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That doesn’t happen in the UK at the moment; specialisation starts (mildly) at 14 at the level of “pick one language, pick one humanity, pick one of art or music”; from 16 to 18, one must either be in full-time education or training; post 18 is 3-5 years as an undergrad at university.

Edit: there are occasional calls to return to the previous system of the “11 plus”, which I don’t understand but which is probably relevant.




The 11 plus separated kids at age 11 (on Sep 1) into either "grammar schools" or "secondary moderns". The idea was those with acedemic aptitude concentrated on those subjects more acedemic (traditionally Latin, classics etc), where those more practical had those skills encouraged (metalwork etc)

The reality of it now is that richer parents spend lots on tuition to get their kids into the grammars, which breaks the system quite significantly.

This only applies in a few areas of the country though.

I think the only UK PMs to be elected that had a state school upbringing went to grammar schools.


> This only applies in a few areas of the country though.

To clarify slightly: this system used to apply throughout the country, but in the '70s local authorities were given the option to get rid of it, and instead have 'comprehensive' schools where everyone goes; almost all did.

Well, sort of. I believe that some authorities make all children sit the exam, and then give high scorers the option of going to grammar school. More authorities give children the option of sitting the exam, again giving high scorers the option of going to grammar school. Most areas don't have the 11+ at all.

On top of that, in the '90s the government gave all schools the option to be partially selective (ie selecting some fraction of pupils somehow, not by 11+), and some took it up; the option was withdrawn soon after, but the schools which had exercised it stayed selective.

Other schools and instead allocate school places by geographic proximity - which in the presence of better and worse schools, results in de facto selection by parental wealth, because houses near good schools are more expensive.

Oh, and there are also faith schools that can select by religion.

No, this doesn't make any sense. This is Britain.


> Oh, and there are also faith schools that can select by religion.

> No, this doesn't make any sense. This is Britain.

This is why my atheist father had me baptised Catholic, even though the state religion of the UK is Church of England.




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