In the UK, the head of year normally deals with the bad students.

I imagine someone’s already pointed it out, but in the UK we *never* refer to a university as “school”. School is where you go from age 5-16, college from 16-18 and university from 18-21. Although some schools are also colleges, and some universities are internally divided up into colleges.

in the UK we have Years not Grades

WHY DO AMERICANS THINK WE ALL LIVE IN LONDON AND LONDONS THE ONLY CITY IN UK WHEN ITS CLEARLY NOT

British school are absolutely nothing like Harry Potter movies ffs

"BTEC exam" ???? The whole point of a BTEC is that there is no exams

You forgot to talk about College, Sixth form and apprenticeships. You didn't mention how we leave high school at 16 in the uk and we choose wether we want to stay on at sixth form, go to college or get an apprenticeship until we're 18 and then go to university. You also didn't talk about the differences between GCSE, BTEC and A-Level. Also in the uk high school is ages 11-16, where in the US I think it's 14-18? We don't have middle school in the uk.

The reason that we don't have homecoming in the UK, is that hardly any of us actually like our schools and therefore don't want to go back

in my school (uk) we sit on chairs in a massive hall with a stage so i doubt what u just said was right, thats only for the young kids

usually in assembly's you only sit down on the floor if your in primary school.. if your in secondary school (aka high school) we have chairs to sit on instead.

I think it's important to note that in Britain nobody cares about any sports teams unless your in one of them. We don't have stadium like places to watch any of the school sports clubs, we usually just have an AstroTurf field which the kids at my school call "the cage" as it is in fact inside 4 cage like walls. Our clubs don't have a special kit or a name or mascot and nobody really cares about the trials to get in. Also, unless you pick P.E as a GCSE or A-Level option you don't get anything for it and it is just done on a health basis.

It's only kids in primary schools who have students sit on the floor

This is not the whole UK,certainly not Scotland,I think she basically means London.

We don't sit on the ground, she's talking complete bollocks.

Homecoming is an American tradition and has nothing to do with the UK

We have prom at the end of year 11 and then at the end of y13. But we don't do homecoming. Most english schools are broken into house system , usually historical families of the area assigned to a colour. Throwout the year they will have house competitions to gain points for there house (house points) and then sports day at the end of the year that decides the winning house. Also to any Americans reading this most school lunch halls survey fish and chips on fridays😂

Great video, although being a British student, I have some stuff to add! 1) In British schools, you are limited to where you can go to school. This is called a 'catchment area.' I live just under 3 miles from my 'local' school, so I nearly didn't get in, as they prioritise people who live near. In fact, next year, my school are not allowing students from close surrounding villages to attend, as they can go to schools in nearer, larger towns. It is very rare to attend a school with entrance exams, as they nearly always cost a large amount of money. However, many families do prefer their children to learn more at a private school. 2) At university, or uni, it takes around 4 months to receive an acceptance or non-acceptance, regardless of when you send the application. If you don't get accepted into any university. You can still get onto a course through something called a 'clearing,' which is the system used to distribute remaining vacancies between July and September, provided you have already applied for University through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.) 3) What is an SLT? We call teachers 'staff.' Typical schools also have 1000 students, never 650. We have a headteacher, which, more formally, are referred to as 'headmistress' or 'headmaster.' We don't necessarily have deputy heads of sixth form, or heads of each years. 4) In a typical UK school, we have many counselling systems, for example, there is a student reception, where you can go to with queries. Most schools also have a counselling system unique to that school. 5) Assemblies are held in the hall, often sitting on chairs. 6) Parent communication is HUGE in the UK. Parents are very often talking to teachers, if that's face to face or by phone. Letters are often sent home, exclaiming success or behaviour issues. 7) In the UK, we don't have homecoming, yet we do have these tiny weird prom things are the end of each year, for leaving students in year 6, 11 or 13. They are much bigger in the US, as I'm aware.

Most of this wasn't accurate or the most interesting as you could have made it. You could have talked about uniforms, grades compared to years or things like the different types of school you go to (e.g. primary or elementary).

