Approximate British Equivalents

[Boxlicker101]

You may not believe it, but this is a question about writing. I have a story that involves a man who played football in the National Football League and is now a high school gym teacher and football coach. I am going to rewrite the story and set it in London. What would be the equivalent there? I suppose it would be either Rugby or soccer, but what would you call the man who advances the ball and scores? I think Rugby would work better because there is more physical contact, at least involving the person advancing the ball.

Also: In the US, there might be pre-school, kindergarten, beginning or elementary school starting at the age of five or six and lasting about four years, middle school lasting another three or four, and high school, lasting enough to total twelve years. For a boy in a middle class family in a smallish city, what would be the equivalent? Would the high school be likely to have school uniforms? Would there be physical education classes, follwed by showers?

 

[English Lady]

I'll help with what I can -but I know nothing about Rugby.


Football I know You're looking for a striker. He plays up at the front of the pitch, around the middle and his primary job is to score goals.

Brit schools go like this:


5-11years is Primary school which is split into infants (5-7year olds) and Junior school (8-11).

11-16 is secondary school, and after that college and if they'redoing A-levels and not a career based cours it's called sixth form college. Then at 18 it's off to University.

Hope that helps some


Alot of schools over here do still have uniform, leastwhere I live they do. Which for a lad is likely to be grey/black pants, white shirt, school tie and a black/navy blazer (Jacket with school embelem on)


PE for mewas compulsory all through secondary schol, not sure if that's still the case, and yes there would be showers afterwards.

 

[Fallenfromgrace]

I cant help with the rugby either- sorry. However it is the closest equivalent to your american football.

preschool is 3-5
primary school 5-11
high school 11-16

that is compulsory education, then you can go to college or a 6th form (generally attached to a high school) from 16-18

then university 18+ (degrees are generally 3 yrs in England, 4 in Scotland)

As for PE classes, they are compulsory to age 16 (from 14-16 we only had one lesson a week) and then from there you can choose to take it for further qualification.

Showers existed in our school but they did not work and there was generally no time as they were one hour lessons with no margin for getting to the next class.

Hope that helps some

 

[oggbashan]

... I suppose it would be either Rugby or soccer, but what would you call the man who advances the ball and scores? I think Rugby would work better because there is more physical contact, at least involving the person advancing the ball.

Also: In the US, there might be pre-school, kindergarten, beginning or elementary school starting at the age of five or six and lasting about four years, middle school lasting another three or four, and high school, lasting enough to total twelve years. For a boy in a middle class family in a smallish city, what would be the equivalent? Would the high school be likely to have school uniforms? Would there be physical education classes, follwed by showers?

A famous football (soccer) professional, especially a striker, would be very unlikely to become a teacher. He would be watching his stock portfolio as he sips champagne on the terrace of his villa in the sun.

A former rugby player would be more likely. Those who score are either wingers, fast on their feet, or forwards in the scrum who are massive yet still with a turn of speed. All serious rugby players, and particularly forwards, tend to be rather battered around the edges.

Male teachers are rare in primary schools (5-11). High Schools, 11-16 and some with sixth forms to 18, would have PE and sports afternoons. Communal showers are more likely after sports than PE because of the tight timing of lessons. Showers after PE are possible if perfunctory - no time for extended male bonding.

Og

 

[Vermilion]

also 'high school' tends to be only used in the *name* of a school
eg: West Morland High School (just made that up btw)

Generally the school for 11-16 year olds is called Senior school.

And remember there's a whole of different rules for private schools (and that private schools are also called public schools and non-private schools are called State schools.)

Public schools are more likely to be single sex, have strict uniform codes and male teachers (in the boys' schools, more women in the girls' schools)

x
V

 

[rgraham666]

Don't forget: Rugby players eat their dead.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Thank you, everybody. The information is very useful. I will use it to make some changes, especialy in terminology.

 

[CharleyH]

A famous football (soccer) professional, especially a striker, would be very unlikely to become a teacher. He would be watching his stock portfolio as he sips champagne on the terrace of his villa in the sun.

Og

LOL - Indeed. However, I heard Beckham was giving lessons to celebrity kids for a cool million. (L)

 

[matriarch]

I'll help with what I can -but I know nothing about Rugby.


Football I know You're looking for a striker. He plays up at the front of the pitch, around the middle and his primary job is to score goals.

Brit schools go like this:


5-11years is Primary school which is split into infants (5-7year olds) and Junior school (8-11).

