Primary education is the first stage of compulsory education. It is preceded by pre-school or nursery education and is followed by secondary education. In North America, this stage of education is usually known as elementary education and is generally followed by middle school.
In most countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education, though in many jurisdictions it is permissible for parents to provide it. The transition to secondary school or high school is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some educational systems have separate middle schools with the transition to the final stage of education taking place at around the age of fourteen.
The major goals of primary education are achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all pupils, as well as establishing foundations in science, mathematics, geography, history and other social sciences. The relative priority of various areas, and the methods used to teach them, are an area of considerable political debate.
Typically, primary education is provided in schools, where the child will stay in steadily advancing classes until they complete it and move on to high school/secondary school. Children are usually placed in classes with one teacher who will be primarily responsible for their education and welfare for that year. This teacher may be assisted to varying degrees by specialist teachers in certain subject area often music or physical education. The continuity with a single teacher and the opportunity to build up a close relationship with the class is a notable feature of the primary education system.
Traditionally, various forms of corporal punishment have been an integral part of early education. Recently this practice has come under attack, and in many cases been outlawed, especially in Western countries.
Education in Australia
Kindergarten/Pre-School (ACT, NSW): 4-5 year olds
Preparatory/Reception/Kindergarten (VIC, QLD, SA, NSW and ACT): 5-6 year olds
Year 1: 6-7 year olds
Year 2: 7-8 year olds
Year 3: 8-9 year olds
Year 4: 9-10 year olds
Year 5: 10-11 year olds
Year 6: 11-12 year olds
Year 7: 12-13 year olds (WA, SA, QLD)
Education in Brazil
Year 1: 6 year olds (former pre-school)
Year 2: 7 year olds
Year 3: 8 year olds
Year 4: 9 year olds
Year 5: 10 year olds
Year 6: 11 year olds
Year 7: 12 year olds
Year 8: 13 year olds
Year 9: 14 year olds
Education in Canada
Primary (Kindergarten) (Ages 4–5) students in the Prairie Provinces are not required by statute to attend kindergarten.
Grade 1 (Ages 5–7)
Grade 2 (Ages 6–8)
Grade 3 (Ages 7–9)
Grade 4 (Ages 8–10)
Grade 5 (Ages 9–11)
Grade 6 (Ages 10–12)
DenmarkIn Denmark, 9 years of primary school (Folkeskole) are compulsory.
Kindergarten (optional): 6–7 years
1st grade: 7–9 years
2nd grade: 9–10 years
3rd grade: 10–11 years
4th grade: 11–12 years
5th grade: 12–13 years
6th grade: 13–14 years
7th grade: 14–15 years
8th grade: 15–16 years
9th grade: 16–17 years
10th grade (optional): 17–18 years
Education in Finland
9 years of primary school (Peruskoulu) are compulsory.
Kindergarten (optional): 6–7 years
1st grade: 7–8 years
2nd grade: 8–9 years
3rd grade: 9–10 years
4th grade: 10–11 years
5th grade: 11–12 years
6th grade: 12–13 years
7th grade: 13–14 years
8th grade: 14–15 years
9th grade: 15–16 years
10th grade (optional): 16–17 years
Education in France
Nursery:Petite Section (3 years old)
Reception:Moyenne Section (4 years old)
Year 1:Grande Section (5 years old)
Year 2:CP (cours préparatoire)(6 years old)
Year 3:CE1 (cours élémentaire 1)(7 years old)
Year 4:CE2 (cours élémentaire 2)(8 years old)
Year 5:CM1 (cours moyen 1)(9 years old)
Year 6:CM2 (cours moyen 2)(10 years old)
This section requires expansion.
Education in Germany
The first school for German children is called de:Grundschule. It takes usually four years, the pupils are between six and ten years old. The education consists of learning to read, write, basic math and general knowledge. In some schools, a first foreign language is introduced, usually English. In the final year of primary school, children receive a recommendation as to which further school they can attend.
Kindergarten: 3–5 years
Grade 1: 6–7 years
Grade 2: 7–8 years
Grade 3: 8–9 years
Grade 4: 9–10 years
Depending on the recommendation they received from their teacher, children proceed to their mandatory secondary education in either Hauptschule (Grades 5-10), Realschule (Grades 5-10), or Gymnasium (Grades 5-12). Upon the successful completion of Grades 11 and 12 in the Gymnasium, students receive the Abitur, a diploma with the permission to enter post-secondary education (similar to the A-level or High School Diploma). The Abitur will not be received at the end of Haupt- and Realschule, but graduating students are eligible to enter the 11th Grade of the Gymnasium if they wish to obtain the Abitur.
Education in Hungary
Primary School education for children in Hungary takes 8 years.
1st grade: 6–7 years
2nd grade: 7–8 years
3rd grade: 8–9 years
4th grade: 9–10 years
5th grade: 10–11 years
6th grade: 11–12 years
7th grade: 12–13 years
8th grade: 13–14 years
Education in Iceland
In Iceland, 10 years of primary school (Grunnskóli) are compulsory.
