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An inspired education Rugby
AN INSPIRED EDUCATION
University of Oxford, Oxfordshire
WITH ITS WORLD-RENOWNED CURRICULUM, ENDLESS SCHOOLING OPTIONS AND INTERNATIONALLY-ADMIRED UNIVERSITIES, THE UK’S EDUCATION SYSTEM CONTINUES TO SET A GLOBAL GOLD STANDARD OF LEARNING
Words: Peter Green Executive Headmaster of the Rugby School Group, Warwickshire
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and is located in the North Atlantic Ocean. We’re members of NATO and of the G7 and have the sixth largest economy in the world. We maintain a ‘special relationship’ with the USA; while at the same time, many of our citizens feel European (as well as English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish). e 2016 referendum to leave membership of the European Union was won by a vote of 51 per cent. We have a population of 67 million and, over the years, as we’ve welcomed people from all over the world, we have become truly multicultural.
Queen and country
Our system of democratic government – a constitutional monarchy – dates back to 1215. Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee this year. She is regarded internationally with widespread admiration for her stoicism, her steadfast sense of duty, and her commitment to the United Kingdom. e business of parliament takes place in the publicly-elected House of Commons and the second chamber, the House of Lords – making laws, scrutinising the work of the government, and debating current issues.
A heritage of pioneers
Our civilisation has deep roots, and education is one of them. Some of the oldest institutes of learning in the world were founded in Britain and are still ourishing. ey have produced some of the greatest philanthropists, entrepreneurs, thinkers and innovators, including the team at e University of Oxford who developed the vaccine against Covid-19.
A British education o ers a wealth of choices. It starts formally in the nursery and reception years: the Early Years Foundation stage, which sets the standard for learning, development and care for children up to the age of ve. ere are four later stages taking free, compulsory, education up to the age of 16 and following a national curriculum. Most British schools are state-funded and overseen by the local
authority, but there are also a number of independent schools which charge fees. Most are charities, and many o er a range of scholarships and means-tested bursary programmes.
Within this mix, and at every stage, there’s a large variety: day schools; boarding schools; faith schools; co-educational and single-sex schools; academies; free schools; grammar schools; and schools specialising in special educational needs and disabilities. And there are also variations between England, Wales and Scotland.
A world-recognised exam system
ere are two sets of academic quali cations in schools, based on public examinations. GCSEs are taken at 15 or 16 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in Scotland a similar quali cation is the Scottish Quali cations Certi cate of Education). A-levels – usually in three subjects – are taken as a school-leaving quali cation two years later. ere’s currently a debate in the UK about the exam system, with calls from some for the abolition of GCSEs (or any exam taken at the age of 16) because it puts
too much pressure on students too early and serves little purpose now that most students stay at school until they are 17 or 18.
English schools are inspected by the O ce for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (a non-ministerial department of the UK government); the other nations have similar arrangements. Independent schools are able to teach more widely than the national curriculum (English, maths and science, with an option in arts, design and technology, humanities, and modern foreign languages) and usually o er, in addition, a wide range of co-curricular activities including outdoor learning, music, drama and sport. Some have partnership arrangements with state schools to share best practice at departmental level, and include volunteering and service within their activities. An increasing number of schools o er the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as an alternative to A-levels.
Rugby School, Warwickshire
TraditionTHE UNITED
KINGDOM
This island nation comprises four nations. Use our map to get your bearings
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1 England. 2 Scotland. 3 Northern Ireland. 4 Wales.
University and beyond
Higher – or further – education is available across academic, vocational and skills-related subjects at a range of universities and colleges, which set their own entry requirements. British universities, ancient and modern, are among the most admired in the world – and some are in the most beautiful of our cities – and have research facilities second to none. A good degree from a top university remains the passport to a satisfying career, one of personal intellectual fulfillment as well as social and environmental benefit – and applications to British universities were up by 10 per cent last year. Nowadays, students are just as interested in identifying the course of their choice as choosing a university, and are also selecting courses that combine Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) with Arts (STEAM), so options continue to increase. Just as there is discussion about school exams, there is now a debate about university admissions – should they be decided on predicted or post-A-level results? And should the state have a say in quotas relating to which schools applicants attended?
Rugby School, an independent co-educational boarding school in the West Midlands, was established in 1567. Its most famous Head, Thomas Arnold, had a clear vision for the school when he was appointed in 1828 which, with some adjustment to accommodate contemporary sensibilities, we still follow and which set the pattern for most of the great British public schools (as they used to be known): first, religious and moral principle; second, gentlemanly conduct; third, academic ability.
Pastoral care and wellbeing
The term pastoral care was not in use in the 19th century, but it’s now well embedded in British schools, especially boarding schools, as a crucial part of supporting children’s mental, social, physical and intellectual development. Staff must have the appropriate qualifications, and there are strict regulations and inspection regimes to ensure that schools practise tolerance, fairness, inclusivity and individual care, and that the children are safe.
Responding to the pandemic
The spread and virulence of Covid-19 has had a significant impact on children’s education as schools across the world were forced to close. In Britain, schools and universities had to move quickly to remote teaching
and learning, and the government cancelled public examinations and introduced instead (two) new systems of assessing students’ grades at sixth form. This has been challenging for all involved. Teachers showed extraordinary adaptability, ingenuity and dedication. It’s fair to say that the independent schools were in a better position to respond swiftly to the demands of remote teaching and learning, providing a full timetable of academic study and co-curricular activity (including for their international students) and ensuring technological support. It is perhaps too early to judge the long-term effect on children of being unable, for so long, physically, to attend school and to mix with their friends, but I predict some useful attributes were learned, including resilience and flexibility.
Academic rigour and the workplace
British education is recognised internationally as of the highest standard. It’s taught with rigour, and encourages intellectual curiosity, creativity and energetic (but polite) debate. It seeks to develop a well-rounded person. (In my own school, our mantra is Whole Person, Whole Point.) Our teaching has become more exciting and more demanding, as it encompasses digital developments, knowledge of neuroscience and the need for personal empathy. Collaborative learning is now common, acknowledging the needs of the world of work. Employers, whatever the sector, Tonbridge School, are placing a growing emphasis Kent on emotional intelligence in their recruitment: they want to see how applicants will engage with British education: a quick study their colleagues, if they can work in diverse groups, how they go • World-class schools and universities with a tradition of about applying (rather than just academic excellence and innovative teaching methods proving) their subject knowledge, • The UK consistently tops global rankings and is home to how they tackle problem-solving 28 of the top 200 universities in the world. (Times Higher and exercise their analytical
Education, World Rankings 2022) skills. Schools have taken this on • Learn from the very best in your field. Many teachers in board and are also aware of the UK universities are industry leaders in their subject importance of advising students • Postgraduate students can develop a competitive edge as on time management, especially many UK master’s degrees can be completed in one year those with a healthily wide range • The UK is ranked second in the world for science and of interests.
research and 54 per cent of its output is world leading Open and accepting
Britain is a generous and tolerant place and speaks a universally accepted language. It’s rightly proud of its educational provision. I’m not just talking of its schools, colleges and universities. I include its museums and galleries, its architecture, theatres and dance studios, concert halls, and performance art workshops; its enthusiasm for sport and cooking, fashion, film and writing. The list is long. These are all sources of inspiration to explore, appreciate and share.