Wow she must've had the shock of her life coming from American schools to London schools

i wish i went to an American school.... seems so much more fun

You know how she said how it's a little heavy that we have so many teachers ITS BECAUSE WE BAD BEHAVED

wtf britsh schools are nothing like harry poter movies see I been spending 10 mintets trying to figer out how to spell poter still cant fucking do it I went to the top 3 worst schools in wales that's in the uk every student that gise in good comes out bad

I did the 11+ grammar test. when I was in year 6. It’s a test many children do to get into certain schools. This test is optional. You do the test early September and wait for your score which gets posted to you within the first 2 weeks of October. You then send back an order of schools with number 1 being your first choice, etc. You have to write your list no matter if you did the grammar test or not. Then you wait 5/6 months for another letter telling you what school you are going to unless you are going to a private school. So children are put through a lot of pressure to do well on that 1 test on that 1 day at just 10 to 11 years old. This doesn’t happen all over the UK but it does where I come from.

I want to know the difference between high school exams/grades. We have GCSE's but what do Americans do? Yes with the guidance counsellor thing we had counsellors at school but head of year dealt with most problems.

gap year is what rich british students do haha

This video was so useful thank you!

I think in general British schools seem more serious than American schools, and everyone I know agrees including an American. You don’t wear uniform, you don’t have the same stressful exam system - your schools are more like university to us, loads of students and sports teams and mascots. We just don’t have that, and yeah we usually wait for the teacher to dismiss us. We also used to always stand when the headmaster walked in - til we got a new one, and the entire school made this unwritten pact never to do it again, even the teachers, cos he’s a prat. Standing when senior members walks in is pretty uniform though. The U.K. are obsessed with creating obedient people who are almost over prepared for work, since work is actually way more relaxed than most schools are. Even in sixth form we have to wear a “dress code”- we have to look smart, like we’re going in to an office. We get dress coded for things like not having a collar - I’d never DREAM of showing my shoulders or any part of my chest or I’d get a detention.

I quite like the way SLT works as it makes the connection within the year and with they SLT members a lot more personal and allows you to talk to them about personal issues easily

My school in Scotland had Guidance Teachers that take care of the students needs. They also teach classes.

Great info, and great info in the comments. I like your t-shirt.

Clearly haven't been in the north of England 😂

We had 'Heads of House' where they would check progress and attendance, they would also give you the option to talk to the school counselor/therapist if you felt you needed to. I think the closest to guidance counselors we have in UK schools is actually a form tutor as every half term you would have a meeting to check up on you, your work, and talk through any concerns.

In the U.K. You can get an hours detention for having a bobble on your wrist and they can tell you which way to leave the academy ( there is a footbridge to the left and crossings to the right and now if you use the crossings you get a detention )

Nice video! I enjoyed learning about American schools. It's really interesting and eye opening.

You make quite few references to Harry Potter and Hogwarts as a comparison school. What you failed to realise is that Hogwarts was based in Scotland, Which has no connection to the English education system.

We have student support officers that work with the heads of year, there are two deputies and one assistant. There is also a board of governors who manage the school behind the scenes. The student support deal with detention schedules, punishments including twilight sessions which involve returning at 5pm to complete your missed studies. They also arrange fixed term exclusions.

I think the taking time off thing in US is based on what school you want to go to. If you are going to a University or non-community college, you can't take time off because right after the application and exam process you are expected to go right after in the fall, otherwise from what I see, you would have to go to community college and then transfer. My friend took one year off and I took 2 years off. She goes to a community college and I am going to a vocational college. Upon going, we just went back to our high school and got the needed papers, you bring your diploma and other needed info and that was it.