Primary school teaching in Iceland consists of 10 grade levels. These are:
1st grade: 6–7 years
2nd grade: 7–8 years
3rd grade: 8–9 years
4th grade: 9–10 years
5th grade: 10–11 years
6th grade: 11–12 years
7th grade: 12–13 years
8th grade: 13–14 years
9th grade: 14–15 years
10th grade: 15–16 years
Education in India
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is the apex body for school education in India. The NCERT provides support and technical assistance to a number of schools in India and oversees many aspects of enforcement of education policies. In India, the various bodies governing school education system are:
The state government boards, in which the majority of Indian children are enrolled.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board.
The National Institute of Open Schooling.
International schools affiliated to the International Baccalaureate Programme and/or the Cambridge International Examinations.
Islamic Madrasah schools, whose boards are controlled by local state governments, or autonomous, or affiliated with Darul Uloom Deoband.
Autonomous schools like Woodstock School, Auroville, Patha Bhavan and Ananda Marga Gurukula.
Primary school teaching in India consists of 12 grade (classes) levels. These are:
Kindergarten: nursery - 3 years, Lower Kindergarten (LKG) -4 years, Upper Kindergarten (UKG) - 5 years
1st class: 6 years
2nd class: 7 years
3rd class: 8 years
4th class: 9 years
5th class: 10 years
6th class: 11 years
7th class: 12 years
8th class: 13 years
9th class: 14 years
10th class: 15 years
11th class: 16 years
12th class: 17 years
This section requires expansion.
Primary school teaching in Republic of Ireland consists of 8 class levels. These are:
Junior Infants (4–5 years)
Senior Infants (5–6 years)
1st class (6–7 years)
2nd class (7–8 years)
3rd class (8–9 years)
4th class (9–10 years)
5th class (10–11 years)
6th class (11–12 years)
Junior and Senior infants correspond to Kindergarten.
The subjects mainly taught in primary school are:
English
Maths
Gaelic
History
Geography
Science
PE (Physical Education),
Art
Drama
Music
SPHE (Social, Personal, Health Education),
Religion
The content of the Religion course taught depends on the management of the school. Many schools are managed and owned by the Roman Catholic Church, with a lesser number belonging to the Church of Ireland and a handful run by other religions such as Muslims, or to a new group called "Educate Together" which advocates a neutral approach to religion. Each school body decides on the emphasis of its religious instruction. In Catholic schools 2nd and 6th class prepare children for Holy Communion and Confirmation respectively. In the Church of Ireland this preparation is done when the pupil is aged about 14 years, and is in secondary school.
Children may start at primary school at any age between four and six years of age. Most children finish primary school at or around twelve years of age.
ItalyPrimary school teaching in Italy consists of 5 grades. Before the First Grade, there is the kindergarten (scuola materna in Italian), but it's not compulsory.
Elementary
First Grade (6–7 years)
Second Grade (7–8 years)
Third Grade (8–9 years)
Fourth Grade (9–10 years)
Fifth Grade (10–11 years)
Schools used to have a six day school week, Monday to Saturday. Lately, as of 2008, most elementary and middle schools have reduced the school week to five days, with high schools remaining with six.
Elementary schools in Japan
English will become a compulsory subject at primary schools in Japan. Japan plans to implement English into the curriculum April 2011 in order to compete with other Asian countries in English proficiency; Japanese students have among the lowest English TOEFL scores in Asia.
Education in Malaysia
Primary education is compulsory in Malaysia. Children usually spend 6 years in primary school. In Year 6, students sit for a standardized test, the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR, Primary School Assessment Examination).
Year 1 : age 6 - 7
Year 2 : age 7 - 8
Year 3 : age 8 - 9
Year 4 : age 9 - 10
Year 5 : age 10 - 11
Year 6 : age 11 - 12
Education in the Netherlands
Children in the Netherlands must be at least four years old to enter primary education. Almost all 4-year-olds (99.3%) in the Netherlands indeed attend primary school, although this is not compulsory until children reach the age of 5. Primary school is free of charge. In most schools, children are grouped by age in mixed ability classes, with one teacher for all subjects. Primary school consists of 8 groups (thus 8 years of scholing). During the first two years (kindergarten), children receive an average of 22 hours of education, during the last 6 years children receive an average of 25 hours per week. Schools are open 5 days a week, but children are free on Wednesday afternoon. The first two years children are also free on Friday afternoon. At the end of primary school, in group 8, schools advice on secondary school choice. Most schools use a national test to support this advice, for instance the 'Citotoets', a test developed by the Central Institute for Test development.
group 1: age 4-5 (kindergarten)
group 2: age 5-6 (kindergarten)
group 3: age 6-7 (school curriculum starts with writing, reading, etc.)
group 4: age 7-8
group 5: age 8-9
group 6: age 9-10
group 7: age 10-11
group 8: age 11-12 (last school year with advice on secondary school choice)
For more information:
year 1:5-6
year 2:6-7
year 3:7-8
year 4:8-9
year 5:9-10
year 6:10-11
year 7:11-12
year 8:12-13
year 9:13-14
year 10:14-15
year 11:15-16
year 12:16-17
year 13:17-18
Education in Poland
Primary School:
0th - 5-6 years old
1th - 6-7 years old
2th - 7-8 years old
3th - 8-9 years old
4th - 9-10 years old
5th - 10-11 yars old
6th - 11-12 years old
Secondary School:
1th 12-13 years old
2th 13-14 years old
3th 14-15 years old
Higher school To 18+ years old.
In Polish education children end school, when they are 18 years old.
