The Difference Between Grammar and Comprehensive Schools

The UK education system is segmented into four main parts: primary education, secondary education, further education, and higher education. The education system is further split into four key stages: key stage 1, 2, 3, and 4. Key stage 1 takes in students from 5 to 7 years old, while key stage 2 teaches 7 to 11-year-olds. Key stage 3 takes on 11 to 14-year-olds and, lastly, key stage 4 educates 14 to 16-year-olds.

In the UK, it is mandatory to take both primary and secondary education. Usually, key stage 1 and 2 are undertaken during primary school. At 11 years old, children then move on to secondary school and finish key stages 3 and 4.

At the end of each stage, children receive assessment tests. The most important test is the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) that students must take at age 16. Once they complete their GCSEs, students can choose to continue their education or finish school and begin working.

Secondary education can be taken in either grammar schools or comprehensive schools. These two types of schools generally have the same curriculum, but they have some notable differences.

Grammar Schools

Grammar schools are selective, state-funded secondary schools. Students enter based on ability and academic potential. To get into a grammar school, they have to pass an exam – known as “Eleven-Plus” – taken in the last year of primary school, usually at the age of 11.

There are about 163 grammar schools in England, with a further 69 in Northern Ireland. These schools are focused on academic studies and assume that its students will go on to pursue higher education.

The GCSE curriculum in grammar schools is the same as that of comprehensive schools. They have the same core subjects, though grammar schools are more likely to offer chemistry, physics, and biology separately, rather than as a combined science qualification. They also offer a range of specialist subjects, such as economics and politics, as well as modern languages.

Comprehensive Schools

Comprehensive schools are more common than grammar schools and are publicly funded. Such schools teach an inclusive range of subjects, from the academic to the vocational. In contrast to grammar schools, comprehensive schools do not select their students based on academic potential. Students are accepted if they satisfy non-academic criteria such as geographic local or age.

The aim of comprehensive schools is to provide equal educational opportunity to all children within the local area. Within the school, students may choose from different programs of study. Some comprehensive schools have some students taking A-levels, while others follow vocational programs.

Both school types have their advantages and disadvantages. Grammar schools offer quality education to all students, regardless of their family’s income. More often than not, grammar schools get good academic results. On the other hand, they can be somewhat divisive and classist, as wealthier children have the means to get the tutoring needed to pass the Eleven-Plus exam.

Meanwhile, comprehensive schools are more open, allowing children of all abilities and social classes to study together and get the same opportunities. Comprehensive schools also offer larger facilities, since they accommodate more students. However, such a large number of students can be difficult to control and teach.

No matter what school type a student chooses, they are sure to get a state-funded education with an extensive curriculum. Outside the UK, parents can even enrol their children in international schools that follow this curriculum.