Primary education

A primary school in Český Těšín, Czech Republic
A large elementary school in Magome, Japan
A Pakistani primary school student
An elementary school in California

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 areas, 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.

Contents

Albania

Main article Education in Albania

Australia

Main article Education in Australia

Brazil

Main article Education in Brazil

Burma

Main article Education in Burma

Canada

Main article Education in Canada

Denmark

In Denmark, 9 years of primary school (Folkeskole) are compulsory.

Kindergarten (optional): 6–7 years

10th grade (optional): 16–17 years

Finland

Main article Education in Finland

9 years of primary school (Peruskoulu) are compulsory.

Kindergarten (optional): 6–7 years

10th grade (optional): 16–17 years

France

Main article Education in France

Germany

Main article 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.

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.

Hungary

Main article Education in Hungary

Primary School education for children in Hungary takes 8 years.

Iceland

Main article 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:

India

Main article Education in India

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is the apex body for school education in India.[1] The NCERT provides support and technical assistance to a number of schools in India and oversees many aspects of enforcement of education policies.[2] In India, the various bodies governing school education system are:

Primary school teaching in India consists of 12 grade (classes) levels. These are:

Iran

Main article Education in India

Ireland

Main article Education in the Republic of Ireland

Primary school teaching in Republic of Ireland consists of 8 class levels. These are:

Junior and Senior infants correspond to Kindergarten.

The subjects mainly taught in primary school are:

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.

Italy

Primary 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.[3]

Israel

Main article Education in Israel

Japan

Main article Elementary schools in Japan

Malaysia

Main article: 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

Morocco

Main article Education in Morocco

Netherlands

Main article 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.

For more information: [1]

New Zealand

Main article Education in New Zealand

Pakistan

Main article Education in Pakistan

Palestinian territories

Main article Education in the Palestinian territories

Poland

Main article Education in Poland

Portugal

Main article 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:

Singapore

Main article 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"[2], they take individual subjects either at the standard or foundation level. Conversely, higher mother tongue is offered for higher ability students.

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.[4] Between ages 7 and 16, 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.[5]

Syria

Main article Education in Syria

9 years of primary school are compulsory.

Kindergarten (optional): 5–6 years

United Kingdom

Main article 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.

England

Main article 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:

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.

Northern Ireland

Main article 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:

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.[6]

All state primary schools are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.

Scotland

Main article 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 4–5)
Primary 2 (aged 5–6)
Primary 3 (aged 6–7)
Primary 4 (aged 7–8)
Primary 5 (aged 8–9)
Primary 6 (aged 9–10)
Primary 7 (aged 10–11)

At the age of 11 children usually transfer to local State Secondary Schools or Public/Private (fee-paying) Schools,

Wales

Main article Primary Education in Wales

Children in Wales spend 7 years at primary school between the ages of 4 and 11.

United States

Main article Education in the United States

In the US the first stage of compulsory education is generally known as elementary education. It takes place in elementary schools which usually incorporate the first five grades and sometimes have 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 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 mould. Multi-age programmes, 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. An 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.

See also

References

  1. ↑ India 2009: A Reference Annual (53rd edition), 233
  2. ↑ India 2009: A Reference Annual (53rd edition), 230–234
  3. ↑ Deirdré Straughan. Italian Vacation Habits. 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2008-12-26
  4. ↑ http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/2651/a/14987 and http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/2651
  5. ↑ http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/2653 and http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/2665/a/15011
  6. ↑ Department of Education for Northern Ireland.

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