Education in Portugal
In Portugal, the primary education (ensino primário) used to include the first four years of compulsory education (1ª classe, 2ª classe, 3ª classe and 4ª classe), their pupils being children between six and ten years old. After the education reform of 1986, the former primary education became the 1st cycle of the basic education (1º ciclo do ensino básico).
Basic education now includes:
1st cycle (1º ciclo) - former primary education
1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th year
2nd cycle (2º ciclo) - former preparatory education
5th year
6th year
3rd cycle (3º ciclo) -former preparatory education (continuation)
7th year
8th year
9th year
10th year - former general course of the secondary education
11th year
12th year (around 17/18th years old)
University three years of studies Bachelor degree
University two years of studies Graduation
University post-graduation 1 year of studies
University two more years of studies master's degree
University two more years of studies doctor
Education in Singapore
Primary education in Singapore, normally starting at age six, is a four-year foundation stage (Primary 1 to 4) and a two-year orientation stage (Primary 5 to 6). Primary education is compulsory and free, though there is a fee of up to SGD 13 monthly per student to help cover miscellaneous costs.
During the foundation stage, all students are taught English Language as a first language, a mother tongue as a second language and Mathematics. Science is introduced from Primary 3 onwards. In addition to these examinable subjects, lessons in Civics and Moral Education, arts and crafts, music, health education, social studies and physical education are conducted at various levels. Students are also introduced to project work, receive pastoral care and career guidance, and are to participate in Co-Curricular Activities and Community Involvement Programmes.
In the orientation stage, weaker students are banded based on their abilities in the four examinable subjects. Known as "Subject-based Banding", they take individual subjects either at the standard or foundation level. Conversely, higher mother tongue is offered for higher ability students.
Education in Sweden
During the year before children start compulsory school, all children are offered a place in a pre-school class (förskoleklass), which combines the pedagogical methods of the pre-school with those of compulsory school. Between ages 7 and 15, children attend compulsory comprehensive school (grundskola), divided in three stages. The vast majority of schools in Sweden are municipally-run, but there are also independent schools. The education in independent schools has many objectives in common with the municipal school, but it can have an orientation that differs from that of the municipal schools.
Education in Syria
9 years of primary school are compulsory.
Kindergarten (optional): 5–6 years
1st grade: 6–7 years
2nd grade: 7–8 years
3rd grade: 8–9 years
4th grade: 9–10 years
5th grade: 10–11 years
6th grade: 11–12 years
7th grade: 12–13 years
8th grade: 13–14 years
9th grade: 14–15 years
Education in the United Kingdom
Primary education is provided by state schools run by the government and by independent fee-paying schools. In the state system children are either educated in separate infant and junior schools or in a combined primary school. Schools in the private sector providing primary education are generally known as preparatory schools or prep schools. In the private sector the transfer to the final stage of education often takes place at 14.
Education in England
Children start school either in the year or the term in which they reach five depending upon the policy of the Local Education Authority. All state schools are obliged to follow a centralised National Curriculum. The primary school years are split into Key Stages:
Foundation Stage 1 (in a pre-school/childcare environment)
Nursery, age 3 to 4
Foundation Stage 2 (in an Infant or Primary school)
Reception, age 4 to 5
Key Stage 1 (in an Infant or Primary school)
Year 1, age 5 to 6
Year 2, age 6 to 7
Key Stage 2 (in Junior or Primary school)
Year 3, age 7 to 8
Year 4, age 8 to 9
Year 5, age 9 to 10
Year 6, age 10 to 11
At the end of Key Stage 2 in Year 6 all children in state primary schools are required to take National Curriculum tests in reading, writing, mathematics and science also called SATs. All state primary schools are under the jurisdiction of the Department for Children, Schools and Families and are required to receive regular inspections by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). Private schools are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
Education in Northern Ireland
Children start school either in the year or the term in which they reach four. All state schools are obliged to follow a centralised National Curriculum. The primary school years are split into Key Stages:
Primary education
Primary school
Foundation Stage
Primary 1, age 4 to 5
Primary 2, age 5 to 6
Key Stage 1
Primary 3, age 6 to 7
Primary 4, age 7 to 8
Key Stage 2
Primary 5, age 8 to 9
Primary 6, age 9 to 10
Primary 7, age 10 to 11 (Transfer procedure exams to determine secondary school placement.)
At the end of Key Stage 2 in P7, all children are offered the voluntary Eleven Plus (also called the transfer procedure) examinations, though the parents of thirty percent of children elect not to, and send their kids to secondary schools instead of grammar schools.
All state primary schools are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.
Education in Scotland
In Scotland children typically spend seven years in a primary school, whose years are named P1 to P7. Children enter P1 at the age of four or five (according to a combination of birth date and parental choice).
Primary 1 (aged 4-6)
Primary 2 (aged 6-7)
Primary 3 (aged 7-8)
Primary 4 (aged 8-9)
Primary 5 (aged 9-10)
Primary 6 (aged 10-11)
Primary 7 (aged 11-12)
At the age of 11-12 children usually transfer to local State Secondary Schools or Public/Private (fee-paying) Schools,
Children in Wales spend 7 years at primary school between the ages of 4 and 11.
