A bursary is a monetary award made by any educational institution or funding authority to individuals or groups. It is usually awarded to enable a student to attend school , university or college when they might not be able to, otherwise. Some awards are aimed at encouraging specific groups or individuals into study.
52-508: In England , financial support may be available from the college that the student attends. If the student is studying at either a publicly funded Sixth Form college or in a publicly funded Further Education college , financial support may be offered depending on their financial and personal circumstances. Each college has eligibility criteria and a college is able to provide details on which bursaries are available and what level of financial support students may be eligible for. Financial support
104-410: A Foundation Stage (covering the last part of optional and first part of compulsory education), 4 Key Stages , and post-16 education, sometimes unofficially termed Key Stage Five, which takes a variety of forms, including 6th Form, which covers the last 2 years of secondary education in schools. A number of different terms and names exist for the various schools and stages a pupil may go through during
156-613: A skilled trade . Traineeships are also overseen by the National Apprenticeship Service, and are education and a training programmes that are combined with work experience to give trainees the skills needed to get an apprenticeship. T Levels are technical qualifications introduced in 2020, developed in collaboration with businesses and education providers to prepare students for skilled employment, apprenticeships and higher study. Every T Level includes an industry placement with an employer focused on developing
208-524: A bursary application online. Other colleges will require a paper application form. Evidence to support an application will always be required. Evidence documents may be scanned copies or photographs of documents but they must be verifiable and accepted by the college before a student will have their application approved. Some colleges will only allow paper versions of evidence. Examples of financial support provided by colleges in England are as follows. This list
260-434: A certain level of income, with the state paying all fees for students from the poorest backgrounds. Only those who reach a certain salary threshold (£21,000) pay this fee through general taxation . In practice, higher education remains free at the point of entry in England for a high minority of students. English students are generally entitled to student loans for maintenance and living costs. Undergraduates admitted from
312-617: A change of course during the academic year may result in the bursary being varied or stopped altogether. Bursaries are similar to but distinct from " scholarships " or " prizes ", which are based on performance or sponsorship. Scholarships and prizes are generally awarded for good performance in the study preceding course entrance in which the student achieves grades above the standard entry. These funders are usually education authorities, universities, companies and private trusts. Education in England Education in England
364-496: A narrowing of the participation gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students". Adult education , continuing education or lifelong learning is offered to students of all ages. This can include the vocational qualifications mentioned above, and also: The two qualifications frameworks in England are the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), for qualifications regulated by Ofqual , and
416-539: A pupil may choose to stop education is commonly known as the "leaving age" for compulsory education. This age was raised to 18 by the Education and Skills Act 2008 ; the change took effect in 2013 for 16-year-olds and 2015 for 17-year-olds. From this time, the formal school leaving age (which remains 16) and the education leaving age (now 18) have been separated. State-provided schooling and sixth-form education are paid for by taxes. A child begins primary education during
468-489: A range of external examinations. Most frequently, these are GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations, although a range of other qualifications is growing in popularity, including NVQ National Vocational Qualifications . These examinations are set by one of the examination boards . Results of examinations at this age are published as part of the Department for Education Performance Tables. The term
520-572: A school-style curriculum) to less-structured unschooling . Education Otherwise has supported parents who wished to educate their children outside school since the 1970s. The state provides no financial support to parents who choose to educate their children outside of school. In the early years foundation stage , the curriculum is organised into seven areas of learning: The national curriculum covers pupils in primary school (ages 5 to 11; key stages 1 and 2) and secondary school (ages 11 to 16; key stages 3 and 4). It covers what subjects are taught and
572-438: A school. They can pursue further education , which includes technical education, in the sixth form of a school, in a specialised sixth form or further education college. Alternatively, they can take an apprenticeship or traineeship, or can volunteer for 20 or more hours a week while undertaking part-time education or training. Types of colleges that focus on education after sixteen include: Students over 16 typically study in
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#1732790095411624-595: A small number of private colleges and universities has been largely state-financed since the 1960s, with a contribution from top-up fees introduced in October 1998, however fees of up to £9,000 per annum have been charged from October 2012. There is a perceived hierarchy among universities, with the Russell Group seen as being composed of the country's more prestigious universities. League tables of universities are produced by private companies and generally cover
676-525: A three-year bachelor's degree . Postgraduate degrees include master's degrees , either taught or by research, and doctoral level research degrees that usually take at least three years. The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), which is tied to the RQF, covers degrees and other qualifications from degree-awarding bodies. During the Middle Ages , schools were established to teach Latin to
