The UK school
The education of a child in the UK is roughly divided into three stages: primary school, secondary school and sixth form. The age at which children change school varies according to the region and the type of school. There is no single organisational system in the UK. There are different curriculum guidelines for each of the UK countries.
The age range of pupils in the UK partner school is likely to be 5 - 11, 11 - 16 or 18 (or 13 - 18) or 16 - 18+. The academic year in the UK starts in September. Education is compulsory to age 16 and is free at all levels. There are both state and private schools.
In the National Curriculum for England and Wales, Japanese is included on the list of foreign language options. Many of the specialist language colleges (secondary schools which have an emphasis on teaching of modern foreign languages) offer Japanese. In the UK as a whole, some 8,500 students at 260 schools currently study Japanese.
Outside the language classroom too, schools have opportunities to teach about Japan. KS3 Geography (12 - 14 years), often includes study of Japan as an example of a more economically developed country (MEDC). There are also opportunities to study about Japan in the history curriculum. In primary schools, where Japan is an optional topic, some schools regularly include cross-curricular work on Japan. Lessons such as music, art, food technology and English can also include work on Japanese themes at the discretion of the teacher. Even with the National Curriculum, teachers have quite a lot of flexibility.
The Curricula in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different from that in England and Wales. In Scotland, many pupils learn about Japan within the 5-14 Environmental Studies curriculum and secondary Geography curriculum. Japanese history may be studied in Modern Studies at secondary school. There are fewer direct curriculum links in Northern Ireland, although there is great emphasis on international awareness and ICT use in schools is advanced.
PSHE (personal, social and health education), Citizenship and Education for Mutual Understanding (EMU, in Northern Ireland only) all offer opportunities for international linking. In Scotland, Citizenship is not a separate subject, but schools aim to integrate its themes throughout the curriculum.
If your partner school teaches Japanese, students' ability will depend on the place of Japanese in the curriculum. Some schools teach Japanese to GCSE level and above, others offer shorter 'taster' courses. Age is not a reliable guide to the length of time students have studied Japanese: 16 year olds may have been studying for five years, while 17 year olds may just have had a 20 week taster course.
Students studying towards an exam will first learn hiragana, then katakana and some kanji. The GCSE examination tests students on approximately 200 kanji, this rises to 600 kanji for A level. Students who do short courses will probably not learn any Japanese scripts, but may know romaji.
If you have questions about setting up a school link, please contact Katherine Donaghy. We also welcome your comments or suggestions concerning these guidelines,
so please email us with them.
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