Education in the United States
In the United States the first stage of compulsory education is generally known as elementary education. It takes place in elementary schools which usually incorporate the first five or six grades and sometimes include a kindergarten. Elementary schools in the US are also known as grade schools or grammar schools. In some schools, teachers utilize a "looping system" where the same teacher teaches the same group of students for two years. For example, a third-grade class may have one teacher who would teach those students for an entire year, then that teacher would teach fourth-grade the next year, and thereby teach the same class again. The teacher would then revert back to the third grade the following year to start the process all over again with a different group of students.
Over the past few decades, schools in the USA have been testing various arrangements which break from the one-teacher, one-class model. Multi-age programs, where children in different grades (e.g. Kindergarten through to second grade) share the same classroom and teachers, is one increasingly popular alternative to traditional elementary instruction. Another alternative is that children might have a main class and go to another teacher's room for one subject, such as science, while the science teacher's main class will go to the other teacher's room for another subject, such as social studies. This could be called a two-teacher, two-class mould, or a rotation, similar to the concept of teams in junior high school. Another method is to have the children have one set of classroom teachers in the first half of the year, and a different set of classroom teachers in the second half of the year.
English as a second languageMain article: English as a foreign or second language
Definition English as a second language (ESL) by definition refers to the specialized instruction designed for students who are either limited in English proficiency or have a primary language other than English. The government oftentimes refers to EL students as Limited English Proficient (LEP) students.
History of the English language in the United StatesDuring European settlement, early in the history of the United States of America a variety of languages were spoken, not to mention the language of the indigenous peoples who were the first to live in the continent. However, when the United States was forming as a country, it became clear that English would undoubtedly become the language of the country. As influential men such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay strived to establish a distinguished American society and culture, they created an American identity that reflected their own Anglo-Saxon cultural identity. English did not become the official language, but it was the language of schools, the government, and the laws.
Similarly, throughout the course of United States history, there have been massive immigration into the country that have created communities where the population speaks languages other than English.
Statistics 6% of all schools in the United States have English as a second language students, with certain states having large numbers of English as a second language students
87% of Arizona schools have ESL students
90% of California schools have ESL students
96% of Hawaii schools have ESL students
Only 18% of all schools offer bilingual education programs and 43% offer ESL programs. However, 27% of these schools find it difficult or impossible to fill these teaching positions with qualified instructors. Therefore, many English as a second language students are inadequately served.
California
60% of ESL students in California high schools have not achieved written proficiency in the language, even after six years of a U.S. education
1/4 of all public school attendees in California are English-learners — 1.6 million, "the largest bloc of English-learners in the nation"
Unequal access to trained teachersStudents that are learning English as a second language require teachers with specialized training. However, the demand for teachers with specialized training does not meet the amount of ESL students; there is a significantly low percentage of teachers well prepared to teach. Thus, English learners are more likely to be placed in classes that are taught by teachers who are not fully credentialed. According to the 2000 Class Size Reduction (CSR) teacher survey, 53% of English learners enrolled in grades 1-4, in California, during the 1999-2000 school year, were taught by a teacher with prior specialized training. EL students are less likely than their English-speaking peers to have a qualified teacher direct classroom instruction in their classes. This inevitably creates challenges for the EL students as their needs are not met.
Millennium Development Goals
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
By the year 2015, the UN hopes to ensure that children everywhere regardless of race or gender, will be able to complete primary schooling.
Progress According to the United Nations, in 2008, overall enrollment in primary education in developing areas reached 89 percent. This was a major increase from the 83 percent in 2000. Due to the fact that the United Nations is specifically focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, as they are both home to the vast majority of children out of school, they hypothesize that they might not be able to reach their goal by 2015. According to the September 2010 fact sheet, this is because there are still about 69 million school-age children are not in school and almost half of them are in sub-Saharan Africa and more than a quarter are in Southern Asia.
To achieve the goalIn order to achieve the goal by 2015, the United Nations estimates that all children at the official entry age for primary school would have had to be attending classes by 2009. This would depend on the duration of the primary level as well as how well the school schools retain students until the end of the cycle. In half of the sub-Saharan African countries, however, "at least one in four children of primary-school age were out of school in 2008." Also, not only is it important for children to be enrolled but countries will need to ensure that there are a sufficient amount of teachers and classrooms to meet the demand. As of 2010 and 2015, the number of new teachers needed in sub-Saharan Africa alone equals the current teaching force in the region.
Close gender gapThe gender gap in the number of students not in school has also narrowed. Between 1999 and 2008, the number of girls not in school decreased from 57 percent to 53 percent globally. In some regions, however, there is a greater percentage; for example, in Northern Africa, 66 percent of "out-of-school children" are girls.
What has been doneAccording to the United Nations, there are many things in the regions that have been accomplished. Although enrollment in the sub-Saharan area of Africa continues to be the lowest of all regions, by 2010 "it still increased by 18 percentage points - from 58 per cent to 76 per cent-between 1999 and 2008." There was also progress in both Southern Asia and Northern Africa, where both countries witnessed an increase in enrollment. Southern Asia increased by 11 percentage points and Northern Africa by 8 percentage points over the last decade. Also, major advances have been made even in some of the poorest countries, again the majority of them in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. With the abolition of primary school fees in Burundi, there was an increase in primary-school enrollment since 1999; it reached 99 percent in 2008. The United Republic of Tanzania experienced a similar outcome. The country doubled its enrollment ratio over the same period. Other regions in Latin America such as Guatemala and Nicaragua as well as Zambia in Southern Africa "broke through the 90 percent towards greater access to primary education."