No bulletproof vest required

Interesting perspective. Thanks for your insight

Btw, things like Homecoming are fun. I have a son in the school marching band. We turn out to see him in the Homecoming parade. The bands from the Jr and Sr Highs march, along with the football team and the cheerleaders who are usually riding on floats that the high schoolers made to be pulled by pick-up trucks. The parade starts in a designated part of town and ends at the high school. The Homecoming King and Queen and the members of their court ride on the floats or in convertibles to wave to the crowd. There's a Homecoming dance and the Homecoming football game. The marching band performs during the game half-time. Alumni can return to watch the game with the school kids and the families of the players/cheerleaders/band members. Oftentimes, the alumni still may have young family members who attend the school or family members that still live in the community. There's lots of cheering, food and drink, and socializing. Some schools allow tail-gate parties, too, as long as alcohol is not served. Universities and colleges in the US have Homecomings, as well. It's tradition.

I haven’t had to sit on the floor since primary school lol, we have two assembly halls, one with a stage and chairs to sit on and one with seats that come out of the wall

Not sure about other schools in the UK but in mine we have 'registration' and the person who runs it is our 'form tutor' we are put into classes according to what house we are in and from there every house has 2 groups of students per year. Our form tutor does registration etc.

I go to a secondary school and the closest person to each pupil is the form tutor. Form is a class of all different years (year 7-year 12) in the same house and it's a time to socialise for 20 minutes. Every form has a form tutor who is the teacher who will get to know you best. You will be with the same form tutor throughout school. You can talk to them about family problems, health problems, friends, feelings and just a chat in general. 😌

Waiting for results is a stressful heart condition nightmare, but a positive result makes it all worth it!

My middle brother took a gap year, he just wasn't sure what he wanted to study in college yet. It is pretty much unheard of though in the US. A lot of people start college without knowing what they want their major to be, but there is so much time to figure it out when fulfilling prerequisites.

In my school that's in the UK we have this learning plan day where you sit with your Form Tutor or Head of Year and talk about academic and home things. Also in 6th form (year 13) we had career talks where you'd sit with head of year and talk about your future.

The closest thing that I can thing to a guidance councillor is a form teacher. In my secondary school (high school), there were houses and then 11 forms within these houses. Each form contained 4 (ish) students from each year group and are assigned a form teacher. This teacher would also teach a specific subject alongside doing the register, being with the pupils during assembly etc. You only see your form teacher in the morning for registration though (unless they teach you a specific subject). They provide general support for their form students during their time at the school. Most schools often have a student support office for more major problems such as bullying etc. “Form time” is often used to deliver basic messages to all students, morning registration, uniform and diary checks and assemblies.

I think it's a good thing there's the individual head of year etc. instead of just having an overall administrator as it means that they're actually active teachers who understand the on-the-ground issues

We do have a formal. It’s like a fancy homecoming but with dinner and alcoholic drinks (it differs between schools)

Thank you this is really cool

I live in the UK and go to King’s College School sixth form. We meet with our ‘tutor’ twice a week in a group of students of all ages in the school. If we are struggling with anything, whether it is social things or academic work, they will help us. Also, they contribute to things like our university applications, personal statements, CVs etc. I didn’t have this in my old school, but I think this has been tradition at Kings for a very long time. It’s quite an old school!

My school lessons start at 8:35an and the day ends 3:00pm We have break 10:45-11:00 And a lunch hour 1:00-1:40

I’m my secondary school each year has a pastoral manager which is basically someone who will sort out arguments and year trips and stuff like that and the head of year will deal with all the important stuff (I think)

At my School in Scotland (totally different school system to England) we had a head of year who knew everyone in the year as well as a pastoral care teacher (guidance councillor) for each house ( my school had four houses and you stayed in that house for your entire time at school). What was good about this is that siblings are always in the same house meaning one pastoral care teacher knew you and our sibling well, as well as anything happening within the family.

Students who take a year break between high school and university tend to travel to find out what they want to study

In terms of a US Guidance Councillor, at my Secondary School (High School) we had an Academic Coach, who would help us with planning for our GCSE, A Level and BTEC Exams.

