Learning Institutions
Learning is a lifelong experience and as such there are various systems and organisations that we will nearly all pass through at various points in our lives on the way to becoming a 'well educated' person!
These vary greatly around the world and go by many different names but this is a broad look at the British educational system.
Firstly, it is likely that you will attend some for of nursery as a young child. You learn constantly from the moment you are born, but this is really your first 'formal' educational opportunity. Depending on the institution you attend there will be differing degrees of emphasis placed on formal 'learning' as opposed to more 'socialisation'.
The next step is what is referred to as primary school. This is your first 'school' experience where you will attend lessons with other children. Children attend primary school from the ages of 4 or 5 through to 11 years old.
After this, they will progress to secondary school. Here children study from the ages of 11 through to 16 and take their first formal qualifications known as the GCSE examinations.
At this point some pupils will choose to leave the formal education setting and enter the workplace. Alternatively, the student may continue to study at 6th form college until they are 18 years old for a range of qualifications including A Levels, BTEC, HNC and HND to name a few. Again, the end of this period offers the chance to enter either the workplace or to progress to University.
University is where the student will study for a degree and the choice of both degrees and universities is massive. The university that is attended will mainly depend on the students academic and extra curricular successes and the competition for places (particularly at 'red brick' institutions) is fierce. After completing a degree the student can then progress to complete and Masters (MA) and PHD qualification if this is desired.
This is a very broad look at learning and there are many variations around the type of educational institutions offered at all levels and ages of learning.
