The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 (A*- C) and Level 1 (D- G) in Key Skills. (In Scotland, the equivalent is the Standard Grade.) Some students may decide to take one or more GCSEs before or afterwards; people may apply for GCSEs at any point either internally through an institution or externally. The education systems of other British territories, such as Gibraltar, and the former British dominion of South Africa, also use the qualifications, as supplied by the same examination boards. The International version of the GCSE is the IGCSE, which can be taken anywhere in the world, and which includes additional options, for example relating to coursework and the language used. When GCSEs are taken by students in secondary education, they can often be combined with other qualifications, such as the Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC), the Diploma in Digital Applications (DiDA), or diplomas.

Education to GCSE level is often required of students who study for the International Baccalaureate or to GCE Advanced Level (A-level). GCSE exams were introduced as the compulsory school-leavers' examinations in the late 1980s (the first exams being taken in the summer of 1988) by the Conservative Party government, replacing the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) and GCE Ordinary Level (O-Level) examinations.

==Structure== In secondary schools, GCSE courses are taken in a variety of subjects, which are usually decided by the students themselves in Year 9 (age 13-14). Typically, study of chosen subjects begins at the start of Year 10 (age 14-15), although some subjects start earlier, for example Maths, English and Science, mainly because these courses are too long to be taught within the traditional 2 years; final examinations are then taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16). In Northern Ireland, these age groups are designated as one Year higher, so that Year 9 elsewhere is equivalent to Year 10 in Northern Ireland, and so forth. The number of subjects a student studies at GCSE level can vary. Usually somewhere between eight and ten subjects are studied, though it is not uncommon for more, or fewer, subjects to be studied.

In secondary schools, GCSEs are compulsory in the core subjects and are more common qualification taken by 14–16-year-old students. The only requirement is that in state schools English, mathematics, science, religious education and physical education are studied during Key Stage 4 (the GCSE years of school). In England and Northern Ireland, students following the national curriculum (compulsory in state schools) must also study some form of information communication technology (ICT), and citizenship. In Wales, Welsh (as a first or second language) must also be studied. These subjects do not have to be taught for any examination (or even be discrete lessons), though it is normal for at least English, mathematics and science to be studied to GCSE level.

For the reasons above, virtually all students take GCSEs in English, mathematics and science. In addition, many schools also require that students take English literature, at least one modern foreign language, at least one design and technology subject, religious education (often a short, or 'half', course), and ICT (though increasingly this is the DiDA or OCR National, rather than the GCSE). Students can then fill the remainder of their timetable (normally totalling ten different subjects) with their own choice of subjects (see list below). Short Course GCSEs (worth half a regular GCSE) or other qualifications, such as BTECs, can also be taken.

Grading

At the end of the two-year GCSE course, candidates receive a grade for each subject that they have sat. The pass grades, from highest to lowest, are: ''A*'' (pronounced 'A-star'), ''A'', ''B'', ''C'', ''D'', ''E'', ''F'' and ''G''.

GCSEs are part of the National Qualifications Framework. A GCSE at grades D–G is a Level 1 qualification, while a GCSE at grades A*–C is a Level 2 qualification. As one would expect, GCSEs at A*-C (Level 2) are much more desirable and insisted on by many employers and educational institutions.

Those who fail a course are given a ''U'' (unclassified) and the subject is not included on their certificates.

Students can also receive an ''X'' grade which signifies that they have only completed part of the course or key elements such as coursework are missing and so an appropriate grade cannot be given. A ''Q'' (query) grade means that the clarification is needed by the exam board, whom the school should contact. Both X and Q are normally temporary grades and replaced with a regular grade (A*-G or U) when the situation has been resolved.

Tiers

In many subjects, there are two different 'tiers' of examination offered:

''Higher'', where students can achieve grades A*–D

''Foundation'', where they can achieve grades C–G

If a candidate fails to obtain a Grade G on the Foundation tier or a Grade D on the Higher tier they will fail the course and receive a U. Candidates who narrowly miss a Grade D on the Higher tier, however, are awarded a Grade E. In modular subjects, students may mix and match tiers between units. In non-tiered subjects, such as History, the examination paper allows candidates to achieve any grade. Coursework and controlled assessment also always allows candidates to achieve any grade.

In 2006, GCSE Mathematics changed from a 3-tier system — Foundation grades (D–G), Intermediate (grades B–E) and Higher (grades A*–C) — to the standard 2-tier system — Foundation (grades C–G) and Higher (grades A*–D).

Further education

Receiving five or more A*–C grades, including English and Maths, is often a requirement for taking A-levels in the school sixth form, at a sixth form college or at a further education college after leaving secondary school. Where the choice of A level is a subject taken at GCSE level, it is frequently required that the student has received a GCSE C grade minimum. Most universities typically require a C or better in English and Mathematics, regardless of a student's performance in their A-level or Foundation Degree course after leaving school. Many students who fail to get a C in English and Mathematics will retake their GCSEs in those subjects at a later date. There is now currently no more intermediate level, only higher and foundation.

Coursework

In some subjects, one or more coursework assignments may also be completed. Coursework can contribute to anything from 10–60% of a pupil's final grade, with more practical subjects, such as design and technology (60%), art (60%), ICT (60%) and music (60%), often having a heavier coursework element. The rest of a pupil's grade (normally the majority) is determined by their performance in examinations. These exams may either be terminal exams at the end of Year 11, a series of modular examinations taken throughout the course, or a combination of the two. Pupils can sometimes resit modular examinations later in the course and attempt to improve their grade.

In terms of stress, the upside of coursework is that it can help to ease the stress of examination because students who undertake their coursework with skill and diligence have already achieved around 20% of the marks accounting for their final grade, however the downside is that this means students have a greater workload to complete, sometimes having to produce a large amount of work for a minimal part of the overall grade. For example, in English a student may have to complete 4 pieces of coursework, each over a thousand words long, which individually only account for 5% of the grade. However, this varies between exam boards.

Coursework was usually completed outside of lessons, however concerns about cheating have meant that more and more is now being completed in the classroom, under supervision. For many courses starting in September 2009, including those in Mathematics, Economics, Science and History, a requirement will be that coursework is completed in a controlled environment within schools. Design and Technology subjects also switch to the new, more controlled, environment, with time limits and restrictions on the variety of projects allowed.

CCEA has now replaced Coursework with controlled assessment.

Examination boards

There are now five examination boards offering GCSEs:

Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)

Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)

Edexcel

Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC)

Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA)

While all boards are regulated by the Office of the regulator of qualifications (Ofqual) – a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Education – the boards are self-sufficient organisations. Traditionally, there were a larger number of regional exam boards, but changes in legislation allowed schools to use any board before a series of mergers reduced the number to five. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) acts as a single voice for the awarding bodies, and assists them to create common standards, regulations and guidance.

Results

Students receive the results of their GCSEs in the fourth week of August (the week after A Level results). CCEA publish their results on the Tuesday and the other examination boards publish theirs on the Thursday, however results will be available on a Tuesday from all examination boards from 2010 onwards. Normally, students have to go to their school to collect their results, although Edexcel allow for the option of an online results service whereby results are posted online.

English Baccalaureate

In late 2010 the government announced a new English Baccalaureate certificate would be awarded to students who achieved grades A*-C in English, Mathematics, two Sciences, a Foreign Language and History or Geography. The reason for its introduction was to combat the perceived fall in the number of students studying foreign languages and science. School league tables now take into account the percentage of students awarded this certificate.

Criticism

There is controversy over the discussion that the GCSE system is a dumbing down from the old GCE O-level system (as it took the focus away from the theoretical side of many subjects and taught students about real-world implications and issues relating to ICT and citizenship). In addition, GCSE grades have been rising for many years, which critics attribute to grade inflation. By comparing students scores in the YELLIS ability test with their GCSE results between 1996 and 2006, Robert Coe has noted a general increase in results which ranges from 0.2 (Science) to 0.8 (Maths) of a GCSE grade. Only slightly more than half of students sitting GCSE exams achieve the 5 A* to C grades required for most forms of academic further education.

One of the important differences between O levels (and the earlier grading of A levels) and the later GCSE qualifications was supposed to be a move from norm referenced marking to criterion referenced marking. On a norm referenced grading system fixed percentages of candidates achieve each grade. With criterion referenced grades in theory all candidates who achieve the criteria can achieve the grade. A comparison of a clearly norm referenced assessment such as the NFER CATs test with GCSE grading seems to show an unexpected correlation which challenges the idea that the GCSE is a properly criterion based assessment.

There have been calls from several MPs for GCSEs to be scrapped in favour of a national Diploma . The Department for Education does not look likely to do this at any time in the near future. Sir Mike Tomlinson, former head of Ofsted, also stated that GCSEs ought to be scrapped and replaced with Diplomas in August 2009.

In recent years, concerns about standards has led some public schools to go as far as to remove GCSEs from their curriculum and to take their pupils straight to A-level or the International Baccalaureate. Other public schools, such as Manchester Grammar School are replacing the GCSEs with IGCSEs in which there is an option to do no coursework. The new Science syllabus has led to many public schools switching to the IGCSE Double Award syllabus.

