Characteristics of a typical UK private boarding school
Public schools (Independent Schools) - independent schools - private privileged high schools in Great Britain, which preserve aristocratic traditions. Tuition fee is high and depends on the school's rating only to a small extent.
What is this, a typical private boarding school in England?
Organization of the school
Usually such a school is located in the countryside and occupies a vast territory.
At school there is a church or chapel, a visit which is obligatory once a week.
The principal, as a rule, lives in the school with his family.
In educational buildings besides classes there are equipped laboratories, computer classes, workshops. Often, music, dance and drama classes are held in a separate dedicated arts center.
Simultaneously with the division into classes, students of different ages are united in "houses" (residences). In each residence there is a resident educator, housemaster or housemistress, who is fully responsible for the children. Matrons (matrons) are responsible for resolving economic issues in residences. Self-management is functioning in the homes - high school students are also responsible for the order in the hostel, they have their own clear duties and powers. This is the sergeant's staff of the school, the main assistants of educators. The houses compete with each other both for academic achievements and for sports competitions. The residences have, apart from the rooms for living, a dining room, a small library, a computer room, a lounge for conversations, watching TV and playing billiards, a small kitchen for the kids, where they can have a snack at any time. Typically, toilets, bathrooms and showers are on the floor, but in the recently built residences in the children's rooms a sink is provided.
At school, much attention is paid to physical education. Extensive playground for sports, rugby fields, tennis courts, sports grounds. Almost all schools have an indoor pool. If the school is located near the river or on the coast, there is a boat station.
Fairly believing that "in idleness devise crimes" (Schiller, "Maria Stewart"), the school offers the children a huge number of circles to choose for classes in their spare time and self-study time, organizes clubs on interests.
The school usually has a small shop where children can buy soft drinks and sweets, as well as school and sports uniforms and stationery.
At school, there is a mandatory medical center, in which the nurse is on duty around the clock, and in the daytime the pediatrician is leading. You can get to a specialist doctor by appointment. Each student has his own national insurance number in England, as well as additional school insurance (at the request of the parents).
Discipline in school
The basis of child safety in the boarding school is a strict discipline, and special attention is paid to it. You can not be late, rude, go out of school territory, smoke or drink alcohol and drugs. Especially strictly follow the observance of the regime of the day, the order in the rooms of the residences, the neatness of the students. Even before coming to school, the child and parents are introduced to the rules of behavior in the school and the measures that can be taken if they are violated (up to and including exclusion from school). At the end of the trimester, parents receive not only a full report from the teachers about the academic performance of the child, but also the teacher's comments on his behavior and discipline.
Academic year
The school year at the boarding school in the UK lasts 10 months (autumn). Each term lasts about 12 weeks. Between the trimester, schools are closed for the holidays, as well as for a two-week vacation in the middle of each trimester. The calendar for the school year depends on the school, but it usually looks like this:
The beginning of September is the middle of October: the first half of the autumn trimester
Ten days - two weeks: a half-year vacation
Beginning of November - middle of December: the second half of the autumn term
Three weeks: Christmas holidays
The beginning of January is the middle of February: the first half of the spring term
Ten days: Holidays half a year
End of February - early April: the second half of the spring term
Three weeks: Easter holidays
Mid-April-late May: first half of the summer term
Ten days: Holidays half a year
Beginning of June - beginning of July: the second half of the summer term
Two months: Summer holidays
When to go to school
Education at the boarding school starts at 8 years old.
From 8 to 13 years old children attend elementary school (Preparatory school). As a rule, primary schools are small in number and much cheaper than secondary boarding schools (colleges).
Then the children are taken to the secondary school (college) by the results of the exam (general entrance exam). Common