In the UK, year groups don’t only have a head of year each, each separate year group also gets split into several different groups called ‘tutors’ and then the tutors are like a guidance counsellor for each respective group

I'm go to school in the UK and it is separated into 3 schools. So Year 7 and 8 would be lower school. Year 9 and 10 would be middle school. And year 11 would be higher school. And then it would be sixth form and college etc.

We do have guidance teachers in secondary school which I suspect is similar to councillors

My British school had something called student services where a student could report bullying or various other things and they also organised school trips and sent out emails and collected money for trips or letters of application for optional trips. We also had a separate building liked to the school called the bungalow where students could go for counselling or where they would be sent if they have got isolation or if they cannot work with people in a class as one of the last resorts they would get private tutors to teach them so they are not distracting others.

In the USA you don’t have to go to the school in your district you can do what we call the lottery and where some schools do a random draw or you can take a test and see if you are accepted into that school.

A guidance counselor in the UK is just a councilor idk if everyone has them but we do you can go see one if you want to chat and we also have VT or Vortical tutoring which is when all years are put in mixed groups, we have a VT teacher and you will remain in that group with that teacher until you go to sixth form its like a family inside of school

From my recent experiences as a student who didn't meet their desired grades on 'RESULTS DAY', they are entered into a system called clearing (run by UCAS). This is where students go to find their preferred course at universities that have spaces left. You then call the university, tell them your grades, and then a representative will either reject you or accept you with a verbal offer. E.g. I recently didn't get into my first choice uni, so I was eligible for clearing, so I rang up different unis to see if they would accept me with my grades. I had multiple offers from different unis, so then it's a matter of what uni you prefer. Literally all students will find a place at uni, however some students may use the gap year to redo their exams to get in to a better uni or others don't go.

in british high school, if you have family issues or just issues in general you usually go straight to your form teacher and then if they think it’s serious you’ll go to head of year.

instead of homecoming, we have something called founders day were the whole school meet on a day and celebrate the anniversary of the school with athletic events as well as a school fair.

In the UK, legally you don't have to go to school. You can write a letter to de-register or just never register your child and you're good to do whatever

At my school in the UK, we have heads of years who lead assemblies which are usually once a week and quite informal although we do sit on chairs. The heads of years don't really act like councillors -they just help out at events and do assembly. We have pastoral assistants who do counselling if you need it.

WE have form tutors in the UK which is a teacher you see every morning with your form class who can help with anything. You also missed out GCSE'S which depend on where you go after year 11.

I go to school in London and we have form tutors that are with us through out y7-y13. There are about 26 of us in each form and we discus our end of year goals.

My head of year was awesome. I have some difficulties. And she said I could just walk out of class, if I got upset, and I could hit tennis balls in the squash court's, if I wanted too. She kept me from being expelled. And if I did walk out, she comforted me, and stopped the teacher from giving me detention, or having me suspended.

I live in the U.K. ( I'm year 10 ) and we had school counsellors who come in to our school on different days. To be able to talk to one of these counsellors you can ask them yourself or get referred from your teachers or parents. But everything in 100% confidential ( unless it is putting someone in danger ). I have only started receiving counselling one month ago and it is already benefiting me, and I can see a definite difference in my school work because of my stress and anxiety being reduced.

About the guidence counsiler and head of year thing, you usally get someone to talk to aabout problems in secondary school which i guess is sorta like a gideence counsiler. but some schools the head of their year will sort the problems out.

We do have "gap year" in the US. Usually you work to save money for college, or you just travel.

In Scotland we had a registration teacher for about 20 pupils who you could talk to, we also had a guidance teacher assigned to each house and each week we would have PSE in which the guidance teacher assigned to you're house in my case Kinfauns, would talk you about mental illness, sexual health etc.

