Education in Great Nortend

His Majesty’s Board of Education
Education House
Overview
Formed	1889
Jurisdiction	Great Nortend
Headquarters	Education House, Lendert-with-Cadell
Master of the Board	Dr. Thomas Welfuller
Secretary	Henry Gust
Part of a series on the Government of Great Nortend
The Crown	Alexander II
Ministry Privy Council Great Council Departments Treasury Exchequery Chancery Board of Almonry Church of Nortend Clerk's Office Board of Constabularies Board of Education Board of Health Board of Information Foreign Office War Office Royal Army Navy Royal Trade Office Board of Agriculture Board of Highways Board of Mails Board of Railways Board of Works

Education in Great Nortend is overseen by the Board of Education, a ministerial level board subordinate principally to H. M. Clerk's Office, as well as other departments for certain matters. The system of education is highly structured and centrally administered under various statutes. There is an an approved national curriculum, which is published by the Board outlining the required content of education, as well as a nationally recognised framework of qualifications including the „Top Junior Report”, a school-leaver’s „Third Form Report” and „Sixth Form Report”, a craftsman’s degree of „Master”, and the highest qualification of „Doctor of Divinity”.

Overview

Year	Ages	Designation	Stage
—	2–6	Infants	Infants
1	6–7	Bottom Junior	Junior
2	7–8	Second Junior
3	8–9	Third Junior
4	9–10	Top Junior
5	10–11	First Form	Middle
6	11–12	Second Form
7	12–13	Lower Third Form
8	13–14	Upper Third Form
9	14–15	Fourth Form	Senior
10	15–16	Fifth Form
11	16–17	Lower Sixth Form
12	17–18	Upper Sixth Form

The Schooling Act recognises five stages of formal schooling, being infant (2–6), junior (6–10), middle (10–14) and senior (14–18) schooling, as well as post-senior high schooling. Compulsory full-time education in Great Nortend lasts for eight years and consists of junior and middle schooling.

Public state schooling is administered directly by the Board of Education and consists of both junior and middle schools. Private independent schooling up to the senior school is provided principally by endowed schools. Universities, colleges and trade guilds provide formalised tertiary academic, professional and trade education.

At the end of the Third Form, all pupils undertake the Grammatical Examinations as the ordinary school-leaving examinations. Pupils who wish to continue to university attend a grammar school and study for the Exhibition Examinations at the end of the Sixth Form. In addition to their annual school reports, pupils receive a Top Junior Report, Third Form Report and Sixth Form Report upon the completion of the respective grades and examinations.

Academic year

The academic year used by schools and colleges corresponds to the civil year used in Great Nortend. To wit, the year begins on Michaelmas and there are three academic terms, divided by holidays. Though there are four terms in a civil year, the academic year normally treats Marymas term as a summer holiday or „Long Vacation”.

State schooling

Mooping New School, the main borough school for boys in Mooping.

State schools are known as board schools, or parish schools (junior schooling) and borough schools (middle schooling). They are free of charge to attend, being funded by the Treasury and local tithes.

Borough schools are placed to provide middle schooling for a town and its surrounding parishes, and are single sex. As a rule they only offer schooling until the Third Form, the end of middle schooling. They do not offer senior schooling and as such, board school pupils are unable to matriculate at university unless they transfer to a grammar school. Around 90 per cent of pupils end their formal schooling after the Third Form to become apprentices or start work.

Board schools are regulated by the Board of Education under the terms of the Schooling Acts of 1902 and 1945. In the case of parish schools, ordinances give powers to the local authority (whether it be the parish vestry or borough council) who control the appointment of the headmaster, staff and finances inter alia. For borough schools, a governing body is appointed by the Board, which includes members of the local authorities, local dignitaries, and other personages, as well as official visitors. Otherwise, like most independent schools, they are operated on a day-to-day basis by the headmaster and usher.

Independent schooling

The independent schools are schools which not operated as part of the state Board of Education system, and are not established under the Schooling Acts of the 20th century. Many are many centuries old. The term „independent school” includes a wide range of schools such as cathedral, monastic, common and charity schools. Most boys’ independent senior schools are grammar schools, insofar as they teach up to the Sixth Form in preparation for matriculation at university, with Latin and Greek being included in the curriculum. Most pupils at grammar schools ultimately do not matriculate and only around a tenth go on to receive degrees.

Poorer pupils may win Crown Bursaries from the Board of Education to enable them to transfer to an independent grammar school. Furthermore, most grammar schools are also endowed for the education of a specified number of pupils on foundation, often known as scholars. Though such schools are termed independent, they are still bound by some ordinances of the Board of Education. Furthermore, some schools are founded by the Crown, which retains powers of direction over them through the Board of Education. As they are not, however, board schools under the Schooling Act, they are nonetheless considered independent.

Private schooling

Parents may choose to not send their children to a public school, instead teaching their children at home or at a private school. Children may be taught by unlicensed persons such as parents, nurses, governors or governesses, until the age of 10, whereupon they must be taught by a tutor or tutrix with the licentiate of the Royal College of Praeceptors. Generally only upper class girls and children with significant handicaps are nowadays taught at home past the age of 10, although the instruction of younger children at home remains common in the upper classes. The last King to have been tutored at home past the age of 10 was Henry VI.