History and format

GCSEs were introduced for teaching in September 1986, and replaced both the GCE O-level (General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level) and the CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education) qualifications, which suffered problems due to the two-tier nature of the system. Grade C of the GCSE was set at equivalent to O-Level Grade C and CSE Grade 1. Thus the final students to sit the former O-Level/CSE examinations were those of May–June 1987 and the subsequent retakes in September 1987.

The table below shows what each GCSE grade is equivalent to:

!GCSE Grade	O Level Grade	!CSE Grade

Blue background – certificate and qualification awarded.

Red background – no certificate or qualification awarded.

The format of the GCSE has remained basically the same since its inception, though many minor changes have been made.

The A* grade was introduced to distinguish the very top end of achievement in 1994, although the threshold for achieving an A* has varied considerably over time, coming down as low as 47% in a 2005 AQA Business Studies GCSE.

Initially, most exams had two tiers: Higher, offering grades A-E (A*-E from 2002), and Basic, offering Grades F-G. In 1998, the Higher tier was modified to cover grades A*-D, while the Basic tier was renamed Foundation and now covered grades C-G. In 2004, a 'allowed' Grade E was introduced to the Higher tier for candidates narrowly missing a Grade D.

For many years, Maths was an exception, having three tiers: Higher (grades A*–C), Intermediate (grades B–E) and Basic/Foundation (grades D–G). Maths moved to the standard two tier system in 2006 (for the first examination in 2007 or 2008 depending on whether the modular or linear course was taken).

Introduced in 2000 was the Vocational GCSE (VGCSE), which encouraged students to take the work-related route and included courses such as Engineering and Manufacture, Applied Business, ICT, and Leisure and Tourism. From September 2004, the word 'Vocational' was dropped and a Vocational GCSE is now known simply as a GCSE.

Science GCSEs were overhauled in 2006 (for first examination in 2008). The most popular course, Double Award Science GCSE, where students received two identical grades for a course with twice the content as the Single Award Science GCSE, was terminated. Students studying for two Science GCSEs now study the single Science GCSE (known as core science) and then one of two complementary GCSEs: Additional Science GCSE (which has a more academic focus) or Applied Science GCSE (which has a more vocational focus). Candidates now receive separate grades for each of their Science GCSEs.

GCSE examinations in state education are taken officially in the summer, though many schools take mocks beforehand. GCSE examination results are received on a specified date in the summer, and due to this, the examinations are always taken near the end of the academic year (unless in private education). GCSEs are externally-marked examinations, taken between April and July, unless a pupil has specific reasons to be entitled to extension of time.

There were further changes to the English GCSEs from 2010. Instead of the current system where (virtually) all students take English and the vast majority also take English Literature, students will take English Language and English Literature together or just English on its own, which will effectively be a hybrid of the other two GCSEs.

The youngest student to gain a GCSE is home-educated Arran Fernandez, who took GCSE Mathematics in 2001 at the age of five, gaining grade D, the highest available at Foundation Tier at that time. In 2003 he became the youngest ever student to gain an A* grade, also for Mathematics.

Special educational needs

For students with learning difficulties, an injury/repetitive strain injury (RSI) or a disability, there is help offered in these forms:

Extra time (the amount depends on the severity of the learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, disability or injury)

Amanuensis (somebody types or handwrites as the student dictates; this is normally used when the student cannot write due to an injury or disability)

A word processor (without any spell checking tools) can be used by students who have trouble writing legibly or who are unable to write quickly enough to complete the exam

A different format exam paper (large print, Braille, printed on coloured paper, etc.)

A 'reader' (a teacher/exam invigilator can read out the words written on the exam, but they cannot explain their meaning)

A different room (sometimes due to a disability a student can be placed in a room by themselves; this also happens when an amanuensis is used, so as not to disturb the other candidates)

All of the above must be approved by the exam board concerned. There are other forms of help available, but these are the most commonly used.

Students working below GCSE level may take a different qualification altogether in one or more subjects. The Entry Level Certificate, in particular, is designed for this purpose.There are also other qualifications which can be taken such as Btecs at level 1 and above

Subjects

Note: Many of the subjects in this list are not offered by every school.

Core/Compulsory subjects

English (students can take one of two 'routes'):

* Two GCSEs: English Language and English Literature

* One GCSE: English

Mathematics

Welsh or Welsh Second Language (in all schools in Wales)

* Many Welsh schools offer Welsh Literature along with the language course

Irish in Irish-medium schools in Northern Ireland

Science

Science (students can take a number of different 'routes'):

* One GCSE: Science (which includes elements of biology, chemistry, and physics)

* Two GCSEs: Science and Additional Science (a more academic course)

* Two GCSEs: Science and Additional Applied Science (a more vocational course)

* Two GCSEs: Double Award Applied Science (a very vocational course)

* Up to three GCSEs: Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate GCSEs (known as a Triple Award)

Languages

Modern foreign languages

Afrikaans

Arabic

Bangla

Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin)

Dutch

French

* Applied French, also known as Business French, a vocational course that aims towards an NVQ

German

* Applied German, also known as Business German, a vocational course that aims towards an NVQ

Modern Greek

Gujarati

Modern Hebrew

Hindi

Irish

Italian

Japanese

Maltese

Manx

Panjabi

Persian

Polish

Portuguese

Russian

Somali

Spanish

Turkish

Urdu

Welsh

Classical languages

Classical Arabic

Classical Greek

Biblical Hebrew

Latin

Classical Sanskrit

Technology

Design and Technology

*Parametric CAD

* Electronic Products

* Electronics with Resistant Materials

* Food Technology

* Graphic Design/Products

* Product Design

* Resistant Materials

* Textiles

* Systems and Control

Catering

Electronics

Engineering

Engineering and Manufacturing (double award)

Home Economics

* Food and Nutrition

* Child Development

* Textiles

Manufacturing

ICT

Computing (ICT Functional Skills) (Pilot offered by OCR for first teaching September 2010)

Humanities

Citizenship

Classical Civilisation

Economics

Geography

History

* Modern World

* Economic and Social

* Schools History Project

Humanities

Religious Studies

* Buddhism

* Christianity

* Hinduism

* Islam

* Judaism

* Philosophy and Ethics

* Sikhism

People and society-related subjects

Business Studies

Applied Business (double award)

Business and Economics

Financial Services ''(to be withdrawn; last session summer 2010)''

Health and Social Care (double award)

Hospitality

Law

Leisure and Tourism

Psychology

Sociology

Travel and Tourism

Expressive arts

Animation

Applied Art and Design (double award)

Art and Design

Art and Design: Fine Art

Art and Design: Graphics

Art and Design: Photography

Art and Design: Textiles

Art and Design: Three-dimensional Design/Studies

Dance

Drama

Digital Photography

Expressive Arts

Film Studies

Media Studies

Moving Image Arts

Music

Performing Arts

Others

Accounting

Archaeology ''(no longer current)''

Astronomy

Construction / Construction and the Built Environment

Environmental Science

Geology

General Studies

Human Physiology and Health

IFS Personal Finance...

Journalism

Learning for Life and Work

Motor Vehicle and Road User Studies

Personal and Social Education

Physical Education (PE)

Physical Education: Games

Preparation for Working Life

Rural and Agricultural Science

Statistics

See also

GCE Advanced Level in the United Kingdom. Commonly referred to as "A-Levels", these are the next set of exams that students take.

References

Notes

''The Guardian'', 25 August 2005, "It really is that bad" – GCSE standards

''The Guardian'', 3 September 2005, independent school to ditch GCSE science"

External links

Directgov: GCSEs

GCSE Geography

Category:School qualifications Category:School examinations Category:Standardised tests in the United Kingdom Category:Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom Category:Standardised tests in the Caribbean Category:Educational qualifications in the Caribbean

ca:General Certificate of Secondary Education de:General Certificate of Secondary Education es:Certificado General de Educación Secundaria fa:گواهی عمومی آموزش ثانوی fr:General Certificate of Secondary Education simple:General Certificate of Secondary Education

The Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) was a school leaving qualification awarded between 1965 and 1987 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

It was introduced to provide a qualification available to all schoolchildren distinct from the GCE (O-Levels) aimed at the more able pupils, mostly at grammar and independent schools rather than secondary modern schools, aiming for places at a university. Before the introduction of the CSE, the majority of those schoolchildren at secondary modern schools did not take O-Level examinations and so left school without any qualifications at all. However, by the late 1960s and early 1970s, counties frequently had introduced their own examinable qualifications for the bulk of Secondary Modern School pupils who left in 'Form Four' (at 15 years of age). For example, the county of Monmouthshire in Wales awarded the Monmouthshire Certificate in Education.

There were five pass grades in its grading system ranging from grades 1 to 5, with grades 1 to 3 being recognised with equivalence to the four (later 3) lowest O-Level pass grades (of which there were originally 6 (later 5); CSE grade 1 with a score of 100% being equivalent to O-Level grade 3 on the earlier O-Level grading system). Pupils could take a mixture of CSEs and O-levels.