Schools in England have form tutors. They are the main source of contacts for parents to find out how well their kids have settled in school. Form tutors are responsible to hand out letters, news and notice to students. They offer pastoral support and liaise closely with other teachers when student becomes a concern to school.

you can get a counselor in college but you have to actively seek them out

I'm in the UK and I hated school but as you were saying about results day I had a conditional offer to go to uni this September on the condition I passed my maths. I sat my maths paper in June and results day was the end of august when I found out I failed maths and couldn't got to university. This year I had to take another course at college and resit maths and hopefully have better luck this time 😂it's a horrible feeling not knowing and also very upsetting when you find out you didn't do so good but also great video ! (:

In elementary school we sat on the floor of the cafeteria for assemblies because we didn't have an auditorium.

Here in scotland we go to the school that is near us unless its private. We also get our results in the post

in serbia, in the end of primary school you take exams. you make a list of high schools that you want to go to, because they are all focused on different things. in july you know if you got in any of them. it is kinda similar at the end of high school

Not to mention head of subjects, heads of departments, pastoral managers (in charge of health and wellbeing) the nurse, sixth form, college, prom, houses, uniform, seagulls and ages for different schools.

Results day is hell. Right after the exams most people are pretty confident with there scores. But as results day gets nearer self doubt and despair start to kick in.

In the uk, you can get form tutors to do the same job as guidance counsellors, but it may not always be the same.

For the point about guidance counsellors in my school we have the LSC(learning support centre) full of staff for people with family issues, learning difficulties/disabilities, mental health issues etc etc which kind of act like guidance counsellors

'Clearing' is a bit like the nfl draft however you're basically calling universities and asking them whether you can be accepted onto a course based on your results. They will decide whether those grades are acceptable for that course and offer you a place on that course (if there are still places to offer).

That's if the school has a sixth form. Something that wasn't explained here is that secondary school starts at age 11 and finishes age 16, (don't ask me the grades) after which the students can either go to a vocational college or a sixth from college which is two years and sometimes though not always an extension of the secondary school.

4:51 i think that's a picture of my primary school, haha

In my school (England) We have a nurse which you can either book or just show up on a certain day of the school week at lunch for health guidance We also have a careers advisor which i think you need to book and you have at least 1 forced meeting about GCSEs (pre GCSEs) (multiple if you can’t decide) I don’t know if you get another forced meeting in upper years as I’m only in first out of two years of GCSE And the nurse comes in to P.hysical S.ocial H.ealth E.ducation PSHE lessons (one a fortnight and lessons are 1 hour) for the health part and the stuff you don’t wanna know about... And then they moved PSHE into tutor times (25 minutes after lunch) once a week Then they shortened lunch from 1hr to 40mins and moved tutor to the start of the day in the morning and to 20 mins (Hint: the first and last 5 mins are getting ready or packing up) I could be talking about this all day... but no.. I need to watch the video Until the school removed PSHE and forced us

At my school (in the UK) we have a head master, two assistant heads, four deputy heads and then heads and deputy heads of each year group and department

When you are in University you will mostly have the One subject you learn and then join societies to learn other skills, whereas in america you choose one Major course and then minor courses. I am learning Media and have only been doing media for the past three years, I only go in for my lectures and then go back to where I live, I mostly go in 2 or 3 days a week.

2:58, Oh boi. Before receiving my GCSE grades, I ended up having an existential crisis for like most of the summer due to the intense stress about it. If you’re an American then you’re lucky.

Form tutors at my school are basically guidance counsellors but also heads of year

The assembly in my school don't sit on the floor we have a auditorium for weekly assemblies

In my school (UK) we have something called the "pastoral office" where there are 2 or 3 teachers and you can go there to talk if you have any problems about anything, this is kind of like a guidance counsellor but the difference being anyone from any year can go to the pastoral office :)

school in the uk is also the same as the us it depends where you live to which school you go to its called a catchment area

i'm from the uk, my school has a therapist, a guidance counsellor and a careers counsellor

Uni applications are often done through a clearing house.

many schools have therapists or careers teachers but people when the need help talk to their form teacher or someone they trust

You get a pastoral care teacher like that in uk high school they can also teach other classes like math or music they and very like a guidance counsellor

In our school we have guidance teachers and you get grouped with that teacher depending on what house you're in but I'm from Scotland not London so I don't know about other schools there