728-413: A voluntary payment can be requested, and limited charges at state-funded boarding schools ). All schools are legally required to have a website where they must publish details of their governance, finance, curriculum intent and staff and pupil protection policies. Types of schools in England include: In addition, three of the fifteen City Technology Colleges established in the 1980s still remain;
780-526: Is almost always based on the student's ″household″ income along with other criteria. Income limits and eligibility vary from college to college so students must contact their college to obtain this information, although there are some basic eligibility requirements provided by the UK government on their website. If a student is considered to be a vulnerable student, a bursary of up to £1,200 is available depending on circumstances. Many colleges will ask students to make
832-404: Is compulsory for all children aged 5 to 18, students must stay in a traditional school setting until the age of 16. After this age they are still legally required to receive further education (which may be academic or technical) until the age of 18, but this does not have to be in a traditional school environment and numerous vocational options are legally acceptable and available. The age at which
884-481: Is compulsory until 18, thus post-16 education can take a number of forms, and may be academic or vocational . This can involve continued schooling, known as sixth form , leading to A-levels or alternative Level 3 qualifications. It can also include work-based apprenticeships , traineeships and volunteering. The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) covers national school examinations and vocational education qualifications. Higher education often begins with
936-477: Is defined in The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 as "the period beginning at the same time as the next school year after the end of key stage 3 and ending at the same time as he ceases to be of compulsory school age". Notably, the earlier Key Stages are defined as lasting for ten years in total from the start of compulsory education . The term is used to define the group of pupils who must follow
988-504: Is divided into Key Stages , based upon the student's age by August 31. The Early Years Foundation Stage is for ages 3–4. Primary education is divided into Key Stage 1 for ages 5–7 and Key Stage 2 for ages 7–11. Secondary education is divided into Key Stage 3 for ages 11–14 and Key Stage 4 for ages 14–16. At the end of Year 11 (at age 15-16) students typically take General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams or other Level 1 or Level 2 qualifications. Education
1040-534: Is not exhaustive; it is based on the awards provided by over sixty colleges in England (in 2020). To obtain such a bursary, it is customary for the student or their parents or guardians to be asked to provide details of their financial circumstances, supported by documentary evidence. The amounts awarded in Scotland , for instance, are made on a sliding scale, with household income below £34,000 p.a. (as of 2020) attracting awards. The application will be considered by
1092-794: Is overseen by the Department for Education . Local government authorities are responsible for implementing policy for public education and state-funded schools at a local level. State-funded schools may be selective grammar schools or non-selective comprehensive schools . All state schools are subject to assessment and inspection by the government department Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills). England also has private schools (some of which are known as public schools ) and home education ; legally, parents may choose to educate their children by any suitable means. The state-funded compulsory school system
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#17327900954111144-572: Is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs , and other examinations, in maintained schools in England normally known as Year 10 and Year 11, when pupils are aged between 14 and 16 by August 31. (In some schools, KS4 work is started in Year 9.) The term is defined in the Education Act 2002 as "the period beginning at the same time as the school year in which
1196-670: The Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church . All state-funded schools are regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education , often known simply as Ofsted. Ofsted publishes reports on the quality of education, learning outcomes, management, and safety and behaviour of young people at a particular school on a regular basis. Schools judged by Ofsted to be providing an inadequate standard of education may be subject to special measures , which could include replacing
1248-635: The 19th century to give women access to university education, the first being Bedford College , London (1849), Girton College, Cambridge (1869) and Newnham College, Cambridge (1871). The University of London established special examinations for women in 1868 and opened its degrees to women in 1878. University College Bristol (now the University of Bristol) became the first mixed higher education institution upon its foundation in 1876, followed in 1878 by University College London (which had held some mixed classes starting in 1871). Full-time education
1300-859: The European Higher Education Area (QF-EHEA). The Programme for International Student Assessment coordinated by the OECD currently ranks the overall knowledge and skills of British 15-year-olds as 13th in the world in literacy, mathematics, and science with the average British student scoring 503.7, well above the OECD average of 493. Primary school children in England were 4th in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study for reading skills in 2021. Key Stage 4 Key Stage 4 ( KS4 )
1352-761: The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) for qualifications granted by bodies with degree awarding powers, overseen by the Quality Assurance Agency . These share a common numbering scheme for their levels, which was also used for the earlier Qualifications and Credit Framework . The RQF is linked to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the FHEQ to the Qualifications Framework of
1404-620: The National Curriculum, and their teachers are not required or regulated by law to have official teaching qualifications. The Independent Schools Inspectorate regularly publishes reports on the quality of education in all independent schools. The Education Act 1944 stated that parents are responsible for the education of their children, "by regular attendance at school or otherwise", which allows children to be educated at home. Officially referred to as "Elective Home Education", teaching ranges from structured homeschooling (using