Cecile Wright, a leading sociologist, found that many black pupils were entered for the CSE instead of the O-level at an English school. This raised the question of whether teachers were wrongfully categorising ethnic minority pupils as low achievers.

CSEs and O-levels were replaced by the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in 1988.

Notes

Category:Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom Category:School qualifications

Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education is generally the final stage of compulsory education. However, secondary education in some countries includes a period of compulsory and a period of non-compulsory education. The next stage of education is usually college or university. Secondary education is characterized by transition from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors to the optional, selective tertiary, "post-secondary", or "higher" education (e.g., university, vocational school) for adults. Depending on the system, schools for this period or a part of it may be called ''secondary schools'', ''high schools'', ''gymnasia'', ''lyceums'', ''middle schools'', ''colleges'', ''vocational schools'' and ''preparatory schools'', and the exact meaning of any of these varies between the systems.

Secondary education in the EU

Belgium

See ''Education in Belgium - Secondary education''

Cyprus

1.1 General overview of education stages Cyprus has a three-tier educational system, each stage being divided into specific levels:

Basic education

* Nursery (Ages 3–5) Not obligatory

* Pre-primary school (Ages 5–6) At the age of five, children normally attend the pre primary class, which prepares them to join Primary school

Primary school (Ages 6–12)Primary school has six grades.

Secondary education

* Gymnasium (Ages 12–15) After primary school, students attend the lower secondary school (GYMNASIUM) which has three grades.

* Eniaio Lykeio or Unified Lyceum (Ages 15–18)

Post secondary education Public Tertiary Institutions or Universities

1.2 Secondary Education

''1.2.1 Branches of schooling ‘Networks’ (F réseaux D netten)''

''1.2.2 Access''

''1.2.3 Types''

General Secondary Education offers a six-year educational programme for students aged between 12 and 18.

* At the Gymnasium (Lower Secondary school), the main orientation is the general humanistic education. Education at Gymnasium is compulsory for the first three years, up to the age of 15.

* At the Lykeio (Upper Secondary school), the educational system is more flexible and offers various specialisations depending on the inclination, skills and interests of the students. The Upper Secondary cycle of the Public Secondary General Education offers a three-year duration programme for students aged between 15and 18.

Secondary Technical and Vocational Education is offered in two streams, a Theoretical and a Practical one. Students who have successfully completed the 3rd grade at the Gymnasium, are eligible to study these programmes.

Evening classes come under Secondary Education and operate in the evening. Those who have reached their 18th year of age, or their 15th year of age and are evidently able to work, can register in evening classes.

''1.2.4 Curriculum ''

Gymnasium

Modern Greek, Ancient Greek, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Religious Studies, English, French, Career Education, Music and Art are taught at the Gymnasium and these subjects are common for all students.

Lykeio

* In the first grade, (class A), all subjects are common core ones, which means that they are compulsory: These are, Modern Greek, Ancient Greek, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, French, Music, Art, Religious studies and Computer Science

* In the second grade, (class B), students are required to attend 19 periods of common core subjects and of compulsory foreign languages. In addition, they must also select three or four stream subjects of four periods per week and either two or zero courses of special interest or enrichment of two periods per week.

* In the third and final grade, (class C), students are required to attend 17 teaching periods of common core subjects and of compulsory foreign languages. They should also select four stream subjects of four periods per week and one subject of special interest or enrichment of two periods per week.

''1.2.5 Timetables'' Students go to school from Sept 10th to May 20, from Monday to Friday.The lessons start at 7:30 and finish at 13:35.During the school day there are three breaks, one at 9:00 that lasts 15minutes, one at 10:45 that lasts 25 minutes and one at 12:40 that lasts 10 minutes.There are 35 forty-five minute periods a week.

School Holidays: October 1, October 28, December 23 – January 6, January 30, March 25, April 1, May 1, Good Monday – Friday after Easter Week, Holy Spirit, Green Monday, Summer holidays: From June to September

''1.2.6 Certification of secondary education''

Unified Lyceum: An indicative certificate (for those who successfully complete grades A and B) or a School Leaving Certificate (APOLYTERION), for those who graduate, is awarded at the end of the school year to all successful students. The School Leaving Certificate is a qualification for employment in office work.

Secondary Technical and Vocational Education: Upon successful completion of the programme, students of TVE are awarded a School Leaving Certificate, (APOLYTERION), which is recognized as equivalent to a School Leaving Certificate of a public three-grade Upper -Secondary school.

''1.2.7 Parents’ role ''

''1.2.8 Presence of Clubs at school'' The Unified Lyceum Programme «Action – Creativity – Social Contribution» («A. C. S. ») The program «A.C.S. » is organized by the school and is approved by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The program is compulsory for all students and their participation is a prerequisite to a successful completion of the curriculum for each grade and for obtaining a school leaving certificate. The activities that have been organized by schools so far, are now regularized, enriched and upgraded through this program.

''1.2.9 Uniforms'' School uniform is compulsory for all students in Cyprus. The uniform comprises grey trousers or jeans for boys and grey skirt or jeans for girls and white, black or grey t-shirt. There is also a special uniform for PE classes.

''1.2.10 Costs'' The secondary education in Cyprus is free for all students. The books are also provided to students for free.

''1.2.11 Private lessons'' Private lessons in Cyprus are very common. Almost all students prepare for external exams, usually GCE A´ and O´ Levels through private tuition, to ensure access to foreign universities, especially in the UK. A lot of students, especially in Lyceum take private lessons at subjects they have difficulties.

1.3 Access to University or schools of higher education Access to Public Tertiary Institutions in Cyprus and Greece can be achieved through the National Entrance exams, while the School Leaving Certificate can ensure access to private tertiary institutions

Czech Republic

The Czech school system is, due to historic reasons, almost the same as the German school system. The school system is free and mandatory to age 16. After the ''Základní škola'' (Elementary School) in age of 16, students are directed to three different optional secondary education schools:

Střední odborné učiliště (SOU) - designed for students going into a trade (e.g., carpentry, masonry, auto-mechanic etc.) Education is 3 years long and entrance exam free, combined with practice(one week study in school/one week practice in factory, bakery,building site... etc.), finished with a certificate.

Střední odborná škola (SOŠ) - designed for students going into a profession (accountant, technician, kindergarten teacher..) and finishes with ''maturita'' as exit exam. The leaving exam consist of 2 compulsory and 2 optional subjects. Compulsory subjects are ''Czech language and World Literature'' and ''one other language''. Optional ones depend on the type of school (mathematics, physics, accounting, etc.) The study is 4 years long and you need to pass an entrance exam (Czech Language and Mathematics or Physics, varies with the type of school)

Gymnasium - designed for students going to university/college and finishes with a ''maturita'' exam. Also with two mandatory subjects ''Czech language and World Literature'' and ''one other language''. Optional subjects vary, usually between humanistic and science. The study is 4, 6 or 8 years long. In case of 6 (8) years one, the pupils finish elementary school two (four) years earlier and this two (four) years has harder studying programme on Gymnasium. There are also entry exams to all these programmes.

The ''maturita'' is required for study in University. The Abitur from Gymnasium is better for Humanistic pointed University and SOŠ Abitur is better for Technical pointed university.

Croatia

Secondary education is currently optional, although most political parties now advocate the stance that it should also become compulsory.

Secondary schools in Croatia are subdivided into:

gymnasiums with four available educational tracks; ''prirodoslovno-matematička gimnazija'' (specializing in math,informatics and science), ''jezična gimnazija'' (with at least three foreign languages required), ''klasična gimnazija'' (with a curriculum centered around classics, namely Latin and Ancient Greek) and ''opća gimnazija'' (which covers a general education and is not as specific)

vocational schools

Gymnasiums, schools of economics and schools of engineering take four years. There are also some vocational schools that last only three years.

Secondary schools supply students with primary subjects needed for the necessary work environment in Croatia. People who completed secondary school are classified as "medium expertise" (''srednja stručna sprema'' or SSS).

There are currently around 90 gymnasiums and some 300 vocational schools in Croatia. The public secondary schools are under the jurisdiction of regional government, the counties.

Denmark

In Denmark it is mandatory to receive education answering to the basic school syllabus until the 10th year of school education. Since 2009 has it been compulsory also to attend pre-school. Furthermore can pupils choose a 11th year of school. After the basic school the majority of pupils between ages 15–19 usually choose to go through the 3-year "Gymnasium", which is University-preparatory. If not attending Gymnasium, the most common alternative is attending vocational training. There are over 100 different vocational courses in Denmark.

Finland

The Finnish education system is a comparatively egalitarian Nordic system. This means for example no tuition fees for full-time students and free meals are served to pupils. There are private schools but they are made unattractive by legislation.

The second level education is not compulsory, but an overwhelming majority attends. There is a choice between upper secondary school (''lukio'', ''gymnasium'') and vocational school (''ammatillinen oppilaitos'', ''yrkesinstitut''). Graduates of both upper secondary school and vocational school can apply to study in further education (University and Polytechnics).

