5.School Life

to take – to study a particular subject with the aim of taking an exam: Students have to take two subjects in their final year

to have/take lessons ( in ) – to receive lessons, especially private lessons, in order to learn about something or improve your skill at doing something

to do – ( informal ) – to study a particular subject at school, university: "Which subjects are you doing at college?" "I'm doing history and economics".

extra-curricular activities – activities ouside normal lessons

assembly – a regular meeting of students and teachers in a school; also a religious service most schools start the day with

Assembly Hall

to apply for a place at school/University

to get a place at a school/ a university

behaviour problems; learning difficulty ( learning disability )

corporal punishment

academic year

break school rules

expel from a school – told to leave permanently; exclude from a school ( BrE ) – to officially make a child leave their school because of their bad behaviour

Prom (AmE) – a formal dance party for high school students, often held at the end of a school year

school of hard knocks – life experiences ( unlucky ones )

school uniform

school of thought – a group of people with the same way of thinking

preppie (preppy, prep, prepster or preppy boys or girls )(Am.E; informal ) – a person who attends an expensive private school or looks like such a person

old school tie; old –boy-network

freshmen ( AmE ) – ninth-grade students

sophomores( AmE ) – tenth-graders

juniors ( AmE ) – students in the eleventh grade

seniors ( Am.E ) – students in the twelfth grade

6.Standards in Education

eleven-plus; to abolish 11+ exam

intelligent quotient- an IQ

National Curriculum – was introduced in 1988. It sets programmes of study in a range of subjects for all state schools in England and Wales.

Standard Assessment Test (SATs) – (in Britain) at ages 7, 11 and 14.

General Certificate of Secondary Education ( GCSE ) - at 16

Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) – an examination in Scottish schools. The Standard grade of the examination is taken at the age of 16 and is equivalent to GCSE in England and Wales. The Higher grade is taken at the age of 17 and is equivalent to A level.

General National Vocational Qualifications ( GNVQs ) - exams in work-related subjects

A level (Advanced level) – (in Britain) a school leaving examination in a particular subject, normally taken at the age of 18 in England and Wales. Students usually take three or four A levels, which they need to pass with good marks in order to go to university

school performance tables ( 'league tables' ) – are published annually to show how well students in individual schools have done in tests and exams

diploma ( AmE ) – when students graduate from high school they receive a diploma

7.Examinations

examiner

examinee

Examining board: The proficiency of students is tested by the Examining Board

SAT / es ei ti: / (Scholastic Aptitude Test) – (in the US) - a standard test which students must pass in order to be accepted by most colleges and universities. It tests abilities in language and mathematics and is usually taken during the last year of high school

PSAT /pi: es ti:/ (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) – (in the US )– an examination that high school students take, mostly to practise for SAT examination

Standard Assessment Task (SAT) (also Standard Assessment Test) – a test taken by British schoolchildren to check their progress in the subjects of the National Curriculum

to hold/conduct an exam

to take ( to do ; to sit ) an exam

to pass an exam/a test/a degree; to do well in an exam

to fail an exam ( to do badly in an exam )

to cheat in exams

to crib; to crib out of another's copybook; a crib

to cram; to cram for : She's been cramming hard all week. I have to cram for my chemistry test to swot ( swotted) for – ( = cram for ): students swotting for exams; swot up: I spent all last night swotting up German verbs

to get a mark.

grade( AmE ) - mark; pass ( passing ) grade; to give sb the highest grade; top grade

to resit an exam/a test

resits and retakes

promotion examination