British education system WAS [HPforGrownups] Re: How Twenty is Twenty?

[rachel day]

No: HPFGUIDX 46604

I've been reading the discussions on Harry's classes and feel that I have to step in. I think some of you might be getting confused because of the differences between the American and English education system. 

Jazmyn wrote:
>There is no solid evidence that all classes are required to be taken
>every single year either, since it might well be tailored for each
>'major' and we are only seeing mostly kids who are just doing general
>glasses and not majoring in anything or  all have the same major.  

British schools don't have 'majors'. People pick speciality courses when they go to University, (the equivalent to American colleges I think...18+) but not really in normal school. 
Classes must be continued in the British education system, (I am assuming that JKR is going along the same frame for Hogwarts)if a student chooses a subject one year (like Harry chose Divination for one of his OWL's) then that subject must be carried on. It is a two year course. (though IIRC the OWL course is a three year one)Students cannot change every year as there will have been two much work missed.

>There
>might be a certain number of credits required in some fields to
>graduate

Again, English schools don't have a graduation ceremony like American schools do. Like Hogwarts, we start at year 7(age 11) and can continue until the end of year 11 (age 16). In the summer of Year 11 students take their GCSE's (General Certificate of Secondary Education) - the equivalent to OWL's. After year 11 students can choose to leave school if they so wish and get a job. (I think it was discussed that Stan Shunpike left after he got his OWL's to work on the Knightbus). Others choose to go on to college or Sixth Form (ages 16 - 18) where they take their 'A'Levels (Advanced levels, as opposed to 'O'- Ordinary - Levels, the old name for GCSE's). In the past few years there have been some changes to the 'A' level system, students now take a course of the AS and carry on to get a full 'A' Level with the A2 course. (but I don't think its really relevant that I go into that). There is no criteria, or 'credits' required to graduate. Students can leave regardless of their grades, although it goes without saying that the better grades they get the better chance they have of getting a job. The 'A' level is the Muggle equivalent of NEWTs. 

>> those lessons that not everyone takes are
>> optional
>> classes, chosen by them at the end of the second year. 

At my school we picked our 'Options' at the end of Year 9 (3rd year) I don't know if it was just my school who did it then. It isn't really important I suppose, Hogwarts may just have a different system ;)There are certain subjects that we had to carry on with (there were also some things that may have varied from school to school I think, a lot of it depends on timetabling and teacher availability) such as English, Maths, Science, PE etc. Subjects such as History we could chose to drop, or carry on with. There were also new subjects available such as Sociology and Sports Studies. Like the trio hadn't done Divination before. 

>Harry must have bad luck getting into optional classes before they are
>filled if he keeps ending up in Divination. 

Students cannot change their optional subjects if they get bored of it. Harry chose Divination and so must carry it through to get an OWL in it. Hermione was allowed to quit because she really didn't like the subject. This can happen in Muggle schools although it is generally frowned upon, students are encouraged to stick it out. However, I doubt that Hermione would have been able to just walk out in real life. And she wouldn't have been able to pick up another subject halfway through the year - there would be too much work to catch up on. Students wishing to drop a class must talk to their subject teachers, their form teachers (I think that's like the American home-room), and their head of year. This is all because, as I aid, the student is encouraged to stick it out, but if they really are unhappy in the subject they can drop it. Most of the time students change their minds about a subject early on in the year, and so would be allowed to pick up another one, as not too much work has been missed.

Also, I alsways thought of 'double lessons' as being a double period. On Mondays and Tuesdays I have 'double Science, meaning I have two hours worth of Science, instead of one, one hour lesosn. I don't know whether this has caused confusion because it is simply not a term used in America, or whether people have just interperated it differently.

I apologise if i have repeated anything that has already been posted. But i felt had to put my two knuts in :) I hope that I've cleared up any remaining confusion.

regards,
Rachel, long time lurker, first time poster.

~*~* "It's better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you aren't." *~*~