Upper secondary school, unlike vocational school, concludes with a nationally graded matriculation examination (''ylioppilastutkinto'', ''studentexamen''). Passing the test is a ''de facto'' prerequisite for further education. The system is designed so that approximately the lowest scoring 5% fails and also 5% get the best grade. The exam allows for a limited degree of specialization in either natural sciences or social sciences. The graduation is an important and formal family event, like christening, wedding, and funeral.

In the OECD's international assessment of student performance, PISA, Finland has consistently been among the highest scorers worldwide; in 2003, Finnish 15-year-olds came first in reading literacy, science, and mathematics; and second in problem solving, worldwide. The World Economic Forum ranks Finland's tertiary education #1 in the world.

Germany

The German school system is free and compulsory through age 18. After the ''Grundschule'' (elementary school lasting 4–6 years), teachers recommend each pupil for one of three different types of secondary education. Parents have the final say about which school their child will attend.

Hauptschule - designed for students going into trades such as construction; complete after 9th or 10th grade. During apprenticeships, pupils then attend Berufsschule, a dual-education vocational high school. The Hauptschule has been subject to sigdren of immigrants with schoolmates whose German is also poor, leading to a cycle of poverty.

Realschule - designed for students who want to apprentice for white-collar jobs not requiring university studies, such as banking; complete after 10th grade. Those who change their minds and decide to attend university can proceed after testing to:

Gymnasium - academic preparatory school for pupils planning to attend universities or polytechnics. Some offer a classical education (Latin, Greek), while others concentrate on economics and the like. The curriculum leading to the Abitur degree were recently reduced from 13th grade to 12th grade ("G8," eight years of Gymnasium).

The Gesamtschule (comparable to American schools) puts all pupils in a single building, combining the three main types; these are still quite rare.

Students with special needs are assigned to Förderschule or Sonderschule.

Netherlands

In The Netherlands, high school is called ''middelbare school'' (literally: "middle-level school") and starts right after the 6th grade of primary school (group 8). The pupils who attend high school are around the age of 12. Because education in the Netherlands is compulsory between the ages of 4 and 16 (and partially compulsory between the ages of 16 and 18), all pupils must attend high school.

The high schools are part of the ''voortgezet onderwijs'' (literally: "continued education"). The ''voortgezet onderwijs'' consists of 3 main streams: vmbo, which has 4 grades and is subdivided over several levels; havo, which has 5 grades, and vwo, which has 6 grades. The choice for a particular stream is made based on the scores of an aptitude test (most commonly the CITO test), the advice of the grade 6 teacher, and the opinion of the pupil's parents or caretakers. It is possible to switch between streams. After completing a particular stream, a pupil can continue in the penultimate year of the next stream, from vmbo to havo, and from havo to vwo.

Successfully completing a particular stream grants access to different levels of tertiary education. After vmbo, a pupil can continue training at the mbo ("middle-level applied education"). A havo diploma allows for admission to the hbo ("higher professional education"), which are universities of professional education. Only with vwo can a pupil enter into a research university.

Portugal

In Portuguese, the word for high school used to be ''liceu'', it was now recently replaced for ''Escola Secundária'' (secondary school which includes 7th to 9th grade) and covers grades 10th to 12th. After completing High School students may choose to go to ''Universidade'' (University) or ''Instituto Politécnico'' (Polytechnic Institute). Also, students may choose to pursue an artistic career, in such case they may audition to the National Conservatory or one of Portugal's Art Schools. The Portuguese government is currently considering the extension of the Compulsory Education to the 12th grade, instead of the 9th. In High School, student can only move on to the next grade if they pass with a satisfactory CGPA (cumulative grade point average).

Republic of Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland secondary school starts at the age of 12, and lasts three or optionally five or six years. The main types of secondary school are: community schools, comprehensive schools, ''colleges'' (though this term is more usually applied to third-level institutions like universities), vocational schools, voluntary secondary schools and meánscoileanna (secondary schools that teach all subjects through Irish). After three years (age 14-16), every student takes a compulsory state exam known as the Junior Certificate. Typically a student will sit exams in 9 to 11 subjects; English (L1), Irish (L2), a Foreign Language (L3) and Mathematics are compulsory.

After completing the Junior Certificate, a student may continue for two years to take a second state exam, the Leaving Certificate, around age 17-18. Students typically take 6-8 subjects. Except in exceptional circumstances, subjects taken must include Irish (L1), English (L2), a foreign language (L3) and Mathematics. Leaving Certificate results directly determine admission to university via a ranking system managed by the CAO. More than 80% of students who complete the Junior Certificate continue to the Leaving Certificate.

There is an optional year in many secondary schools in Ireland known as Transition Year, which some students choose to take after completing the Junior Certificate, and before starting the Leaving Certificate. Focusing on broadening horizons, the year is often structured around student projects such as producing a magazine, charity work, running a small business, etc. Regular classes may be mixed with classes on music, drama, public speaking, etc. Transition Year is not formally examined but student progress is monitored by teachers on a continuous basis. Programs vary from school to school. This year also focuses on giving the children an insight into the working world through work experience placements.

In addition to the main school system, Ireland has a parallel system of vocational schools, which place less focus on academic subjects and more on vocational and technical skills - around 25% of students attend these. Many vocational schools also offer night classes to adults. There is also a prominent movement known as Gaelscoileanna where every subject is taught through the Irish Language, and these are growing fast in number.

Slovenia

In Slovenia, a variety of high-school institutions for secondary education exists one can choose in accordance with his or her interests, abilities and beliefs. The majority of them are public and government-funded, although there are some diocesan upper secondary schools and a Waldorf upper secondary school, which are private and require tuition to be paid.

Upper secondary schools (Sln. ''gimnazije'') are the most elite and the most difficult high-school programmes, intended for the best students that wish to pursue university education in the future. They are further divided into general upper secondary schools, classical upper secondary schools, technical upper secondary schools, upper secondary schools for arts, and upper secondary schools for business. They all last for four years and conclude with a compulsory leaving examination (Sln. ''matura'') that is a prerequsite for studying at universities. Their curricula include a wide range of subjects that should deliver a broad general knowledge.

Technical high schools last for four years and cover a wide range of disciplines. They end with a vocational leaving examination and allow pupils to study at vocational or professional colleges.

Vocational high schools come in two varieties: the dual and in school-based programme. For the former, the apprenticeship is provided by employers, while the practical training for the latter is offered in school. Both of them complete with a final examination. Students may continue their education in the two-year vocational-technical programme (colloquially known as 3+2 programme), which prepares them for vocational leaving exam if they want to pursue higher education.

The leaving exam course is a one-year programme, intended for vocational leaving exam graduates. After completing leaving exam course, they take the leaving examination, which makes the eligible for university education.

The Vocational course is a one-year programme provided to upper secondary school students who, for various reasons, do not want to continue their education. It concludes with a final examinations, qualifying the applicants for a selected occupation.

United Kingdom

:''Main articles: Education in the United Kingdom In the United Kingdom secondary schools offer secondary education covering the later years of schooling. State secondary schools in England and Wales are classed as either (selective) grammar schools, (non-selective) comprehensive schools, city technology colleges or academies. Within Scotland, there are only two types of state-run schools, Roman Catholic or non-denominational. Most secondary schools in England and Wales are comprehensive schools. Grammar schools have been retained in some counties in England. Academies (previously known as city academies) are a new type of school introduced in 2000 by the New Labour government of Tony Blair. Independent secondary schools generally take pupils at 13.

The table below lists the equivalent secondary school year systems used in the United Kingdom:

Year 8 (Second Form) Year 9 (Third Form) Year 10 (Fourth Form) Year 11 (Fifth Form) Year 12Lower Sixth AS First Year College Year 13Upper Sixth A2 Second Year College

Scotland	! England, Wales	! Northern Ireland	! Equivalent Ages
Primary 7	Year 7 (First Form)	Year 8 (First Form)
First Year (Secondary 1)	|	Year 9 (Second Form)	12-13
Second Year (Secondary 2)	|	Year 10 (Third Form)	13-14
Third Year (Secondary 3)	|	Year 11 (Fourth Form)	14-15
Fourth Year (Secondary 4)	|	Year 12 (Fifth Form)	15-16
Fifth Year (Secondary 5)	|	Year 13 [Post 16] Lower Sixth	16-17
Sixth Year (Secondary 6)	|	Year 14 [Post 16] Upper Sixth	17-18

Private schools in England and Wales generally still refer to years 7-11 as 1st-5th Form, or alternatively privates schools refer to Year 7 as IIIrds (Thirds), Y8 as LIV (Lower Four), Y9 as UIV (Upper Four), Y10 as LV (Lower Fifth), Y11 as UV (Upper Fifth) and then Sixth-Form.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Education in England, Wales, Northern Ireland''

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, students usually transfer from primary school straight to secondary school at age 11. In a few parts of the UK there are middle schools for ages 9 to 13 (similar to American middle schools), and upper schools for ages 13–18. A handful of 8-12 middle schools, an 12-16 or 18 secondary schools still exist. These schools were first introduced in September 1968, and the number rose dramatically during the 1970s, but the number of such schools has declined since the mid 1980s.