In most countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education, though in many jurisdictions it is permissible for parents to provide it. The transition to secondary school or high school is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some educational systems have separate middle schools with the transition to the final stage of education taking place at around the age of fourteen.
The major goals of primary education are achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all pupils, as well as establishing foundations in science, mathematics, geography, history and other social sciences. The relative priority of various areas, and the methods used to teach them, are an area of considerable political debate.
Typically, primary education is provided in schools, where the child will stay in steadily advancing classes until they complete it and move on to high school/secondary school. Children are usually placed in classes with one teacher who will be primarily responsible for their education and welfare for that year. This teacher may be assisted to varying degrees by specialist teachers in certain subject area often music or physical education. The continuity with a single teacher and the opportunity to build up a close relationship with the class is a notable feature of the primary education system.
Traditionally, various forms of corporal punishment have been an integral part of early education. Recently this practice has come under attack, and in many cases been outlawed, especially in Western countries.
Education in Australia
Kindergarten/Pre-School (ACT, NSW): 4-5 year olds
Preparatory/Reception/Kindergarten (VIC, QLD, SA, NSW and ACT): 5-6 year olds
Year 1: 6-7 year olds
Year 2: 7-8 year olds
Year 3: 8-9 year olds
Year 4: 9-10 year olds
Year 5: 10-11 year olds
Year 6: 11-12 year olds
Year 7: 12-13 year olds (WA, SA, QLD)
Education in Brazil
Year 1: 6 year olds (former pre-school)
Year 2: 7 year olds
Year 3: 8 year olds
Year 4: 9 year olds
Year 5: 10 year olds
Year 6: 11 year olds
Year 7: 12 year olds
Year 8: 13 year olds
Year 9: 14 year olds
Education in Canada
Primary (Kindergarten) (Ages 4–5) students in the Prairie Provinces are not required by statute to attend kindergarten.
Grade 1 (Ages 5–7)
Grade 2 (Ages 6–8)
Grade 3 (Ages 7–9)
Grade 4 (Ages 8–10)
Grade 5 (Ages 9–11)
Grade 6 (Ages 10–12)
DenmarkIn Denmark, 9 years of primary school (Folkeskole) are compulsory.
Kindergarten (optional): 6–7 years
1st grade: 7–9 years
2nd grade: 9–10 years
3rd grade: 10–11 years
4th grade: 11–12 years
5th grade: 12–13 years
6th grade: 13–14 years
7th grade: 14–15 years
8th grade: 15–16 years
9th grade: 16–17 years
10th grade (optional): 17–18 years
Education in Finland
9 years of primary school (Peruskoulu) are compulsory.
Kindergarten (optional): 6–7 years
1st grade: 7–8 years
2nd grade: 8–9 years
3rd grade: 9–10 years
4th grade: 10–11 years
5th grade: 11–12 years
6th grade: 12–13 years
7th grade: 13–14 years
8th grade: 14–15 years
9th grade: 15–16 years
10th grade (optional): 16–17 years
Education in France
Nursery:Petite Section (3 years old)
Reception:Moyenne Section (4 years old)
Year 1:Grande Section (5 years old)
Year 2:CP (cours préparatoire)(6 years old)
Year 3:CE1 (cours élémentaire 1)(7 years old)
Year 4:CE2 (cours élémentaire 2)(8 years old)
Year 5:CM1 (cours moyen 1)(9 years old)
Year 6:CM2 (cours moyen 2)(10 years old)
This section requires expansion.
Education in Germany
The first school for German children is called de:Grundschule. It takes usually four years, the pupils are between six and ten years old. The education consists of learning to read, write, basic math and general knowledge. In some schools, a first foreign language is introduced, usually English. In the final year of primary school, children receive a recommendation as to which further school they can attend.
Kindergarten: 3–5 years
Grade 1: 6–7 years
Grade 2: 7–8 years
Grade 3: 8–9 years
Grade 4: 9–10 years
Depending on the recommendation they received from their teacher, children proceed to their mandatory secondary education in either Hauptschule (Grades 5-10), Realschule (Grades 5-10), or Gymnasium (Grades 5-12). Upon the successful completion of Grades 11 and 12 in the Gymnasium, students receive the Abitur, a diploma with the permission to enter post-secondary education (similar to the A-level or High School Diploma). The Abitur will not be received at the end of Haupt- and Realschule, but graduating students are eligible to enter the 11th Grade of the Gymnasium if they wish to obtain the Abitur.
Education in Hungary
Primary School education for children in Hungary takes 8 years.
1st grade: 6–7 years
2nd grade: 7–8 years
3rd grade: 8–9 years
4th grade: 9–10 years
5th grade: 10–11 years
6th grade: 11–12 years
7th grade: 12–13 years
8th grade: 13–14 years
Education in Iceland
In Iceland, 10 years of primary school (Grunnskóli) are compulsory.
Primary school teaching in Iceland consists of 10 grade levels. These are:
1st grade: 6–7 years
2nd grade: 7–8 years
3rd grade: 8–9 years
4th grade: 9–10 years
5th grade: 10–11 years
6th grade: 11–12 years
7th grade: 12–13 years
8th grade: 13–14 years
9th grade: 14–15 years
10th grade: 15–16 years
Education in India
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is the apex body for school education in India. The NCERT provides support and technical assistance to a number of schools in India and oversees many aspects of enforcement of education policies. In India, the various bodies governing school education system are:
The state government boards, in which the majority of Indian children are enrolled.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board.
