[HPforGrownups] Graduate: Re: British culture viewed through the Potterverse

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 58503

Rebecca Stephens wrote:

<snip>

>Is there any sort of ceremony for finishing A levels?  Or college 
>(university, I believe is the term used)?

As has been stated at least a couple of times in this thread, there are 
absolutely no formal ceremonies to celebrate the issuing of A Level 
certificates. Zero, nada, zilch, nothing. Is that clear? :-)

In any event, the results are not revealed until the middle of the summer 
holidays, so schools aren't in session. Most students go out or have 
parties on receipt of their results, but these events have absolutely 
nothing to do with the school.

What happens on the "publication day" (it's the same date for all schools, 
whether state-funded or private - this year's A Levels results will be 
announced on 14th August) is that pupils either turn up at their schools 
which will have received a bundle of individually-addressed envelopes and a 
printout, or they receive the results by post at home. They then get 
together with their friends to discuss their results, and then usually end 
up in a pub where they drink far too much either to celebrate or commiserate.

That is the sum total of celebrations for 99% of British school pupils. 
Some schools (usually the posh ones) might arrange something a little more 
formal, but these events have absolutely no academic significance and are 
*purely* social events.

Incidentally, to use a phrase I like using whenever this topic comes up, 
the very concept of "graduation" is anathema to the philosophy of British 
secondary education. That philosophy is based on a continuum, which 
deliberately shies from the end of formal/compulsory schooling being 
considered as something important. It's just a series of exams, not a major 
life-changing step.

In any event, I'm not sure how a two-tier examination system could possibly 
be equated with "graduation".

It's actually very interesting that in a recent consultation, the British 
government (which LOVES tinkering with the education system) proposed the 
(re)introduction of a matriculation certificate ("graduation", in other 
words). Educators and universities told them that they would never, ever 
support such a move. The GCSE/A Level system is much, much more flexible, 
and is designed to allow students to work to their strengths. Any kind of 
general "graduation" requirement would undermine over 50 years of British 
education and its final examination system, which is VERY highly regarded 
across the world. Britain used to have a matriculation system until the end 
of the 19th century, which was scrapped in favour of the two-tier O/A Level 
system because it simply didn't work properly. Educationists consider any 
return to such a system a retrograde step.

In other words, it has been underlined in the strongest possible terms that 
British secondary (high) school pupils DO NOT GRADUATE. It's not just about 
terminology, it's about an educational philosophy and so, pupils "leave" 
school. What qualifications they have on leaving, and what they make of 
them, is individuals' concern.

University graduations are an entirely different affair. Students will 
usually find out whether they have passed and the final grade of their 
degree before the end of the academic year (as papers are usually assessed 
internally and thus the lecturers will announce results in person). Towards 
the end of the summer, each university holds its own graduation ceremony, 
which are very similar to the US high school graduation ceremonies I've 
seen in movies and on TV.

For the curious, here's a picture of my niece Victoria in her graduation 
gown (with a couple of her friends, she's in the middle) last year: 
http://plum.cream.org/victoria/Image02.jpg.

Oh, and while I'm at it, for those who are curious, this is what a genuine 
A Level certificate looks like (mine, as it happens; I have replaced some 
of the details with fictional data for obvious reasons): 
http://plum.cream.org/HP/misc/owls.jpg