留学英国 | Alliance Education

British private schools overview

UK Private Boarding Schools | Choices for the Elite

Boarding schools in the UK have long been the first choice for parents around the world. This is because in the history of nearly 1500 years, British private schools are famous for their long history, deep culture, top teaching quality, perfect teaching facilities, and excellent teaching concepts. Almost all students in British boarding schools can enter university for further study, and 75% of them have been admitted by elite British universities.

The oldest surviving private school in the UK was built in AD 597, and the UK has established a model of private schools in the world. More than 60% of the oldest schools in the world are from the UK. Currently, there are more than 2,500 private schools in the UK, of which about 800 are boarding schools. According to the survey, only 7% of students in the UK study in private schools, but they occupy 50% of the student places in Oxford and Cambridge. It is not difficult to see that students in British private schools are basically of the elite class.

British academic qualifications are widely recognized and respected in the world, and it is naturally the wish of every parent to let their children receive world-class education. Most UK independent boarding schools have beautiful settings, century-old buildings, modern classrooms and traditional buildings, and first-class facilities guarantee a great living and learning experience. If you send your child to the UK for secondary school early, you are already a big step ahead of others on the way to the world's top universities.

Comparison of Chinese and English education systems
Education Systems

The primary and secondary school system in the UK is 13 years in total. Usually, after graduating at the age of 18, you enter the university. The undergraduate degree is 3 years and the master degree is 1 year. The curriculum is diversified and in-depth, focusing on the combination of theory and practice, and respecting the in-depth development of students' personal characteristics. From the point of view of the length of schooling, it condenses children's precious time, and can also obtain a high-quality education that is widely recognized in the world.

Comparison of Chinese and English education systems

China

U.K.

Academic system

Elementary + Junior High + High School | Total 12 years

Primary + Secondary | Total 13 years

course setting

Average 6-10 courses for middle and high school

Secondary GCSE Stage 10-11 subjects

Reduced to 3-4 courses after entering A-level

class size

40-60 people large class teaching

Small class of 10-18 people

Learning styles and goals

Focus on facts and theories

General knowledge education mainly

Focus on the deep integration of theory and practice

Encourage independent thinking and analysis, and the curriculum is flexible and diverse

Respect individual differences of students and teach students according to their aptitude

An overview of the UK education system

Education System in the UK

The teaching system in the UK is very different from that in China. If we understand the British educational system in terms of the grades of elementary, middle and high school in China, it will be difficult and confusing. In fact, to study in primary and secondary schools in the UK, you only need to remember 4 important time points, so that it will be more convenient to plan and prepare according to your own reality.

Entry to Year 3 in the UK(primary school)

Take the 7+/8+ exam before admission

Advantages: Due to the young age of the students, the entrance examination threshold is relatively low, and the probability of entering a famous school is high.
Primary school learning at this stage has not yet entered a deeper knowledge point. Children have enough time to adapt to the British learning environment and slowly keep up with the progress of learning.

Challenge: It takes a relatively long time for young students to adapt to the new cultural and language environment.

time point one

7/8 years old

Entry into UK Years 7/8 (Secondary)

Take the 11+/13+ exam before admission

Advantages: Children of this age are already sensible, full of curiosity and exploration of new things, and willing to accept new things.
There are more famous British schools to choose from, and the school's supporting software and hardware facilities are also more mature, which can help children integrate into the British school environment faster and better.

Challenge: The study at this stage has entered a deeper task. The entrance examination has a high threshold and is more difficult. Reasoning is especially difficult for Chinese candidates, because there are few similar courses in Chinese study. Additional training is required.

time point two

11/13 years old

Entry into UK Year 9/10 (Secondary)

Start your GCSE/IGCSE/PRE-ALEVEL courses

Advantages: Before entering higher secondary schools, systematically study the advanced British secondary school curriculum to lay the foundation for deeper A-level courses.

Challenge: There are certain requirements for the entrance selection test, and students should be well prepared during the school application.

time point three

14/15 years old

Admission to UK A-level (high school)

Take GCSE or other prior to enrolmentequivalent exam

Advantages: Students are more mature, have strong self-reliance, and can quickly adjust themselves and integrate into the new environment. Students with good English foundation and excellent comprehensive ability will have a greater chance of being admitted to the world's top universities in the future.

Challenge: The subject of A-Level in the UK is basically closely related to the major of the university in the future. If students have no exact idea about their subject direction and learning interest, how to choose a study direction is a big challenge. The A-level academic system is 2 years, and the learning progress during this period is also very intense. Students need to quickly adjust their status and enter into high-intensity learning.

time point four

16 years old