1456-517: The academic year 2012-13 have paid tuition fees set at a maximum of up to £9,000 per annum, with most universities charging over £6,000. Postgraduate fees vary but are generally more than undergraduate fees, depending on the degree and university. There are numerous bursaries (awarded to low income applicants) to offset undergraduate fees and, for postgraduates, full scholarships are available for most subjects, and are usually awarded competitively. The gap between rich and poor students has narrowed since
1508-405: The awarding organisation according to its published conditions although appeals may be considered from applicants in special or extenuating circumstances. The award will usually cover a specific period and may be given as a lump sum or on a declared schedule. Most bursaries are reviewed annually to ensure that the justification for an award remains. Changes in circumstances or study conditions such as
1560-558: The compulsory part of their education. Grammar schools are selective schools, admitting children from 11 years old onward; they are normally state-funded, though fee paying independent grammars do exist. Schools offering nursery (pre-school) education commonly accept pupils from age 3; however, some schools do accept pupils younger than this. Some 93% of children between the ages of 3 and 18 are in education in state-funded schools without charge (other than for activities such as swimming, cultural visits, theatre visits and field trips for which
1612-625: The core English, Mathematics and Science. The structure of the National Curriculum is: All schools are also required to teach religious education at all key stages, and secondary schools must provide sex and relationship education . In addition to the compulsory subjects, students at Key Stage 4 have a statutory entitlement to be able to study at least one subject from the arts (comprising art and design, dance, music, photography, media studies, film studies, graphics, drama and media arts), design and technology (comprising design and technology, electronics, engineering, food preparation and nutrition),
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1664-639: The early modern period. Nineteenth century reforms expanded education provision and introduced widespread state-funded schools. Until 1870 all schools were charitable or private institutions, but in that year the Elementary Education Act 1870 ( 33 & 34 Vict. c. 75) permitted local governments to complement the existing elementary schools in order to fill any gaps. The Education Act 1902 allowed local authorities to create secondary schools. The Education Act 1918 abolished fees for elementary schools. Women's colleges were established in
1716-424: The first three years running parallel to the bachelor's course in the subject. During a first degree students are known as undergraduates . The difference in fees between integrated and traditional postgraduate master's degrees (and that fees are capped at the first degree level for the former) makes taking an integrated master's degree as a first degree a more attractive option. Integrated master's degrees are often
1768-669: The governing body and senior staff. School inspection reports are published online and directly sent to parents and guardians. School uniforms are defined by individual schools, within the constraint that uniform regulations must not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief. Schools may choose to permit trousers for girls or religious dress. Pupils aged five to seven in state-funded schools (including those in reception class) are entitled to free school meals and fruit. Pupils aged seven to 16 from low income families are eligible for free school meals. All school meals must follow
1820-747: The government's healthy eating standards and promote a healthy diet. State-funded schools are encouraged to provide childcare outside of school hours, including breakfast clubs and after school curriculum activities (drama, computing, food preparation, arts, crafts, sports, science, etc). Approximately 7% of school children in England attend privately run, fee-charging private schools . Some independent schools for 13–18-year-olds are known for historical reasons as ' public schools ' and for 8–13-year-olds as ' prep schools '. Some schools offer scholarships for those with particular skills or aptitudes, or bursaries to allow students from less financially well-off families to attend. Independent schools do not have to follow
1872-539: The group of pupils who must follow the relevant programmes of study from the National Curriculum . All pupils in this Key Stage must follow a programme of education in the following areas: In addition, there is a statutory duty on schools to provide an optional programme of education for pupils in this Key Stage in each of the following areas: At the end of this stage, pupils aged 15 or 16 depending on their birthday - in Year 11 - are normally entered for
1924-522: The humanities (comprising geography and history), business and enterprise (comprising business studies and economics) and a modern language. Compulsory schooling ends on the last Friday of June for pupils who will turn 16 before the start of the next school year. Most pupils at both state schools and independent schools will typically take GCSE examinations at the end of their last year of compulsory schooling. After this, young people are mandated to continue in education until age 18, but need not attend
1976-605: The infant school to the junior school, and some are not. A few areas still have first schools for ages around 4 to 8 and middle schools for ages 8 or 9 to 12 or 13. English secondary schools are mostly comprehensive (i.e. no entry exam), although the intake of comprehensive schools can vary widely, especially in urban areas with several local schools. Nearly 90% of state-funded secondary schools are specialist schools , receiving extra funding to develop one or more subjects (performing arts, arts, business, humanities, languages, science, mathematics, technology, engineering, etc) in which
2028-616: The introduction of the higher fees. This may be because universities have used tuition fees to invest in bursaries and outreach schemes. In 2016, The Guardian noted that the number of disadvantaged students applying to university had increased by 72% from 2006 to 2015, a bigger rise than in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. A study by the Centre for Economic Performance found that the introduction of tuition fees had "increased funding per head, educational standards, rising enrolments, and
