A ‣ The school system

This is the system for state education in most parts of England and Wales. State schools are free and operated by the country. Parents pay to send their children to private schools.

B ‣ The school timetable

The school day is divided into about 5–7 lessons, and over the course of a week, most pupils do/study about ten subjects, including English, maths, history, science, etc. There’s usually a one-hour lunch break [period of rest between work], and a break in the morning and afternoon as well.

The school year is usually divided into three terms [periods of study], with each term being about 13 weeks, although some schools are now having shorter terms and more frequent holidays. At the end of the school year, pupils usually take/do exams before they break up [end classes for the term]. After the summer holidays, they go back [return] for the new school year.

C ‣ School rules*

“In the past schools generally had more rules, and if you broke the rules¹, you were punished. At my school, for example, pupils sometimes had to stay behind² and write an essay. I used to get into trouble³ for wearing lipstick.

I remember we had to call the male teachers ‘sir’ and female teachers ‘miss’, and we had to wear a horrible uniform⁴. Nowadays, the atmosphere⁵ is more relaxed⁶: older pupils can often dress⁷ the way they want – as long as they’re reasonably smart⁸ – and the teachers are not as strict⁹.”

* instructions telling you what you must or must not do
¹ did something wrong
² stay in a place when others leave
³ do something wrong and be punished
⁴ special clothes
⁵ the feeling in a place or situation
⁶ comfortable and informal
⁷ wear clothes
⁸ well dressed and not too casual
⁹ A strict teacher punishes pupils who do something wrong.