Comparative Study On Scotland And U.K Education System Essays Examples

Educational Structure

The education system adopted by Scotland is different in many aspects as compared to that of England and the entire U.K in general. Customarily, the system in Scotland has been keen on instigating education that is wider comprising of many diverse subjects as compared to that of the entire U.K., England on the other hand, aims at concentrating on smaller subjects particularly in the primary level of education (CHARLES 2013). In Scotland, there exists one body that mainly deals with providing qualifications in both primary and secondary level by the name Scottish Qualification Authority while in England, there exist a variety of boards that their chief purpose is to examine pupils. The government in Scotland has the total political responsibility when it comes to education in Scotland and offers examinations. The Scottish education system endorses Standards as well as intermediate S3-4 plus Highers in S5-6 at the expense of A levels in addition to GCSEs found in England (SCOTLAND 2010).
Making reference to the primary level of education, the age range considered for children to join as well as leave primary school is between four years and twelve years of age. The reception classes that are normally found in England are equivalent to Primary level 1 in Scotland, which progresses up to Primary 7 which can deemed to be equivalent Year 6 in the English education system. The schools in Scotland are usually properties of local authorities summing up to 32 and they have the mandate of operating them. When it comes to the England system of education, the schools are owned by a total of 152 local authorities. HM Inspectorate of Education is typically the body that inspect and assess all schools in Scotland, regardless of whether they are private or public schools (COULBY & ZAMBETA 2009).
This inspectorate organ has recently been merged with the Education Scotland, which is a national body that runs inspection programs in schools. Furthermore, there also exist differences in terms of class sizes in Scotland and England. The maximum size of an English class is considered to be 30 pupils for every teacher, mainly for those who are between ages five to seven years of age. In Scotland, there was an amendment of the constitution about class size in August of the year 2011 whereby the law was passed for every class to accommodate 25 pupils from 30. This maximum class size was to apply to P1 pupils were of the age five years in the Scottish primary schools. In regard to the P2 as well as P3, the maximum class size still holds the spot of 30 pupils per class (COMMITTEE OF SCOTTISH UNIVERSITY PRINCIPALS 2012).
Nevertheless, the government of Scotland has formulated a plan to reduce the size of the primary classes, particularly P1 up to P3 to accommodate a maximum of 18 pupils and this was functional in 2011 in about 20.1% of the entire P1 to P3 pupils in Scotland. As compared to England, the average class size found in Scottish primary schools in 2011 was roughly 23 pupils with P4 to P7 having a maximum of 33 pupils (MOSTELLER & BORUCH 2012).

Curriculum

Scotland has devised a unique framework of qualification as compared to that found in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and the rest of the U.K. However, despite these differences, each system is accepted in the U.K. In U.K, the most prevalent curriculum followed by most nations is the National Curriculum while in Scotland, the Curriculum for excellence dominates. This kind of curriculum is operational from nursery level all the way to the secondary level of education. The objective of this curriculum is to transform the education system through provision of a more coherent, agile, as well as enhanced education system in the entire country (GREAT BRITAIN, & FRASER 2008).
These objectives are aimed to effect changes in primary levels and also other education levels since an individual is 3 years of age until they attain 18 years. The total experience is a key aspect in the curriculum for excellence whereby children and youths are to be offered quality education. It is worth noting that since learning starts right from the moment a person is born, considering the fact that education is lifelong is essential. The government of Scotland embraces this fact by devising education strategies in this curriculum to make it possible. Skills that are crucial in all spheres of a person’s life are shaped through integration of curriculum frameworks (SHONTZ & MURRAY 2009).
The frameworks entail having a curriculum that is founded on the platforms laid for pupils in the early years. Therefore, the curriculum ensures young individuals are equipped with knowledge significant for them to acquire skills necessary to counter life experiences. The main roles of the curriculum are found in four features. To start with, the curriculum aims to make the pupil a an individual who is successful when it comes to learning, instigating confidence to the pupil, ensuring that the individual becomes a rational citizen who is responsible and finally making them active contributors in the country. In order to flourish in life, it is vital to have skills, knowledge in addition to the attributes to make this happen. However, with the curriculum of excellence being exercised in Scotland, such aspects are possible compared to the National curriculum which does not surpass it (BRAND & RIST 2009).
The four capacities found in the curriculum exercised in Scotland that are not underpinned in the National curriculum include nurturing a successful learner who is full of enthusiasm as well as motivation to get educated. The successful learner is able to achieve high standards and are open when it comes to new ideas. Secondly, the individual should be confident in order to attain self-respect and a sense of well being mentally, physically and emotionally. Thirdly, the pupil later on becomes a responsible citizen who respect others. Finally, the pupil is shaped to become an effective contributor and resilient with the capacity to excel in enterprising (STEWART 2012).
In contrast to other curriculum in U.K, curriculum of excellence has been developed through engagement by both teachers besides practitioners. It is founded on the worthwhile practices that are found in Scotland’s education sectors and it considers international comparisons and research. Several Scottish schools deliver good personal sustenance for their pupils. Class teachers, particularly in primary schools play a crucial role and on the other hand, in special schools, groups of staff have functioned together to support the individual and social progress of pupils in Scotland schools. In the case of England schools, a tactic built around professional guidance educators was formed years ago and has been a characteristic and central means of support for cohorts of young individuals (PARKER & JAROLIMEK 2009).