Special schooling

There are a number of special schools established for specific groups of children put asunder from the main body of children. Most are naturally boarding schools, owing to their geographically scattered intake. These include military schools, which are ordinary grammar schools with a focus on training future officers, as well as music schools where there is a focus on musical education. There are also special schools for the deaf, blind, mute, dumb and handicapped, although the quality of education varies.

Curriculum

Pupils are instructed principally in English, mathematics, Latin, history, geography, religion, drill, science, arts and civics.

School script is the form of foundation handwriting taught in most Erbonian schools.

• English: English education is wide-ranging and covers reading, writing and speaking. Grammatical education is comprehensive. Pupils read literature from the 14th century to the modern day and are expected to recite poems and folk stories.
• Mathematics: Mathematics covers arithmetic, geometry and other basic concepts, including use of an abacus and slide rules. Mathematics in more senior years introduces trignometry, statistics and more complicated algorithms and geometry inter alia.
• History: History teaches pupils about the ancient and modern history of Great Nortend and its peoples, as well as world history. Pupils are expected to memorise dates, facts about significant national and international figures, as well as a broad history of their local region.
• Geography: Geography is taught as a mixture of science and humanities. It combines education in flora and fauna of the region, nation and world, with study of major rivers, towns, cities, mountains, lakes &c.
• Latin: Latin is a major subject at grammar schools. It begins with the memorisation of grammar and vocabulary, then turning to translation of texts and construction of Latin prose and poetry, including a range of classical and mediaeval texts. Skills in Latin construction, translation and synthesis are developed, both written and oral.
• Religion: Religious instruction focusses on the Catechism of the Church of Nortend including instruction in the Decalogus (Ten Commandments), the Paternoster (Lord's Prayer) and the Symbola (Creeds), especially in the junior school where it leads up to Confirmation at the end of the Top Junior. There is also study of Holy Scripture, mostly focussing on chapters in the Books of Genesis, Exodus, the Psalms, the Gospels and the Epistles, as well as the divine service and history of the Church.
• Drill and Games:
  

  Drill classes include gymnastics and other exercises.
  Drill involves gymnastics, boxing, running and physical training, whereas Games are competitive team sports such as cricket, stinning, rugby, football, hockey, tennis &c. There is a usually one hour of structured physical education daily.
• Science: Science instruction includes physics, biology and chemistry instruction. It is a combined subject in junior and middle schools and separate in senior schools. Pupils at most schools are required to choose at least one science subject for the Grammatical and Exhibition Examinations.
• Arts: Art includes music, drawing, painting and other crafts. It is principally a junior school subject, although it may be optional in middle or senior school. Lessons in music, especially singing, feature more prominently in grammar schools.
• Civics: Civics education is embedded through the curriculum of other classes, and includes the teaching of manners, patriotism, loyalism and morals.

Equalisation

Equalisation is the process where a pupil's final subject grades are moderated from their nominal numerical value. This involves consideration of the pupil’s social and moral development, to ensure that the final grades given are coherent with the pupil’s „worth” in society. Thus, even if a highly academically-minded pupil receives straight Os, his final grade for his lowest scoring subject may be reduced to an E if the pupil is disobedient in class, wilfully disregards morals, or has other “undesirable” traits. Conversely, pupils with lower grades may have their grade for one or two subjects increased if they are otherwise conscientious, diligent and upstanding pupils.

The equalisation of grades is very controversial, as it involves subjective assessments by schoolmasters. Some people claim that it is used to punish pupils with „alternative” views or is discriminatory to minority groups such as Roman Catholics or pupils of foreign ethnicities. It may also result in grades being inflated for favoured pupils. Steps have been taken by the Board of Education to reduce this, however, and equalisation is considered by the profession to work in practice as an effective tool.

Stages

Infant

Some children attend an infants school from the age of two at an infant school. Infant schooling is not compulsory and is not designed principally as a child-minding service, or to take over the care of children from their mothers. Rather, it mainly operates for social interaction with other children, and thus is only for few hours on a few days a week. In rural areas, infant schools often serve as an ad hoc childergarden for looking after young children during busy agricultural seasons.

Junior

A typical school classroom with blackboard, wooden desks, abacus and royal portrait.

Junior schooling is the beginning of compulsory schooling in Great Nortend. There are four compulsory years during junior schooling known as juniors — Bottom Junior (or sometimes First Junior), Second Junior, Third Junior, and Top Junior (or sometimes called Fourth Junior). Most junior schools only have classes until noon and pupils normally return home for luncheon.

At the end of Top Junior, pupils in parish schools are assessed and advised as to whether the Board of Education will provide a Crown Bursary for senior schooling at an independent grammar school. This is limited to the most promising pupils and entitles holders to free tuition at their local grammar school. Pupils are also traditionally presented for Confirmation at the end of the Top Junior year, around Whitsun (Pentecost).