It is uncommon, but sometimes secondary schools (particularly in South West Wales) can also be split into 'Upper' (ages 13–16) and 'Lower' secondary schools (ages 11–13).

Education is compulsory up until the end of year 11 (the last Friday in June in the academic year a person turns 16), and schooling can continue for a further two years after that. Traditionally the five years of compulsory secondary schooling from ages 11 to 16 were known as "first year" through to "fifth year," (and still are in the private sector) but from September 1990 these years were renumbered Year 7 through to Year 11 (Year 8 to Year 12 in Northern Ireland) with the coming of the National Curriculum.

After Year 11 a student can opt to remain at school, transfer to a college, or to leave education and seek work or to start an apprenticeship. Those who stay at school enter Years 12 and 13 (Years 13 and 14 in Northern Ireland). These years are traditionally known as the Sixth Form ("Lower Sixth" and "Upper Sixth"), and require students to specialise in three to five subjects for their A Levels. In ever-increasing numbers since the 1990s some students also undertake more vocational courses at college such as a BTEC or other such qualification.

This is an unusually specialised curriculum for this age group by international standards, and recently some moves have been made to increase the number of subjects studied. After attaining the relevant A Level qualifications the student can enter university.

Scotland

In Scotland, students transfer from primary to secondary education at either 11 or 12 years old. Pupils usually attend the same secondary school as their peers, as all secondaries have 'intake primaries'. Pupils either attend a Roman Catholic, or non-denominational school according to their or more commonly their parents' beliefs. Pupils in Scotland attend the same secondary school throughout their education; there are no sixth-form colleges in Scotland.

The first and second years of secondary school (abbreviated to S1 and S2) is a continuation of the 5-14 curriculum started in primary school. After which students choose which subjects they wish to study with certain compulsory subjects such as English and Mathematics for S3 and S4. These are called Standard Grades, but some schools use Intermediates which take two years to complete with an exam at the end of S4. After Standard Grades/Intermediates, some students leave to gain employment or attend further education colleges, however nowadays most students study for Highers, of which five are usually studied. These take a year to complete. After which some students decide to apply for university or stay on for 6th year, where other Highers are gained, or Advanced Highers are studied. Due to the nature of schooling in Scotland, undergraduate honours degree programmes are four years long as matriculation is normally at the completion of highers in S5 (age 16-17), which compares with three years for the rest of the UK. As well as instruction through the English language education Gaelic medium education is also available throughout Scotland.

Secondary education in other countries

Argentina

The school system is free and mandatory.

Australia

School is compulsory in Australia between the ages of five/six-fifteen/sixteen or seventeen, depending on the state, with, in recent years, over three-quarters of people staying on until their thirteenth year in school. Government schools educate about two-thirds of Australian students, with the other third in independent schools, a proportion which is rising in many parts of Australia. Government schools are free although most schools charge what are known as "voluntary" contributions, while independent schools, both religious and secular, charge fees. Regardless of what whether a school is government or independent, it is required to adhere to the same curriculum frameworks. Most school students, be they in government or independent school, usually wear uniforms, although there are varying expectations.

Each State and Territories has its own format of Year 12 Matriculation:

Australian Capital Territory: ACT Year 12 Certificate

South Australia: South Australian Matriculation / South Australian Certificate of Education (SAM/SACE)

Northern Territory: Senior Secondary Studies Certificate / Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE)

Queensland: Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)

New South Wales: Higher School Certificate (HSC)

Tasmania: Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE)

Victoria: Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

Western Australia: Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)

Brazil

In Brazil, high school is officially called ''Ensino Médio'' (formerly ''Segundo Grau'') and is also informally known as ''colegial''. It is the last phase to basic education. Brazilian high school lasts 3 years, attempting to deepen what students have learned in the ''Ensino Fundamental''. Brazilian high school students are referenced by their year – 1st, 2nd and 3rd years.

Unlike other countries, Brazilian students don't have a final test to conclude studies. Their approval depends only on their final grade on each subject. Each university elaborates its own test to select new students – this test, the ''vestibular'', generally happens once a year. Enem, a non-mandatory national exam, evaluates high school students in Brazil and is used to rank both private and public schools.

The best scores in vestibular and in Enem and the best universities are concentrated on the Southern region of the country, mainly in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná, and in the Federal District. The lack of funds and historical and social problems contribute to poor attendance from the students, especially those in public schools. Nevertheless, some are national models, such as the Colégio Pedro II, named after the 19th century emperor.

Private establishments, on the other hand, may be recognized as academically excellent or merely as investments in social networking. Schedules vary from school to school. The subjects taught, however, are conceived by the ''Ministério da Educação'' (Ministry of Education) which emphasises the hard sciences.

The educational year begins in February and finishes in December; institutions are permitted to define their own actual start and end dates. They must, however, provide at least 200 days of classes per year.

Universities are also divided into public and private. At this level, public ones are considered excellent and their vestibular exam is highly competitive (the exam for med school in UNICAMP may hit 300 candidates per place). For better preparation, therefore, many students take a ''curso pré-vestibular'' (university preparation course), which is offered by large private high schools.

Hong Kong

''secondary school'' (中學, Cantonese: ''jung1 hok6''), ''college'' (書院)

Secondary education in Hong Kong is largely based on the British education system. Secondary school starts in the seventh year, or Form One, of formal education, after Primary Six. Students normally spend five years in secondary schools, of which the first three years (Forms One to Three) are compulsory like primary education. Forms Four and Five students prepare for the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE), which takes place after Form Five. Students obtaining a satisfactory grade will be promoted to Form Six. They then prepare for the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE) (colloquially ''the A-levels''), which is to be taken after Form Seven. The HKALE and HKCEE results will be considered by universities for admission. Some secondary schools in Hong Kong are called 'colleges'. In some schools, Form Six and Form Seven are also called Lower Six and Upper Six respectively.

The HKCEE is equivalent to the British GCSE and HKALE is equivalent to the British A-level.

As of October 2004, there has been heated discussion on proposed changes in the education system, which includes (amongst others) reduction of the duration of secondary education from seven years to six years, and merging the two exams HKCEE and HKALE into one exam, Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE). The proposed changes will take effect in 2009.

The secondary education system of Hong Kong, just as other East Asian countries, is examination-oriented. This does the strong but controversial post-school tutorial education industrya favor.

India

In India, Before The Indian Constitutional Amendment in 2002, Article 45 (Articles 36 - 51 are on Directive-Principles of State Policy) of the Constitution was- “Art.45. Provision for free and compulsory education for children.—The State shall endeavour to provide,within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years.” But that Constitutional obligation was time and again deferred - first to 1970 and then to 1980,1990 and 2000. The 10th Five-Year Plan visualizes that India will achieve the Universal Elementary Education by 2007. However, the Union Human Resource Development Minister announced in 2001 that India will achieve this target only by 2010. (Ninety-third Amendment) Bill, 2002, renumbered as the Constitution (86th Amendment) Act, 2002, which was passed on 12 Dec 2002 stated: An Act further to amend the Constitution of India. . BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fifty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:- 1. Short title and commencement. (1) This Act may be called the Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint. 2. Insertion of new article 21A.- After article 21 of the Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely Right to education.- "Art.21A. The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.". 3. Substitution of new article for article 45.- For article 45 of the Constitution, the following article shall be substituted, namely:- Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years. "Art.45. The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.". 4. Amendment of article 51A.

Iraq

Secondary Education in Iraq comprises TWO stages, each ending in Baccalaureate Examination

* Intermediate three years

* Preparatory three years.

No student is admitted to college in Iraq before passing the Baccalaureate Examination held by this Ministry for Preparatory Schools.

The maximum obtainable mark is 100, the minimum passing mark is 50.

Malaysia

The national secondary education in Malaysia, modelled after the (historical) English system, consists of 5 school years referred to as "forms" (''tingkatan'' in Malay). Students begin attending secondary schools in the year they turn 13, after sitting for the UPSR (Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah or Primary School Assessment Examination) at the end of primary school. Students failing the academic requirement in UPSR are required to read an additional year called the Remove (''Peralihan'') year before they are allowed to proceed to Form 1. Automatic promotion up to Form 5 has been in place since 1996. Some secondary schools offer an additional two years known as ''sixth form'', divided into ''lower sixth'' and ''upper sixth''. Forms 1 to 3 are known as Lower Secondary (''Menengah Rendah''), while Forms 4 and 5 are known as Upper Secondary (''Menengah Tinggi''). Streaming into Art, Science or Commerce streams is done at the beginning of the Upper Secondary stage. Students sit for a standardised test at the end of both stages; Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) for Lower Secondary, and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM, equivalent to the O-Level examination) for Upper Secondary. At the end of the sixth form, students sit for the Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia or the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (equivalent to the A levels). The language of instruction in national secondary schools is Malay except for language, science and mathematics subjects. Science and mathematics subjects are taught in English since 2003, but Malay will be reintroduced in stages from 2012.

