<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 7 2010, 06:26 PM)
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Laetca @ Jan 7 2010, 06:08 PM)
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In the Flemisch education system kids start learning French when they're about 10-11 years old, English comes in at 13 or 14. If you study modern languages (like I did, combined with Maths, what a nightmare) you choose between German and Spanish when you're 15-16. This was when I was in school, I think they changed it a few years back, I'd have to ask one of my younger family members.
Quite a difference from one country to another.
How does the British grading system work? Or is Education one of those matters that are handled regionally? Just wondering, I don't see how you can go from A to U. I just got my grades in percentages.[/b]
The English system is mad. Don't go near it. Over here we have a much more sensible sytem:
After Primary Education (5-12) you enter Secondary School. From 1st year to 3rd year you are on the Junior Certificate course, which is in essance a preparation for the senior cycle and gives you a grounding in about 11 subjects.
4th year is a bit of a gap year. You do alot of practical work such a work experiacne, social projects, usually a musical or play etc.
Then onto 5th and 6th year, the Senior cycle. At the end of this you sit the Leaving Certificate exam. You have to do 6 subjectsbut most people do more (I'm doing 8) and you get marked on your best 6. Irish, English and Maths are mandatory for all, while there are three examinable levels: Higher, Ordinary and Foundation. The marking system here gets a little complecatied, so here's a chart:
90 or over .........................A1
85 but less than 90..............A2
80 but less than 85..............B1
75 but less than 80..............B2
70 but less than 75..............B3
65 but less than 70..............C1
60 but less than 65..............C2
55 but less than 60..............C3
50 but less than 55...............D1
45 but less than 50...............D2
40 but less than 45...............D3
25 but less than 40...............E
10 but less than 25...............F
Less than 10 No Grade[/list]
For Higher Level an A1 gives you 100 poinsts, an A2 90, a B1 85, a B2 80 etc.
For Ordinary Level an A1 gives you 60 points, an A2 55, a B1 50 etc.
Foundation points are a bit crap so it doesn't matter.
The most you can get is 600 points as a total adn this point system us used to determine what college courses are available to you eg. I'[m aiming to do Medicinal Chemistry which is 475.
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That's not that much different to the whole UCAS Points system though. Like each grade in your A Levels are worth a certain amount (A is 120, B is 100, C is 80, D is 60, E is 40 F is 20 and U is nothing - something like that anyway). The U stands for 'Unrated' I think. When you apply for Uni through UCAS, they'll eventually reply to you saying whats the minimum grades they want you to get to study there. They usually say something like Requirments - 300 UCAS Points from 3 A2 Subjects with at least a B in German/History/Whatever subject you wanna do in Uni.