The National Institute of Open Schooling.
International schools affiliated to the International Baccalaureate Programme and/or the Cambridge International Examinations.
Islamic Madrasah schools, whose boards are controlled by local state governments, or autonomous, or affiliated with Darul Uloom Deoband.
Autonomous schools like Woodstock School, Auroville, Patha Bhavan and Ananda Marga Gurukula.
Primary school teaching in India consists of 12 grade (classes) levels. These are:
Kindergarten: nursery - 3 years, Lower Kindergarten (LKG) -4 years, Upper Kindergarten (UKG) - 5 years
1st class: 6 years
2nd class: 7 years
3rd class: 8 years
4th class: 9 years
5th class: 10 years
6th class: 11 years
7th class: 12 years
8th class: 13 years
9th class: 14 years
10th class: 15 years
11th class: 16 years
12th class: 17 years
This section requires expansion.
Primary school teaching in Republic of Ireland consists of 8 class levels. These are:
Junior Infants (4–5 years)
Senior Infants (5–6 years)
1st class (6–7 years)
2nd class (7–8 years)
3rd class (8–9 years)
4th class (9–10 years)
5th class (10–11 years)
6th class (11–12 years)
Junior and Senior infants correspond to Kindergarten.
The subjects mainly taught in primary school are:
English
Maths
Gaelic
History
Geography
Science
PE (Physical Education),
Art
Drama
Music
SPHE (Social, Personal, Health Education),
Religion
The content of the Religion course taught depends on the management of the school. Many schools are managed and owned by the Roman Catholic Church, with a lesser number belonging to the Church of Ireland and a handful run by other religions such as Muslims, or to a new group called "Educate Together" which advocates a neutral approach to religion. Each school body decides on the emphasis of its religious instruction. In Catholic schools 2nd and 6th class prepare children for Holy Communion and Confirmation respectively. In the Church of Ireland this preparation is done when the pupil is aged about 14 years, and is in secondary school.
Children may start at primary school at any age between four and six years of age. Most children finish primary school at or around twelve years of age.
ItalyPrimary school teaching in Italy consists of 5 grades. Before the First Grade, there is the kindergarten (scuola materna in Italian), but it's not compulsory.
Elementary
First Grade (6–7 years)
Second Grade (7–8 years)
Third Grade (8–9 years)
Fourth Grade (9–10 years)
Fifth Grade (10–11 years)
Schools used to have a six day school week, Monday to Saturday. Lately, as of 2008, most elementary and middle schools have reduced the school week to five days, with high schools remaining with six.
Elementary schools in Japan
English will become a compulsory subject at primary schools in Japan. Japan plans to implement English into the curriculum April 2011 in order to compete with other Asian countries in English proficiency; Japanese students have among the lowest English TOEFL scores in Asia.
Education in Malaysia
Primary education is compulsory in Malaysia. Children usually spend 6 years in primary school. In Year 6, students sit for a standardized test, the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR, Primary School Assessment Examination).
Year 1 : age 6 - 7
Year 2 : age 7 - 8
Year 3 : age 8 - 9
Year 4 : age 9 - 10
Year 5 : age 10 - 11
Year 6 : age 11 - 12
Education in the Netherlands
Children in the Netherlands must be at least four years old to enter primary education. Almost all 4-year-olds (99.3%) in the Netherlands indeed attend primary school, although this is not compulsory until children reach the age of 5. Primary school is free of charge. In most schools, children are grouped by age in mixed ability classes, with one teacher for all subjects. Primary school consists of 8 groups (thus 8 years of scholing). During the first two years (kindergarten), children receive an average of 22 hours of education, during the last 6 years children receive an average of 25 hours per week. Schools are open 5 days a week, but children are free on Wednesday afternoon. The first two years children are also free on Friday afternoon. At the end of primary school, in group 8, schools advice on secondary school choice. Most schools use a national test to support this advice, for instance the 'Citotoets', a test developed by the Central Institute for Test development.
group 1: age 4-5 (kindergarten)
group 2: age 5-6 (kindergarten)
group 3: age 6-7 (school curriculum starts with writing, reading, etc.)
group 4: age 7-8
group 5: age 8-9
group 6: age 9-10
group 7: age 10-11
group 8: age 11-12 (last school year with advice on secondary school choice)
For more information:
year 1:5-6
year 2:6-7
year 3:7-8
year 4:8-9
year 5:9-10
year 6:10-11
year 7:11-12
year 8:12-13
year 9:13-14
year 10:14-15
year 11:15-16
year 12:16-17
year 13:17-18
Education in Poland
Primary School:
0th - 5-6 years old
1th - 6-7 years old
2th - 7-8 years old
3th - 8-9 years old
4th - 9-10 years old
5th - 10-11 yars old
6th - 11-12 years old
Secondary School:
1th 12-13 years old
2th 13-14 years old
3th 14-15 years old
Higher school To 18+ years old.
In Polish education children end school, when they are 18 years old.
Education in Portugal
In Portugal, the primary education (ensino primário) used to include the first four years of compulsory education (1ª classe, 2ª classe, 3ª classe and 4ª classe), their pupils being children between six and ten years old. After the education reform of 1986, the former primary education became the 1st cycle of the basic education (1º ciclo do ensino básico).