Mexico

Lower-secondary education (3 years) is considered part of basic education in Mexico and is compulsory. For entry, students are required to have successfully completed six years of primary education. The next stage, Upper-Secondary Education or Preparation School ("Preparatoria") is non-compulsory and has three pathways: General upper-secondary, Technical professional education, and Technological upper-secondary, as it has been called "Bachillerato" (For the full Secondary education 6 years) it has been frequently confused with the U.S.A. "Bachelors Level" which is called "Licenciatura o Ingeniería" in Latin American countries (well not all, as in Venezuela, the U.S.A. Bachelor´s Level is refereed as "Doctor".

New Zealand

In New Zealand students attend secondary school from the ages from about 13 to 18. Formerly known as Forms 3 to 7, these grades are now known as Years 9 to 13. Schooling is compulsory until the student's 15th (with permission) or 16th birthday. In some areas of the country, secondary school is colloquially known as "college". NCEA is the Government-supported school qualification. New Zealand also has intermediate schools, but these cover the last two years of primary education (years 7 and 8) and are not secondary schools.

Pakistan

Secondary education in Pakistan begins from grade 9 and lasts for four years. Upon completion of grade 10, students are expected to take a standardised test administered by a regional Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (or BISE). Upon successful completion of this examination, they are awarded a Secondary School Certificate (or SSC). This locally termed as 'matriculation certificate' or 'matric' for short. Students then enter a college and complete grades 11 and 12. Upon completion of grade 12, they again take a standardised test which is also administered by the regional boards. Upon successful completion of this test, students are awarded the Higher Secondary (School) Certificate (or HSC). This level of education is also called the F.Sc./F.A. or 'intermediate'. There are many streams students can choose for their 11 and 12 grades, such as pre-medical, pre-engineering, humanities (or social sciences) and commerce. Some technical streams have recently been introduced for grades 11 and 12.

Alternative qualifications in Pakistan are also available but not maintained by the BISE but by other examination boards. Most common alternative is the General Certificate of Education (or GCE), where SSC and HSC are replaced by Ordinary Level (or O Level) and Advanced Level (or A Level) respectively. Other qualifications include IGCSE which replaces SSC. GCE O Level, IGCSE and GCE AS/A Level are managed by British examination boards of CIE of the Cambridge Assessment and Edexcel of the Pearson PLC. Advanced Placement (or AP) is an alternative option but much less common than GCE or IGCSE. This replaces the secondary school education as 'High School Education' instead. AP exams are monitored by a North American examination board, College Board and can only be given under supervision of centers which are registered with the College Board, unlike GCE O/AS/A Level and IGCSE which can also be given privately.

Paraguay

In Paraguay, the secondary education is called ''Educación Media''. After nine year of ''Educación Escolar Básica'' (Primary School), the student can choose to go to either a ''Bachillerato Técnico'' (Vocational School) or a ''Bachillerato Científico'' (High School), both are part of the ''Educación Media' system. This two forms of secondary education last three years, and are usually located in the same campus called ''Colegio''. The ''Bachillerato Técnico'' combine general education with some specific subjects, referred to as pre-vocational education and career orientation. Some of the fields are mechanical, electricity, commerce, construction, business administration, etc.

After completing secondary education, one can enter to the universities. It is also possible for a student to choose both Técnico and Científico schooling.

Republic of Macedonia

High school in Republic of Macedonia is called "средно училиште" or "middle school", and the structure is left from the socialists period. Reforms are conducting at the moment, so the education would be appropriate with the most of the leading world countries.That means that there are still many forms. In general there is high school for preparing for every faculty on the university. There are: electro technical high school, mechanical high school, economics high school, pharmaceutical, medical,...and natural sciences and linguistics gymnasium. The high school is attended between the years of 14 and 18.

Russia

There were around 60,000 general education schools in 2007–2008 school year; this number includes ca. 5,000 advanced learning schools specializing in foreign languages, mathematics etc., 2,300 advanced general-purpose schools and 1,800 schools for all categories of disabled children; it does ''not'' include vocational technical school and technicums. Private schools accounted for 0.3% of elementary school enrolment in 2005 and 0.5% in 2005.

According to a 2005 UNESCO report, 96% of the adult population has completed lower secondary schooling and most of them also have an upper secondary education.

Singapore

Children attend Primary school for the first 6 levels, then secondary schools for the next 4/5 levels, which is followed by either ''junior college'' for 2 year courses or ''centralised institutes'' for 3-year courses.

Based on results of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), Singapore's students undergo secondary education in either the Special(Abolished in 2008), Express, Normal streams or the Integrated Programme (implemented in 2004). Both the Special and Express are 4-year courses leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) 'Ordinary' - 'O' level examination. The difference between Special and Express is that the former takes higher Mother Tongue, which can be used as a first language in exams instead of the subject "mother tongue" that Express students take. However if some Express students can cope with higher Mother Tongue, they are allowed to used it as a first language in exams too.

The Normal stream is a four-year course leading up to a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Normal" - "N" level examination, with the possibility of a 5th year followed by a Singapore-Cambridge GCE "Ordinary" - "O" level examination. It is split into "Normal (Academic)" and "Normal (Technical)" where in the latter students take subjects that are technical in nature, such as Design and Technology.

The Integrated Programme (IP) is a 6 year programme offered to the top 10 percent of the cohort to pass through the O level exams, and go straight to the affiliated JC.

After the second year of a secondary school course, students are typically streamed into a wide range of course combinations, making the total number of subject they have to sit for in "O" level six to ten subjects. This includes science (Physics, Biology and Chemistry), humanities (Elective Geography/History, Pure Geography/History, Social Studies, Literature, etc.) and additional mathematics subject at a higher level, or "combined" subject modules.

Some schools have done away with the O level examination, and pupils only sit for the A level examination or the International Baccalaureate at the end of their sixth year (known as Year 6 or Junior College 2).

Co-curricular activities have become compulsory at the Secondary level, where all pupils must participate in at least one core CCA, and participation is graded together with other things like Leadership throughout the four years of Secondary education, in a scoring system. Competitions are organised so that students can have an objective towards to work, and in the case of musical groups, showcase talents.

United States

As part of education in the United States, secondary education comprises grades 6, 7, 8, and 9 through 12. This depends on the school district and how it is comprised. Grades 9 through 12 is the most common grade structure for high school.

Vietnam

High school in Vietnam is called ''Trung hoc pho thong'', which mean "Popular Middle School", for children from grade ten to grade twelve (age of 16 to 18). In high school, students have 12 subjects to learn, and all the 12 subjects are compulsory. For each main subject (Literature, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, History, Geography and Foreign language), there are two levels of study: Basic and Advanced. Subjects in advanced level will receive more time and intensiveness than the basic ones do. Students are divided into five groups:

Basic group: All subjects are in basic level.

Group A: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry are in advanced level.

Group B: Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology are in advanced level.

Group C: Literature, History and Geography are in advanced level.

Group D: Mathematics, Literature and Foreign language are in advanced level.

Students will graduate from high school if they have passed Graduation Tests of 6 subjects. If not, they must wait for the next year's tests. Students must graduate from high school to attend a university or college.

Names for secondary education by country

Argentina: ''Secundaria'' or ''Polimodal'', ''Escuela secundaria''

Australia: ''Senior school'', ''Secondary college''

Austria: ''Gymnasium (Ober- & Unterstufe), Hauptschule, "Höhere Bundeslehranstalt (HBLA), Höhere Technische Lehranstalt (HTL)''

Azərbaycan: ''Orta Məktəb''

Bahamas, The: Junior High (grades 7-9), Senior High (grades 10-12)

Belgium: ''middelbare school'', ''secundair onderwijs'', ''humaniora'', ''école secondaire'', ''humanités''

Bolivia: Educación Primaria Superior (grades 6-8) and Educación Secundaria, (grades 9-12)

Bosnia and Herzegovina: ''srednja škola'' (literally ''middle school''), ''gimnazija'' (gymnasium)

Brazil: ''Ensino Médio'' (officially), ''Colegial'' (informally), ''Segundo Grau'' (formerly);

Bulgaria: ''Гимназия'' (gymnasium), ''Лицей'' (Lyceum)

Chile: ''Enseñanza Media''.

Colombia: ''Bachillerato'', ''Segunda Enseñanza''(literally ''Second Learning'')

People's Republic of China (China): ''zhong xue'' (中学; literally, ''middle school''), consisting of ''chu zhong'' (初中; literally ''beginning middle'') from grades 7 to 9 and ''gao zhong'' (高中; literally ''high middle'') from grades 10 to 12

Republic of China (Taiwan): Junior High School(國民中學), Senior High School(高級中學), Vocational High School(高級職業中學), Military School(軍校), and Complete High School(完全中學).

Canada: ''high school'', ''secondary school'', ''école secondaire'', ''lycée'', ''collegiate institute''

Croatia: ''srednja škola'' (literally ''middle school''), ''gimnazija'' (gymnasium)

Cyprus: ''Γυμνάσιο''(gymnasium), ''Ενιαίο Λύκειο'' (Lyceum)

Czech Republic: ''střední škola'' (literally ''middle school''), ''gymnázium'' (gymnasium), ''střední odborné učiliště''

Denmark: ''gymnasium''

Estonia: ''Gymnasium'', ''Lyceum''

Finland: ''lukio'' (Finn.) ''gymnasium'' (Swed.)

