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Education in New England
New England has a comprensive education system that has been designed to ensure the best mix of subjects can be offered , while giving students a rounded education capable of helping them live in a highly spohistcated sociuety. The education system follows a three-tier system of primary, secondary and tertiary, although these terms are seldom used. Surveys and conparisions of the New England system show it to be in the top five nations for education quality, effectivness and satisfaction.
Education is considered an essential service, and as a result children receive free tuition for long as they wish to study. By law, all children must attend school from the year they turn six until the year they turn seventeen. Additionally, all children must also complete the Advanced Certificate of Education befiore they can leave school and seek work. In this light, the number of students completing their studies has been at around 98% since compusory schooling was extended in the 2020s.
- The Education System
- Certificates and Awards
- Corporal Punishment
The Education System
The Education system of New England is divided into four major groupings; Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. The majority of New England's school are state run and funded. Private schools cater to around 25% of students, but they do not receive any support from the government.
Preparatory - In the year that children turn four or five children are sent to pre-school schools known as Preparatory School. Nursery is the first year of preparatory schools and is essentially a social normalisation environments for children that allows them some opportunity to draw, paint or play with other people their own age. After a year, pupils are moved to Kindergartens, which is officially the first part of formal education. Here, pupils are taught more academic activities like writing, reading and spelling for the first time outside the home. It is expected that children are able to read and write to some extent before they start primary school.
Primary School - Children are sent to local primary schools in the year they turn six. Here they receive basic skills in reading, writing, languages and arithmetic. At this stage, and throughout the child's education, parents may elect to send their child to either state or private schools. By the age of twelve, a child should be able to read and interpret basic comprehension, write short stories (with the correct spelling and grammar), speak the basics of a foreign language and conduct the basic mathematic skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Grammar School - Formerly known as secondary or high schools, and consisting of third and fourth form, grammar schools teach students more advanced levels of english, mathematics, and a second language. Additionally, children are taught sex education and are required to be fit and capable of playing sport, with many schools competing against one another with New England's most popular sports. They are also given an intensive study of the workings of government, and are taught geography, history and financial education for eighteen months at a turn.
Matriculation College - Fifth and sixth form pupils usually attend colleges, where they normally study five to six courses over two years. Pupils spend their final two school years in college attempting the Advanced Certificate of Education, which is awarded on the basis of continuous assessment of the students' progress over that time. Students have a full range of courses that they may attempt, with courses structured to offer students the best level of teaching that suits their aptitude and future plans.
Tertiary Education - After completing Grammar School, students can elect to go to either university or a polytechnic. There is only one university, which teaches subjects like medicine, law, economics, agronomy, botany, zoology, mathematics, politics, history, psychology and theology. The aim of this teaching to educates graduates that should be employable as specialists in those fields. Those seeking more vocational courses go to one of the three polytechnic colleges. Here students are taught trades like building, plumbing, cooking, office management as well as specialist areas like teaching and nursing.
Certificates and Awards
Fundamental Skills Certificates - After three years students are given their first test, known as the Fundamental Skills Certificate I (FSC I). The FSC aims to test that students have picked up the basic skills in reading, writing and arithmetic. If they pass, a student can go on second form, but if they fail, a student can be held back for one year of First Form Remediation. The process is repeated three years later when the student finishes second form. This time, the students attempt the FSC II, which if they pass, allow them to enrol in a Grammar School.
Skills Extension Certificate - When pupils complete lower grammar school (third form), they are tested with a Skills Extension Certificate. The tests include exams, tests and presentations given in the various streams of the study by the school to determine the readiness of the student for intermediate grammar school. If a students passes, they are allowed to then attempt fourth form and are certified that they have an extended knowledge of the basic skills.
Certificate of Education - Pupils completing studies in intermediate grammar school (fourth form) are again tested with exams, tests and presentations, which passed allow them to receive the Certificate of Education or CoE. The CoE shows that they have made sound progress in the first four years of grammar school and are now allowed to attempt higher study. Pupils cannot leave school at this time, and must attempt the Advanced Certificate of Education.
Advanced Certificate of Education - Over two years, students attempt the Advanced Certificate of Education or ACoE. With a barrage of tests, the certificate lists if the student has satisfied the requirements to leave school, and if the student is eligible to matriculate into tertiary education. A student has the right to re-attempt the ACoE within six months if they receive a score of less than 50%.
Corporal Punishment
New England reintroduced corporal punishment for children in 2034. That said, it's use is rare, and is only meted out in the most extreme of cases. The use of caning is highly regulated, with the deputy headmaster of a school requiring the permission of the headmaster , the school counselor and the student's parents before the punishment can be carried out. Often, the punishment is commuted to extended detention if there is an objection from any of the above authorities.