Basic education now includes:
1st cycle (1º ciclo) - former primary education
1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th year
2nd cycle (2º ciclo) - former preparatory education
5th year
6th year
3rd cycle (3º ciclo) -former preparatory education (continuation)
7th year
8th year
9th year
10th year - former general course of the secondary education
11th year
12th year (around 17/18th years old)
University three years of studies Bachelor degree
University two years of studies Graduation
University post-graduation 1 year of studies
University two more years of studies master's degree
University two more years of studies doctor
Education in Singapore
Primary education in Singapore, normally starting at age six, is a four-year foundation stage (Primary 1 to 4) and a two-year orientation stage (Primary 5 to 6). Primary education is compulsory and free, though there is a fee of up to SGD 13 monthly per student to help cover miscellaneous costs.
During the foundation stage, all students are taught English Language as a first language, a mother tongue as a second language and Mathematics. Science is introduced from Primary 3 onwards. In addition to these examinable subjects, lessons in Civics and Moral Education, arts and crafts, music, health education, social studies and physical education are conducted at various levels. Students are also introduced to project work, receive pastoral care and career guidance, and are to participate in Co-Curricular Activities and Community Involvement Programmes.
In the orientation stage, weaker students are banded based on their abilities in the four examinable subjects. Known as "Subject-based Banding", they take individual subjects either at the standard or foundation level. Conversely, higher mother tongue is offered for higher ability students.
Education in Sweden
During the year before children start compulsory school, all children are offered a place in a pre-school class (förskoleklass), which combines the pedagogical methods of the pre-school with those of compulsory school. Between ages 7 and 15, children attend compulsory comprehensive school (grundskola), divided in three stages. The vast majority of schools in Sweden are municipally-run, but there are also independent schools. The education in independent schools has many objectives in common with the municipal school, but it can have an orientation that differs from that of the municipal schools.
Education in Syria
9 years of primary school are compulsory.
Kindergarten (optional): 5–6 years
1st grade: 6–7 years
2nd grade: 7–8 years
3rd grade: 8–9 years
4th grade: 9–10 years
5th grade: 10–11 years
6th grade: 11–12 years
7th grade: 12–13 years
8th grade: 13–14 years
9th grade: 14–15 years
Education in the United Kingdom
Primary education is provided by state schools run by the government and by independent fee-paying schools. In the state system children are either educated in separate infant and junior schools or in a combined primary school. Schools in the private sector providing primary education are generally known as preparatory schools or prep schools. In the private sector the transfer to the final stage of education often takes place at 14.
Education in England
Children start school either in the year or the term in which they reach five depending upon the policy of the Local Education Authority. All state schools are obliged to follow a centralised National Curriculum. The primary school years are split into Key Stages:
Foundation Stage 1 (in a pre-school/childcare environment)
Nursery, age 3 to 4
Foundation Stage 2 (in an Infant or Primary school)
Reception, age 4 to 5
Key Stage 1 (in an Infant or Primary school)
Year 1, age 5 to 6
Year 2, age 6 to 7
Key Stage 2 (in Junior or Primary school)
Year 3, age 7 to 8
Year 4, age 8 to 9
Year 5, age 9 to 10
Year 6, age 10 to 11
At the end of Key Stage 2 in Year 6 all children in state primary schools are required to take National Curriculum tests in reading, writing, mathematics and science also called SATs. All state primary schools are under the jurisdiction of the Department for Children, Schools and Families and are required to receive regular inspections by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED). Private schools are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
Education in Northern Ireland
Children start school either in the year or the term in which they reach four. All state schools are obliged to follow a centralised National Curriculum. The primary school years are split into Key Stages:
Primary education
Primary school
Foundation Stage
Primary 1, age 4 to 5
Primary 2, age 5 to 6
Key Stage 1
Primary 3, age 6 to 7
Primary 4, age 7 to 8
Key Stage 2
Primary 5, age 8 to 9
Primary 6, age 9 to 10
Primary 7, age 10 to 11 (Transfer procedure exams to determine secondary school placement.)
At the end of Key Stage 2 in P7, all children are offered the voluntary Eleven Plus (also called the transfer procedure) examinations, though the parents of thirty percent of children elect not to, and send their kids to secondary schools instead of grammar schools.
All state primary schools are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.
Education in Scotland
In Scotland children typically spend seven years in a primary school, whose years are named P1 to P7. Children enter P1 at the age of four or five (according to a combination of birth date and parental choice).
Primary 1 (aged 4-6)
Primary 2 (aged 6-7)
Primary 3 (aged 7-8)
Primary 4 (aged 8-9)
Primary 5 (aged 9-10)
Primary 6 (aged 10-11)
Primary 7 (aged 11-12)
At the age of 11-12 children usually transfer to local State Secondary Schools or Public/Private (fee-paying) Schools,
Children in Wales spend 7 years at primary school between the ages of 4 and 11.
Education in the United States
In the United States the first stage of compulsory education is generally known as elementary education. It takes place in elementary schools which usually incorporate the first five or six grades and sometimes include a kindergarten. Elementary schools in the US are also known as grade schools or grammar schools. In some schools, teachers utilize a "looping system" where the same teacher teaches the same group of students for two years. For example, a third-grade class may have one teacher who would teach those students for an entire year, then that teacher would teach fourth-grade the next year, and thereby teach the same class again. The teacher would then revert back to the third grade the following year to start the process all over again with a different group of students.
