The following questions have been sent to us by children visiting our website.

If you have a question please use our search page first. If you still can’t find the answer on our website, then please email me your question.

Have you got animals in classrooms?
Karolina – Poland

We used to have pet rabbits.

We don’t have any pet in our school now. Some schools do have pets in their classrooms. The most common pets are stick insects, fish or hamsters.

Do you use computers instead of pens?
Karolina – Poland

We have computers but use pens most of the time. We have a room with 33 computers in it. We call it the computer suite. We also have a computer in every classroom and laptops too.

How do your parents find out about your grades?
Karolina – Poland

Every July the teachers write reports on the progress of each of the pupils. They write the grades on the reports. We also have parents evenings three times a year where teachers meet and tell parents how their child is doing in school.

In Newfoundland we start school at 9:00 a.m. and finish at 3:00 p.m.. What time do you start?

At Woodlands we start at 8:55 am and finish at 3:15pm

Are your days at school 5 hours long?
Chelsea P. – Canada

No, they are 6 hours long

Are your days at school 5 days a week?

Yes, unless you go to a private school

Is every school in England (Private & Public) 6 hours long?

Yes. Public and private schools mean the same thing in England. They are both fee paying schools.

In high school, do people in the 9th grade called Freshman? In the 10th grade Sophomores? In the 11th grade Juniors? And in the 12th grade Seniors?

17 and 18 year olds are Six formers when they stay on at Secondary School

Are there any schools in England that don’t have uniforms?
Shannon USA

Yes. They are mainly found in the large cities.

In public schools, are there any cheerleaders like in American schools?

No, we don’t have cheerleaders.
(Public schools are private schools. Students have to pay to go to these schools)

In the United States, we have a pledge called the Pledge of Alligance. In England, do you have that as well? If so, what is it?

We do not have anything like this in England.

Is England still stricter than it was before like in the 1700 and 1800s?

No

Do children start preschool before the Key Stage 1 or Year 1 & 2?

Yes, before Key Stage one is the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three, and lasts until the end of the Reception Year (the year in which they are five), when children will progress to the National Curriculum (NC) key stage 1 in Year 1. Many children go to a number of different places during the Foundation Stage (eg. playgroups, pre-schools or nurseries ). A few will stay at home until they begin primary school.
The last year of the Foundation Stage is often referred to as the ‘Reception Year’, since most children are admitted to a Reception class of an infant or primary school at some point during the year in which they are 5 years old.

(Key Stage 1 is Year 1 and Year 2.)

What are the GCSEs tests?

At the end of Key Stage 4, pupils aged 16 usually sit examinations, the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or General National Vocational qualification (GNVQ). For GCSEs a certificate is issued, which lists the grades (from A to G) which a candidate has achieved in each subject.

What are the GNVQs?

GNVQs are General National Vocational Qualifications They are optional work-related courses in the final 2 years of Key Stage 4: these will also lead to certification.

More questions and answers about school in England