Social and Emotional Welfare

Recently, Scottish schools partake in significant development overall in refining the quality of the individual support they offer for pupils. In primary schools, instructors play a fundamental role in ensuring that their pupils obtain distinct specific support. Expansions in individual support in primary, as well as, special schools have been sponsored in numerous ways, comprising the 5-14 guidelines for individual and social expansion and several circulars and supervision linking to pupils ‘care and well being. The Scottish education system as compared to other forms in the U.K. have ensured that education authorities progressively deliver policies and strategies to support the prosperity of pupils, predominantly in relation to child protection and anti-bullying (ERTL & PHILLIPS 2001).
U.K system in other countries is not as rigid as the system in Scotland in making sure healthy living enterprises are in line with healthy eating besides combating substance abuse as well as nurturing positive individual relationships. Reviews show that schools in all areas in Scotland work to device these rules and guidelines, even though advancement in each area differ rendering to the precedence of the school and learning authority. Primary plus special school educators normally esteem pastoral care as a fundamental part of their responsibilities as classroom instructors. Class teachers are considered to be the most crucial staff members in the Scotland education system since they know every pupil as a singular entity and uphold good relations and constructive behavior (BEREDAY & LAUWERYS 2008).
Occasionally these teachers segment accountability with colleagues, for instance a visiting professional teacher. The close daily contact between teacher and pupils in this country permit class teachers to gain close acquaintance of pupils as persons, pinpoint strong points to build upon as well as target support for persons and groups. As compared to schools in England, class teachers in Scotland education system relate more closely to newly promoted staff who can intercede and offer more intensive care when required. Whereas the class teacher is usually the key point of interaction with parents as well as guardians at times promoted staff may either back them or work with parents and guardians directly. All teachers in the whole school have a responsibility to recognize pupils they contemplate to be susceptible and take steps to ensure the pupils receive further care from other significant staff members including those who are newly promoted (PARKER & JAROLIMEK 2009).
Most schools are, however conscious of the necessity to have suitable systems for assisting pupils undergoing problems in their private families or at the neighborhood, related to poverty, ferocity, divorce, joblessness, ill-health, prejudice, or grief. Important teaching and management staff often offer advice to their coworkers on the means to react to pupils’ requirements in these respects. The formation of the New Community Schools (NCS) tactic in Scotland has distinguished the education system from other nations including England. Its rollout through the nation under Integrated Community School’s enterprise, provides the latency to develop more operative multi-agency functioning and sturdier community participation (ORLICH & SHERMIS 2010).
There exist some examples of workers other than teachers performing as important staff accountable for the general support of persons of groups of susceptible children in Scotland schools, unlike other places in the U.K. They function in close collaboration with supervision staff, but are able to offer a degree of concentrated support which supervision staff are not able to render (CAMERON 2014). Class teachers found in primary schools as well as management staff are at the front position in breaking down walls in the way of active mutual working. They normally require adequate backing and staff improvement to cultivate further joint assimilated operations. Close in addition to productive relations exists between class teachers and parents, sometimes upheld through the interchange of diaries in which imperative features of a pupil’s individual and social growth are noted (GREAT BRITAIN & FRASER 2008).
Parents or guardians often echo that they see such communication essential at the same time as teachers find the parents’ assistances useful in, for instance, clarifying a child’s attitude and responsiveness level. It is worth noting that many schools have strategies to support individual welfare from corner to corner of the school. . Class teachers in education institutes are at the forefront to ensure obstacles are destroyed that may hinder active mutual working (PARKER & JAROLIMEK 2009).
They normally require satisfactory backing and staff enhancement to cultivate further joint assimilated operations. Close in addition to productive associations exists between class teachers and parents, sometimes upheld through the exchange of accounts in which imperative features of a pupil’s individual and social growth are noted. Subsequent to national regulation, schools in Scotland, unlike other systems of education in U.K have given thoughtful devotion to anti-bullying inventive and the elevation of positive behavior. Other features of individual safety are covered via a certain emphasis in the curriculum. For instance, it is regular to find police liaison constables visiting primary schools to lecture pupils on how to react to strangers. They also offer teaching in road safety (PARKER & JAROLIMEK 2009).
In conclusion, commercial systems in Scotland curriculum are used in both secondary as well as primary schools to impart pupils with knowledge about a variety of subjects related to individual safety together with individual associations, sensual health in addition to substance abuse. Time and again, these programs profit from the charities of health specialists and the police. Attention is being engrossed on refining standards in fitness education besides health elevation. Pupils prove strengths in understanding important features of healthy living.

Reference List

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