Over the past few decades, schools in the USA have been testing various arrangements which break from the one-teacher, one-class model. Multi-age programs, where children in different grades (e.g. Kindergarten through to second grade) share the same classroom and teachers, is one increasingly popular alternative to traditional elementary instruction. Another alternative is that children might have a main class and go to another teacher's room for one subject, such as science, while the science teacher's main class will go to the other teacher's room for another subject, such as social studies. This could be called a two-teacher, two-class mould, or a rotation, similar to the concept of teams in junior high school. Another method is to have the children have one set of classroom teachers in the first half of the year, and a different set of classroom teachers in the second half of the year.
English as a second languageMain article: English as a foreign or second language
Definition English as a second language (ESL) by definition refers to the specialized instruction designed for students who are either limited in English proficiency or have a primary language other than English. The government oftentimes refers to EL students as Limited English Proficient (LEP) students.
History of the English language in the United StatesDuring European settlement, early in the history of the United States of America a variety of languages were spoken, not to mention the language of the indigenous peoples who were the first to live in the continent. However, when the United States was forming as a country, it became clear that English would undoubtedly become the language of the country. As influential men such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay strived to establish a distinguished American society and culture, they created an American identity that reflected their own Anglo-Saxon cultural identity. English did not become the official language, but it was the language of schools, the government, and the laws.
Similarly, throughout the course of United States history, there have been massive immigration into the country that have created communities where the population speaks languages other than English.
Statistics 6% of all schools in the United States have English as a second language students, with certain states having large numbers of English as a second language students
87% of Arizona schools have ESL students
90% of California schools have ESL students
96% of Hawaii schools have ESL students
Only 18% of all schools offer bilingual education programs and 43% offer ESL programs. However, 27% of these schools find it difficult or impossible to fill these teaching positions with qualified instructors. Therefore, many English as a second language students are inadequately served.
California
60% of ESL students in California high schools have not achieved written proficiency in the language, even after six years of a U.S. education
1/4 of all public school attendees in California are English-learners — 1.6 million, "the largest bloc of English-learners in the nation"
Unequal access to trained teachersStudents that are learning English as a second language require teachers with specialized training. However, the demand for teachers with specialized training does not meet the amount of ESL students; there is a significantly low percentage of teachers well prepared to teach. Thus, English learners are more likely to be placed in classes that are taught by teachers who are not fully credentialed. According to the 2000 Class Size Reduction (CSR) teacher survey, 53% of English learners enrolled in grades 1-4, in California, during the 1999-2000 school year, were taught by a teacher with prior specialized training. EL students are less likely than their English-speaking peers to have a qualified teacher direct classroom instruction in their classes. This inevitably creates challenges for the EL students as their needs are not met.
Millennium Development Goals
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
By the year 2015, the UN hopes to ensure that children everywhere regardless of race or gender, will be able to complete primary schooling.
Progress According to the United Nations, in 2008, overall enrollment in primary education in developing areas reached 89 percent. This was a major increase from the 83 percent in 2000. Due to the fact that the United Nations is specifically focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, as they are both home to the vast majority of children out of school, they hypothesize that they might not be able to reach their goal by 2015. According to the September 2010 fact sheet, this is because there are still about 69 million school-age children are not in school and almost half of them are in sub-Saharan Africa and more than a quarter are in Southern Asia.
To achieve the goalIn order to achieve the goal by 2015, the United Nations estimates that all children at the official entry age for primary school would have had to be attending classes by 2009. This would depend on the duration of the primary level as well as how well the school schools retain students until the end of the cycle. In half of the sub-Saharan African countries, however, "at least one in four children of primary-school age were out of school in 2008." Also, not only is it important for children to be enrolled but countries will need to ensure that there are a sufficient amount of teachers and classrooms to meet the demand. As of 2010 and 2015, the number of new teachers needed in sub-Saharan Africa alone equals the current teaching force in the region.
Close gender gapThe gender gap in the number of students not in school has also narrowed. Between 1999 and 2008, the number of girls not in school decreased from 57 percent to 53 percent globally. In some regions, however, there is a greater percentage; for example, in Northern Africa, 66 percent of "out-of-school children" are girls.
What has been doneAccording to the United Nations, there are many things in the regions that have been accomplished. Although enrollment in the sub-Saharan area of Africa continues to be the lowest of all regions, by 2010 "it still increased by 18 percentage points - from 58 per cent to 76 per cent-between 1999 and 2008." There was also progress in both Southern Asia and Northern Africa, where both countries witnessed an increase in enrollment. Southern Asia increased by 11 percentage points and Northern Africa by 8 percentage points over the last decade. Also, major advances have been made even in some of the poorest countries, again the majority of them in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. With the abolition of primary school fees in Burundi, there was an increase in primary-school enrollment since 1999; it reached 99 percent in 2008. The United Republic of Tanzania experienced a similar outcome. The country doubled its enrollment ratio over the same period. Other regions in Latin America such as Guatemala and Nicaragua as well as Zambia in Southern Africa "broke through the 90 percent towards greater access to primary education."
No comments:
Post a Comment