2080-531: The last Friday in June of the school year in which they turn 16. The education leaving age was raised in 2013 to the year in which they turn 17 and in 2015 to their 18th birthday for those born on, or after, 1 September 1997. The prescribed days are 31 August, 31 December and 31 March. The school year begins on 1 September (or 1 August if a term starts in August). The compulsory stages of education are broken into
2132-415: The majority of pupils in his class attain the age of fifteen and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class cease to be of compulsory school age". Since that Act, the ending of compulsory education in England has been extended beyond the age of sixteen, but compulsory education beyond the age of 16 is not classed as part of Key Stage 4. The term is used to define
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2184-763: The practical and technical skills required for an occupation. Higher education in England is provided by Higher Education (HE) colleges, university colleges , universities and private colleges. Students normally enter higher education as undergraduates from age 18 onwards, and can study for a wide variety of vocational and academic qualifications, including certificates of higher education and higher national certificates at level 4, diplomas of higher education , higher national diplomas and foundation degrees at level 5, bachelor's degrees (normally with honours ) at level 6, and integrated master's degrees and degrees in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science at level 7. Historically, undergraduate education outside
2236-658: The rest having converted to academies. These are state-funded all-ability secondary schools which charge no fees but which are independent of local authority control. There are also a small number of state-funded boarding schools . English state-funded primary schools are almost all local schools with a small catchment area. More than half are owned by the Local Authority, though many are (nominally) voluntary controlled and some are voluntary aided. Some schools just include infants (aged 4 to 7) and some just juniors (aged 7 to 11). Some are linked, with automatic progression from
2288-429: The school specialises, which can select up to 10% of their intake for aptitude in the specialism. In areas children can enter a prestigious grammar school if they pass the eleven plus exam ; there are also a number of isolated fully selective grammar schools and a few dozen partially selective schools . A significant minority of state-funded schools are faith schools , which are attached to religious groups, most often
2340-502: The school year they turn 5. Children between the ages of 3 and 5 are entitled to 600 hours per year of optional, state-funded, pre-school education. This can be provided in "playgroups", nurseries, community childcare centres or nursery classes in schools. All children in England must currently therefore receive an effective education (at school or otherwise) from the first "prescribed day", which falls on or after their fifth birthday until their 18th birthday, and must remain in school until
2392-491: The sixth form of a school ( sixth form is a historical term for Years 12–13), in a separate sixth form college or further education college . Courses at FE colleges (referred to as further education courses ) can also be studied by adults over 18. Colleges can offer a wide range of options for study, including apprenticeships and national qualifications such as: The National Apprenticeship Service helps people 16 or more years of age enter apprenticeships in order to learn
2444-669: The sons of the aristocracy destined for priesthood or monastic work with the ministry of government or the law. Two universities were established in affiliation with the church: the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge , to assist in the further training of the Catholic Christian clergy. Education in England remained closely linked to religious institutions until the nineteenth century, although charity schools and "free grammar schools", which were open to children of any religious beliefs, became more common in
2496-579: The standard route to chartered status for STEM professionals in England. The majority of international students in the United Kingdom chose a British institution because of the country's reputation for high quality education, a far higher proportion than in Canada or Australia (just over 20 per cent) or the US (around 15 per cent). The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge rank among
2548-449: The standards children should reach in each subject. State-funded schools in England are required to offer a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based, which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and which prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. State-funded schools are obliged to teach thirteen subjects, including
2600-588: The state has control over teacher training courses, and standards are monitored by Ofsted inspectors. The typical first degree offered at English universities is the bachelor's degree with honours , which usually lasts for three years, although more vocational foundation degrees , typically lasting two years (or full-time equivalent) are also available in some institutions. Many institutions now offer integrated master's degrees , particularly in STEM subjects, as first degrees; these typically lasts for four years,
2652-751: The top 10 of the major global rankings . At some institutions in London such as the London School of Economics and University College London , the majority of first degree students are from outside the UK. Including postgraduates, international students are also in the majority at Imperial College London and University of the Arts London . Students who have completed a first degree can apply for postgraduate and graduate courses. These include: Since October 1998, most undergraduates have paid fees repayable after graduation, contingent on attaining
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#17327900954112704-481: The whole UK. The state does not control university syllabuses, but it does influence admission procedures through the Office for Students (OfS), which approves and monitors access agreements to safeguard and promote fair access to higher education. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is an independent expert quality body, with a remit to maintain and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in tertiary education in England. Unlike most degrees,
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