing tyes differently/going on strike for trousers... I kid you not). Uniforms can help parents if prices are reasonable... bad kids will always find ways to try to bully, they probably need help themselves x
I think I fall into the age group when they had just ditched the 11+ and brought SATs we did them at the end of Yr 6 basically to give whatever school you were going to an idea of what set you should be in, then we used to do another set in Yr 9, then GCSEs, thank god they've scrapped the Yr 9 ones now.
I was a prefect left Secondary School at 15 started work a dew days later, my grandaughter goes to a church school full uniform !!
where I live the schools are split very similarly to the US First school - age 4-8 middle school - age 9-13 college - age 14-18 the uniforms where very different in every school first - polo shirt, black trousers/shorts/skirt middle - button up shirt, grey trousers/shorts/skirt, tie college - button up shirt, grey trousers/shorts/skirt, tie, blazer
Hi, The thing about Eton public school is, it Was opened about 1440 to be school to educate the poor but over the centuries this change to be for the rich but the name pubic remained, this happened a lot in Britain I don’t know why, an example of this Is the Empire pool , a swimming pool built in Wembley for the 1948 Olympics later , the pool was filled in and Used for other events but carried on been called Empire pool up to 30 years after it had been filled in it was eventually called Wembley arena. Regards JH
Public Schools are called Public Schools in the UK because in the times before the government provided free education for all children wealthy people used to have private tutors for their own children. A public school was a school that was open to anyone who could pay the fees, but was not provided by the state.
I was born and raised in the UK never heard of a private school being called a public school it's always private school where you have to payto get , grammar school you have to be smart to get in and do an extra test, public school is just school
We have uniforms in Australia. Saves money in the long run, removes competition about who can afford name brand clothing.
A Public School is so named in the UK for historic reasons. Before the advent of free, state education, all schools were fee paying and open to any member of the public who could afford the cost OR they were church schools, intended principally to educate young men in the hope many would become Anglican priests (or earlier, Catholic ones). Thus there were Church and Public schools. So, after the Education Act 1870, the term State school was coined for free schools. BTW, my kids and grandsons, and I, who have or do attend schools in Kenya, UK, Australia, and HK,,over the years, value having school uniforms. They are a great equaliser - no rich kids in $500 sweaters and $1000 sneakers - and they generate a sense of school spirit and loyalty.
HI RYAN DEBRA HERE FROM A CHILLY SOUTH WALES I have always known paid for education from schools such as Eton or Winchester, for example, Private School Education. I enjoyed wearing a school uniform as it gave you a sense of belonging and identity.
In the sixth forms I know, there’s a dress code (e.g. office clothes). Also in most schools you have to wear black shoes, no sandals, no trainers (sneakers) and DEFINITELY no high heels.
In Britain private schools are private schools, which require entrance exams, fees and potentially interviews. Public schools are a loosely defined type of private school typically used to refer to the high end ones (Eton, Harrow, etc). The term public school isn’t really used at all and the vast majority of the people in the British private school I go to would not be able to give a clear definition.
School uniform - terrible idea....most are so old fashioned, uncomfortable ( especially in the summer! ) and expensive....and a lot of schools in the UK still seem to make more fuss about uniforms than what pupils actually are learning !
Australian schools are very similar to UK schools except private schools label - we call private schools- Private or independent, grammar schools. Uniforms are good idea we have uniforms too. Private schools have a strict uniform code and more detailed eg hats blazers etc. I went to private school in Sydney- it was girls only and a strict uniform policy with hats gloves and school bags. We couldn’t wear a jumper unless a blazer was worn over the top on the street.
Being Welsh it makes no sense to me either, I went to a comprehensive school. Only graduation ceremony at university. In most areas you finish school at 16 with no 6th form. You go to college for 2 years (16 to 18), then onto university. College and university you wear your own clothes. FYI the TV show "the inbetweeners" is set at start of the 6th form.
I was at a Comprehensive and both Prefect (one Prefect per “House” - there were four Houses) and Head Girl in my final year. Prefect mostly involved checking the girls toilets for pupils hiding out of the rain or having a sneaky cigarette. You also got to step in if you saw someone being bullied or who needed help. Head Girl meant you were above Prefect and took complaints from other girl pupils and attempted to resolve issues without bothering the teachers. Sometimes you stood in for a teacher’s sudden absence. You kept the Prefect’s badge (in your House colour) and were given a certificate for Head Girl at Prize Giving.
Shoes are also part of the uniform in most schools and every September there are stories in the press about kids being sent home for wearing the wrong shoes. Also kids get sent home for the wrong trousers or skirts that are too short. A lot of sixth-forms don't have uniforms but do have strict dress codes based along dressing for a professional job. British kids are amongst the most tested in the world - SATS at 6 and 11, GCSEs (up to 12 subjects with approx 3 exams each), A levels (usually 4 subjects with 3 exams each. These are all done at the end of the year and we also don't do multiple choice tests. It all involves writing out full answers!
Is it even legal for the school to send them back home? What if something happens to them on the way?
@@silkwesir1444 I guess it depends on their age but parents have been told to fetch their kids. Some schools are really strict!
Re your question re Shoes and uniform. At my kids school there are very strict “no logo” policies in place, so they can wear black shoes from any price point.
Back in the day (I don’t remember the date or name). The UK created a test for all kids at 11 so they could go to grammar school, basically a private school. It was basically to help break the cycle of ‘poverty’ and allow poorer kids a better shot at going to university through scholarships.
Grammar schools weren't all private, they were still state schools.
@@josiecoote8975 I didn’t say grammar schools were private, I compared them to private because they aren’t easy to get into. Private school: you need money. Grammar: intelligence. However, grammar schools are usually funded better, similarly to a private school.
I only wore a uniform in primary school. Our secondary/intermediate school was tough as old boot. Wear a uniform and you were an outcast.
i'm german and we still have that here, even to a more extreme in three categories, with a basic a moderate and a advanced route, you need to go through the last to qualify for university, the first is... well, let's just say, nobody expects big things from you ;)
i used to live with my dad so i was poor, the unifrom my school used had a special symbol on it so you couldnt buy a normal white polo, jumper and P.E unifrom from any shop, and the two shops that did sell all my school uniform they priced it extremley high and there was no where else we could buy it. IT WAS HELL
The reasons tests are take at 11 is because in uk most schools are primary (5-11 years old) & secondary (11-16) then sixth form which can lead to university OR college.
The oldest school in the world is a Public School, Kings in Canterbury. Public because they are/were open to all with funds, often covered by landowners or the church. So old lad, we have been doing a lot longer so we know. Kings is 1600 years old
I am proud to be British, school uniform ensures all kids r the same ,no fashion worry and no child feels poor or left out they all look the same
2:33 is about the 11 plus and i did it most areas still do it but grammar schools are higher quality like langley grammar which is the best grammar school in berkshire is oversubscribed which means loads of ppl want to go but its a really long process but it is optional to do the test while secondary schools have no relationship between it
When I'm in grumpy mode, school uniforms are a great aid to knowing where to get little fockers in trouble. Generally, though, I think them ridiculous. They are not 'levellers', everyone knows who the rich/poor kids are anyway. Also, the rules around only having natural hair colour are silly - it in no way distracts from anyone's learning experience. The argument about "well, in the workplace..." that is so often used is silly, they are not comparable.