Middle

After junior schooling, pupils move to a middle school. Such schools are always single-sex, apart from some special schools. Middle schooling begin at the age of ten and consists of four forms — First Form, Second Form, Lower Third Form and Upper Third Form. Classes run until mid-afternoon, with a two-hour break for luncheon.

Middle schools are more formal than junior schools. Pupils are customarily addressed by surname, attend chapel daily, and wear „formal” uniforms. For boys this usually consists of a uniform coat and trousers, worn with a starched collar and school necktie with school cap or hat. Girls' uniforms are similar, but have dresses or skirts with blouses instead.

For boys, a common co-curricular activity is service in a local Cadet Corps company. Though it is not compulsory, it is run in conjunction with school authorities.

Grammatical Examinations

At the start of the Lower Third Form around the age of 12, most pupils begin study for the Grammatical Examinations, or Grammaticales. In the last term of the Upper Third Form, pupils are examined on their papers and receive a letter grade — O for Outstanding (95%); E for Excellent (90%); G for Good (80%); A for Acceptable (65%); P for Passing (50%); S for Substandard. The results are listed on the pupil's Third Form Report, a nationally recognised qualification.

There are three compulsory „full papers” — English, Mathematics and History & Geography. In addition to the full papers, pupils must also choose two to six further „short papers”. These can be in the humanities, such as Music, Religion and Art, science, technical, such as Commerce, Housewifery and Calculus, or a language, such as Latin, German or Chinese. The examination papers may be set by the schools themselves as many independent schools do. State high schools, however, use examination papers provided by the Board of Education.

Senior

Senior schooling follows on from middle schooling with another four forms — Fourth Form, Fifth Form, Lower Sixth Form and Upper Sixth Form. It is only offered at independent grammar schools, which offer both middle and senior schooling. Pupils at a state high school who do well in their Grammatical Examinations may be offered a Crown Bursary to study at a grammar school. However, only a limited number of bursaries are offered annually. Of the approximately 20 per cent of all children who go on to complete senior schooling with a Sixth Form Report, only around a tenth receive bursaries.

Exhibition Examinations

The four years of senior schooling usually culminate in the Exhibition Examinations or Exhibitiones. This indicates whether a pupil is likely to receive a an offer of admission to matriculation at university or entrance to a higher college. Generally speaking, the subjects which may be taken are the same as those for the Grammaticales, albeit naturally at a more difficult standard. Greek is introduced a short paper. „Science” is also split up into Physics, Biology and Chemistry. In addition to written papers, pupils must partake in oral viva voce examinations. Results are included in a pupil's Sixth Form Report.

Exhibition Examination results officially determine whether the Board of Education will fund a Crown Exhibition for university studies at the University of Aldesey or a higher college. This is separate to an offer of admission to a college or hall, which is required to matriculate at university. Most require at a minimum that pupils pass their Exhibition Examinations in order to matriculate. Most university students do not receive a Crown Exhibition.

Apprenticeships

Most of the 90 per cent of pupils who do not attend grammar schools will instead begin apprenticeships. The Apprentices Act, 12 Hen. VI p. 439 formally conferred national regulatory powers to the Lendert guilds over 334 trades and profession. Apprenticeships are also undertaken in the working occupations such as husbandry and domestic service, which are not nationally regulated by guilds.

Premiums are usually paid to the apprentice's master in return for instruction, and sometimes for board and lodging if required. Masters are, however, required to pay apprentices wages for their work. Most apprenticeships take four years to complete, neatly corresponding with formal senior schooling. At the end of an trade apprenticeship, apprentices become journeymen after passing their Journeyman's Examinations. After a sufficient period of practice in the trade, usually for more than several years, a journeyman may seek to incept as a master of his guild.

Higher

The University of Aldesey is the only university in Great Nortend.

Higher schooling in Great Nortend is divided principally into university or college study and various cadetships. Only around 2 per cent of the population hold a university degree, or the equivalent for women.

University

See also: University of Aldesey

The only university in Great Nortend is the University of Aldesey, established in the 13th century. University education is focussed mainly on academic and scholastic teaching, rather than research, although there is some emphasis on the latter, especially in post-graduate degrees. The principal degree most students obtain is a Bachelor of Arts which includes as its base a liberal arts education.

Cadetships

Cadetships are similar to apprenticeships; however, they are more formalised. Cadetships are offered in technical or professional occupations, such as engineering, architecture, journalism, management, banking and bookkeeping.

Teacher education

The teaching profession is well-regarded in Erbonian society. All teachers are required to have passed the Exhibition Examinations and received good results. The prerequisites for becoming a junior, middle or senior school teacher differ. All teachers must be members of the Royal College of Praeceptors, which sets examinations for prospective teachers. The college also runs instructional programmes with lectures, and serves as the profession's „guild”.

Junior school teachers must attend a normal school for three years followed by one year of student praeceptorship culminating in the Licentiate Examination. Middle and senior school masters must hold at least a Bachelor of Arts in their chosen subject or subjects, followed by one year of student praeceptorship and the Licentiate Examination. Female school mistresses are required to have the equivalent title of Lady of Arts instead from the University of Aldesey. Schoolmasters and mistresses may also be required to hold the degree of Master of Arts or title of Mistress of Arts.