France: ''collège'' (junior), ''lycée'' (senior)

Germany: ''Gymnasium'', ''Gesamtschule'', ''Realschule'', ''Hauptschule'', ''Fachoberschule''

Greece: ''Γυμνάσιο (3 years)''(gymnasium), ''Γενικό Λύκειο'' (3 years) (~1996,2006~present), ''Ενιαίο Λύκειο (3 years), (1997~2006)'' (Lyceum)

Hong Kong: ''Secondary school''(中學)

Hungary: ''gimnázium'' (grammar school), ''középiskola'' (comprehensive school, lit. "middle-school"), ''szakközépiskola'' (vocational secondary school, lit. "specified middle-school")

Iceland: ''Menntaskóli'', Framhaldskóli.

India: ''secondary school''

Indonesia: ''Sekolah Menengah Atas'' (''SMA'') (lit. "Upper Middle School"), ''Sekolah Menengah Pertama'' (''SMP'') (lit. "First Middle School"), ''Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan'' (''SMK'') (vocational school, lit. "Middle Vocational School"),

Italy: scuola secondaria di primo grado (3 years) + scuola secondaria di secondo grado (5 years): Liceo and Istituto Tecnico.

Japan: ''chūgakkō'' (中学校; literally ''middle school''), ''kōtōgakkō'' (高等学校; literally ''high school''), ''chūtōkyōikugakkō'' (中等教育学校; Secondary School) - In the pre-Meiji educational system, the equivalent was called "chūsei"

Liechtenstein: ''gymnasium''

Lithuania: ''vidurinė mokykla'' (literally ''middle school''), ''gimnazija'' (gymnasium)

Malaysia: ''secondary school'' or ''sekolah menengah'', sometimes ''high school'' is used

Malta: skola sekondarja or ''secondary school''

Mexico: ''Educación secundaria y preparatoria''

Netherlands: ''middelbare school'' or ''voortgezet onderwijs''

New Zealand: ''high school'', ''college'' or ''secondary school''

Norway: ''Videregående skole''

Paraguay: ''Educación Media''

Peru: ''Educación Secundaria'' or ''Escuela Secundaria''

Philippines: ''High School'' or ''Mataas na Paaralan''

Poland: ''gimnazjum'' (grades 7-9), ''liceum'' (grades 10-12)

Portugal: ''2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico'' (5th and 6th grades), ''3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico'' (7th to 9th grades), and ''Ensino Secundário'', ''Liceu'' (10th to 12th grades)

Romania: ''gimnaziu'' (grades 5-8), ''liceu'' (grades 9-12)

Russia: ''средняя школа'' (literally ''middle school'')

Serbia: ''gymnasium'' (4 years), professional schools (4 years), vocational schools (3 years)

South Korea: ''jung hakkyo'' (중학교; literally ''middle school''), and ''godeung hakkyo'' (고등학교; literally ''high-rank school'')

Spain: ''Educación secundaria'', composed of two cycles: ''E.S.O.'' (''Educación Secundaria Obligatoria'', compulsory secondary education, 4 years, 7th to 10th grade) and ''Bachillerato'' (non-compulsory secondary education, 2 years, 11th and 12th grade); formerly, primary education comprised up to the 8th grade and the secondary education was composed of two non-compulsory cycles: ''B.U.P.'' (''Bachillerato Unificado Polivalente'', 3 years, 9th to 11th grade) and ''C.O.U.'' (''Curso de Orientación Universitaria'', 1 year, 12th grade)

Sweden: ''gymnasium''

Switzerland: ''gymnasium, ''secondary school''

Turkiye: ''Lise''

United Kingdom: ''Secondary School'' (May be referred to as High School)

Ukraine: ''середня освіта'' (transliteration: ''serednya osvita'')

United States: ''high school'' (usually grades 9–12 but sometimes 10–12, it is also called ''senior high school'') is always considered secondary education; ''junior high school'' or ''middle school'' (6–8, 7–8, 6–9, 7–9, or other variations) are sometimes considered secondary education.

Uruguay: Liceo (3 years of compulsory education - Ciclo Básico -, and 3 years of specialitation into: humanitites-(law or economics), sciences-(engineering or architecture) or biology-(medicine or agronomy) - Bachillerato diversificado-).

See also

Education Index

Educational stages

Secondary school

High school

Boarding school

Special school

University-preparatory school

:Category:Secondary education by country for secondary education in individual countries

List of schools by country

List of colleges and universities by country

List of the oldest schools in the world

References

External links

BBC Schools Website 11-16

Revision World Schools Website 11-16

World Bank Secondary Education

Becoming a High-School teacher in Australia

Belgium Private lessons

Belgium Private Lessons

Belgium The cost of education

Belgium Technical and vocational education

Belgium Secondary education steps

Belgium The cost of Education

Belgium Compulsory education

Cyprus A guide to Education in Cyprus

Category:Adolescence Category:Youth Category:Educational stages Category:School types

ar:تعليم ثانوي ca:Educació secundària es:Educación secundaria fr:Enseignement secondaire gl:Educación secundaria ko:중등 교육 id:Pendidikan menengah ms:Pendidikan menengah nl:Middelbare school ja:中等教育 pl:Wykształcenie średnie pt:Ensino secundário qu:Chawpi yachay wasi ru:Среднее образование zh:中学

name	Stephen Merchant
birth name	Stephen James Merchant
birth date	November 24, 1974
birth place	Bristol, England
occupation	ActorDirectorWriterRadio presenter Comedian
yearsactive	1998–present
height	6 ft 7 in }}

Stephen James Merchant (born 24 November 1974) is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom ''The Office,'' as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of ''Extras'', and as the co-host of ''The Ricky Gervais Show'' in its radio, podcast, audiobook and television-show forms. ''The Ricky Gervais Show'' in radio form has won a bronze Sony Award. He is also due to be appearing in the new TV series ''Life's Too Short''. He voiced the character Wheatley in the popular 2011 video game ''Portal 2''.

Early life

Merchant was born in Bristol, England, the son of Jane Elaine (née Hibbs), a nursery nurse, and Ronald John Merchant, an insurance representative. He attended Hanham High School. As he has described in Xfm London shows and podcasts, Merchant was a very shy child, tending to focus more on school work as opposed to sport. His school yearbook predicted that he would enjoy success. Merchant has also described his relatively normal childhood, which is often contrasted with that of his friend Karl Pilkington. Merchant is a graduate of the University of Warwick, and a former film reviewer on the student radio station, Radio Warwick, where he began his broadcasting career. The station's 1995/96 yearbook tipped him for great things: Members of Merchant's "posse" included film critic James King, Dan Warren, Neil the Maskell and Geraint the Welshman. Recently, a number of tapes of "The Steve Show", recorded at the time, have been rediscovered and are being distributed on various Merchant fansites. He graduated with a first class degree in Film and Literature in 1996.

Career

Pre-2001

Merchant began his career performing stand-up comedy at Bristol's Comedy Box, where, he recalls, "The first week I did really well ...The second week I died on my arse. I realised that stand-up was not that easy after all." He also appeared as a contestant on a 1997 episode of the TV game show ''Blockbusters'' and worked for a short time as a DJ for Radio Caroline.

Merchant met Ricky Gervais for the first time in 1997, when Gervais (then in the position of "Head of Speech" at the London radio station Xfm) hired Merchant as his assistant. (Gervais said later that he had called Merchant for an interview simply because it was the first CV handed to him.) Merchant and Gervais hosted a Saturday afternoon radio show together from January through to August 1998, when both of them left XFM as it was bought by the Capital Radio Group. In the same year, Merchant was a finalist at the Daily Telegraph Open Mic Awards.

Merchant did a total of 7 years on XFM 104.9. The Saturday show never had a large audience; Gervais says "It's a tin pot radio station... It's not even the biggest radio station in the building." Merchant created the features 'Hip Hop Hooray', 'Make Ricky Gervais laugh' and 'Song for the Ladies.'

After leaving XFM, Merchant began a production course at the BBC. As part of his coursework, he enlisted Gervais to perform in a 30-minute short film, "Seedy Boss," which became the earliest inspiration for their sitcom ''The Office''. They collaborated on a sitcom pilot called ''Golden Years'' featuring a manager suffering a mid-life crisis; the pilot aired on Channel 4's ''Comedy Lab'' series in September 1998, but failed to find further success.

2001–03 (''The Office'' and return to XFM)

In summer 2001, BBC Two aired the first series of ''The Office'', co-written and co-directed by Merchant and Gervais and starring the latter as paper sales office manager David Brent; the show initially received low ratings. Beginning in September, Merchant and Gervais returned to Xfm as co-hosts of ''The Ricky Gervais Show'', another Saturday afternoon program, which led to their fruitful relationship with producer Karl Pilkington.

They took a break from the radio show in mid-2002 in order to film the second series of ''The Office'', which aired that autumn; in addition to writing and directing the show, Merchant made a cameo performance in the episode "Charity" as a friend of Gareth Keenan's character known by the name Oggy or Ogmonster. (Merchant's father also appears in multiple episodes as an office handyman named Gordon.) Merchant also directed a sitcom pilot called ''The Last Chancers'', which aired on ''Comedy Lab'' in November 2002 and became a five-part series broadcast in December on E4.

Merchant and Gervais continued to host ''The Ricky Gervais Show'' through 2003, taking another break to film the ''Office'' Christmas special, which aired that December. The radio show went off the air indefinitely in January 2004. During 2004, Merchant appeared in a recurring role as a chef on ''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'' and in a cameo on ''Green Wing'', and served as a script associate on the Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker sitcom ''Nathan Barley''. The same year, ''The Office'' aired in the U.S to critical acclaim. It went on to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy which both Merchant and Gervais accepted.

This was followed in 2005 by a 4th series of the radio show, consisting of six episodes.

US series of ''The Office''

In March 2005, the American version of ''The Office'' premiered, with Merchant and Gervais credited as executive producers. They would later co-write the third-season episode "The Convict", and Merchant would direct the fifth-season episode "Customer Survey".

Podcast series

In December 2005, with sponsorship by ''The Guardian'', Merchant, Gervais and Pilkington began recording a weekly podcast (also called ''The Ricky Gervais Show''). Throughout its first series (through 20 February 2006), the podcast was consistently ranked the most popular in the world, and was certified as the most-downloaded of all time by Guinness World Records. Two more series and three special instalments (the "Podfather Trilogy") were recorded in 2006, with the final episode released on Christmas Eve. In late 2008, they recorded four more podcasts and began a series of audiobooks examining Pilkington's perspective on various subjects.

''Extras''

In July 2005, following a brief return of the XFM radio show (filling in for Adam and Joe), Gervais and Merchant's new sitcom ''Extras'' premiered on BBC2. The series features Merchant in a supporting role as Darren Lamb, the incompetent agent to struggling actor Andy Millman, played by Gervais. Series 2 of ''Extras'' aired in late 2006, followed by a Christmas special in December 2007; all three instalments aired on HBO in the United States. Merchant won a 2006 British Comedy Award for Best TV Actor for his performance as Lamb.

''The Steve Show''

In January 2007, Merchant began hosting his own radio show on BBC 6 Music, airing weekly on Sunday afternoons. Instead of comedy, ''The Steve Show'' focused on music and particularly "new music," defined by Merchant as "music you've not heard before." Many of the songs on the show were suggested by listeners or co-presenters. In addition to Merchant, the show featured several of his friends, including his housemate Dan, his childhood friend Harry, and actor Rufus Gerrard-Wright (who also appeared in an episode of ''Extras''). A spring search for a "she-J" resulted in the addition of former ''Byker Grove'' actor Sammy T. Dobson joining the ensemble. "The Steve Show" aired for four seasons and concluded in May 2009; the presenters continue to contribute to a music blog called the Steve Show Posse.

''Stand-up''

Merchant will begin his first nationwide tour of the UK, ''Hello Ladies...'', in September 2011, with a stop in New York as well.

Other work

Merchant has played small roles in the films ''Hot Fuzz'' (2007), ''Run Fatboy Run'' (2007), and ''The Invention of Lying'' (2009), the latter starring Ricky Gervais. He has a supporting role in the 2009 film ''Tooth Fairy''. On television, Merchant made a cameo appearance in a non-speaking role on the sixth season premiere of ''24''; he also starred as a sports commentator in the unaired pilot ''No Skillz''. Additionally, Merchant provides the voice-over in 2009 advertisements for Barclays and Waterstone's.

In 2009, Merchant and Gervais collaborated on the film ''Cemetery Junction'', set in working-class England in the 1970s. The film was released in April 2010 to generally mixed to positive reviews.

In September 2010, Merchant produced a television show alongside Ricky Gervais starring Karl Pilkington called ''An Idiot Abroad''.

In July 2010, filming finished for the pilot of ''Life's Too Short'', written by Ricky Gervais and Merchant, who will both cameo alongside the show's star, Warwick Davis. In 2011, he lent his voice to the CGI film ''Gnomeo and Juliet'', and had a role in the Farrelly brothers' comedy ''Hall Pass''.

In January 2011, Stephen appeared at the 'Free Fringe Benefit' at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London. A show of stand-up to benefit the Free Fringe at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, alongside comedians Jeremy Hardy, Michael Legge, Robin Ince, Mitch Benn, Isy Suttie, Bennett Arron, Andy Zaltzman and founder Peter Buckley Hill. He also stated on the recent free podcast ''The Ricky Gervais Guide to...Comic Relief'' that he will be touring his first solo stand up tour later in the year.

On ''Film 2011'''s Questionnaire feature, broadcast on 2 March 2011, Merchant described his favourite film as ''The Apartment'' (1960), his guilty pleasure as ''Con Air'' (1997), the film he cried at as ''The Bridges of Madison County'', and the film he didn't get as ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy.

Merchant provides the voice of Wheatley in Valve's 2011 video game ''Portal 2'', a role which earned him widespread acclaim among reviewers. While he states his work on the project as "exhausting", Merchant is also "very pleased by the response people have had to it. What I was really pleased by how people seemed to respond to it in the way they do with a movie they've enjoyed, or a TV show they've enjoyed."

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
2007	''Hot Fuzz''	Peter Ian Staker
2007	''Run Fatboy Run''	Man with Broken Leg
2009	''The Invention of Lying''	Man at the Door
2010		Tracy
2010		Dougie Boden	Also Writer/Director
2010	''Jackboots on Whitehall''	Tom	Voice Only
2010		Holyrood Footman
2011		Gary
2011	''Gnomeo and Juliet''	Paris	Voice Only
2012	''Movie 43''	Donald

Television

Year	Show	Role	Notes
2002	''The Office''	The Ogg Monster	Writer/Director
2004	''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace''	Chef	Episode 2 – Cameo
2004	''Green Wing''	Lab Technician	Episode 6 – Cameo
2005	''Extras''	Darren Lamb	Writer/Director
2010–	''An Idiot Abroad''	Himself
2010–		Himself
2011	''Life's Too Short''	Version Of Himself	Writer/Director
2011	''Ronnie Corbett's Comedy Britain''	Himself	Guest

Game

Year	Game	Role	Notes
2011	''Portal 2''		Voice Only

Awards

!Awarding Body/Event	!Awarded
! BAFTA Awards		* 2002 Situation Comedy Award ''The Office''	* 2003 Situation Comedy Award ''The Office''	* 2004 Situation Comedy Award ''The Office''
! British Comedy Award		* 2006 Best TV Comedy Actor ''Extras''
! Broadcasting Press Guild		* 2002 Best Writer ''The Office''	* 2003 Best Writer ''The Office''
! Emmy		* 2006 Outstanding Comedy Series ''The Office''
! WGA Award		* 2007 Best Comedy Series ''The Office''

Personal life

Merchant spent two years dating digital advertising producer Claire Jones, although their relationship reportedly ended in 2009. Merchant is an atheist.

Appearance

Merchant's considerable height (6ft 7in; 2.01 m) has been a source of humour and teasing throughout his life. He made a cameo appearance in ''The Office'', playing a character nicknamed the Ogg-Monster, whom David Brent called "a big lanky goggle-eyed freak". His height, and also dance moves, have attracted comments from several sources. The ''Daily Mail'' newspaper described him as a "giant albatross hopping on stilts" as he danced in a London pub (although Merchant denied this during an episode of the ''Ricky Gervais Show'', stating that he did not take to the dance floor on that occasion). While discussing what the Daily Mail had said on the show, friend and collaborator Ricky Gervais has likened him to an "upright lizard being given electro-shock treatment" and a "stick insect with glasses" or ''Beaker'' from ''The Muppet Show''. Radio producer and co-host of Merchant, Karl Pilkington, has described his moves as a "bit of weird art" in the past, while British comic and broadcaster Russell Brand has likened him to a "graceful grasshopper". Merchant has commented that he prefers to liken himself to fellow tall man and English football player, Peter Crouch who is also six foot seven inches. Merchant impersonated Crouch in a BBC sketch broadcast as part of the pre-match build-up to England's opening game at the 2006 World Cup.

References

External links

Stephan Merchant's official website

Steve's BBC 6Music site

The Steve Show's post-6Music site

Stephen interviewed on BBC Radio Five Live

6Music homepage

Xfm: Stephen Merchant Biography

RaW: Radio Warwick

''Tall man, taller success story'' – interview in ''The Telegraph'' – 8 August 2005

Interview with Barbara Ellen in The Observer Magazine – 5 November 2006

Radar Online interview – 11 January 2007

An Englishman abroad

Stephen Merchant interview

Stephen Merchant interviewed by Sophie Elmhirst on ''New Statesman''.

Category:1974 births Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Emmy Award winners Category:English comedy writers Category:English podcasters Category:English radio DJs Category:English radio personalities Category:English television actors Category:English television directors Category:English television producers Category:English television writers Category:English video game actors Category:English voice actors Category:Living people Category:The Office (U.S. TV series) Category:People from Bristol Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners Category:English stand-up comedians Category:English atheists

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