11-16 is secondary school, and after that college and if they'redoing A-levels and not a career based cours it's called sixth form college. Then at 18 it's off to University.

Hope that helps some


Alot of schools over here do still have uniform, leastwhere I live they do. Which for a lad is likely to be grey/black pants, white shirt, school tie and a black/navy blazer (Jacket with school embelem on)


PE for mewas compulsory all through secondary schol, not sure if that's still the case, and yes there would be showers afterwards.

In my part of England and in many others, we have a 3-tier school system.

Infant/Primary 5-9
Middle 9-13
High 13 -16 (compulsory), 16-18 voluntary.

School uniforms used to be very different for every school, and quite expensive. Now, most uniforms are very generic.

Primary schools tend to have a sweatshirt of sweater with the shcool insignia. If they wish to wear it. Many don't enforce it.
Middle Schools tend to move up to shirt/tie/sweater/sweatshirt system. They must wear shoes and not trainers...the pupil can be sent home for persistently turning up in trainers, rather than standard black shoes.
High schools usually use a generic black/grey trousers. white shirt/polo shirt/ black sweater/sweatshirt with school logo.

One of the 5 highschools in my area have recently reinstated the old style uniform of shirt/tie/blazer. That's what I wore in my teenage years at the grammar school I went to. Uniforms were mandatory and expensive.

Nowadays, because of the prohibitive cost, most schools use a generic system. Colours are usually black, dark blue, red or dark green.

The only schools now that usually have elaborate uniforms are the few remaining grammar schools (posh high schools which you have to pass an entrance exam to get into), and public schoosl (private).

And yes, they would play sports (rugby, soccer, cricket, hockey and be expected to take showers afterwards).

 

[Vermilion]

And yes, they would play sports (rugby, soccer, cricket, hockey and be expected to take showers afterwards).

Excewpt that there generally won;t be time for this unless it's a lesson right before recess or lunchbreak or an after-school club.
x
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[Boxlicker101]

Okay, I think I'm set. The main character is a transsexual, who usually prefers calling herself a T-girl. She began her sex change process at the age of 16, but never had surgery. I will have to work out a time line so it hangs together, but I have her finishing sixth form shortly before her eighteenth birthday. That would roughly correspond to my onw school days.

One more thing: Would she continue going to the same school after the sex change process was started? What I mean is, would boys and girls attend the same secondary school and sixth form?

Her boyfriend is quite a bit older, and a former rugby player who is now a coach and PE instructor at a secondary school in London.

 

[Fallenfromgrace]

Okay, I think I'm set. The main character is a transsexual, who usually prefers calling herself a T-girl. She began her sex change process at the age of 16, but never had surgery. I will have to work out a time line so it hangs together, but I have her finishing sixth form shortly before her eighteenth birthday. That would roughly correspond to my onw school days.

One more thing: Would she continue going to the same school after the sex change process was started? What I mean is, would boys and girls attend the same secondary school and sixth form?

Her boyfriend is quite a bit older, and a former rugby player who is now a coach and PE instructor at a secondary school in London.

I finished 6th form just before i turned 18 as i was born in august- after the school year broke up for summer holidays, so that for one works.

Depends on if you are having her in a mixed high school. IF it is a mixed high school, *most* tend to have an attached 6th form ,so continuation in regards to her gender transformation and also level of education would be fine. If it was a single sex igh school, some have mixed 6th forms.

colleges are mixed.

the bf thing works

~~~

Mat, the 3 tier system is slowly going out around here, my town was 3 tier till a year ago...i think its better to have 2 tier. i hated moving through schools 3 times.

 

[matriarch]

Okay, I think I'm set. The main character is a transsexual, who usually prefers calling herself a T-girl. She began her sex change process at the age of 16, but never had surgery. I will have to work out a time line so it hangs together, but I have her finishing sixth form shortly before her eighteenth birthday. That would roughly correspond to my onw school days.

One more thing: Would she continue going to the same school after the sex change process was started? What I mean is, would boys and girls attend the same secondary school and sixth form?

Her boyfriend is quite a bit older, and a former rugby player who is now a coach and PE instructor at a secondary school in London.

She wouldn't finish 6th form just before her 18th birthday...unless it's in August, before the start of the next school year at the beginning of September.

And yes, the majority of state schools are co-ed.

 

[matriarch]

I finished 6th form just before i turned 18 as i was born in august- after the school year broke up for summer holidays, so that for one works.

Depends on if you are having her in a mixed high school. IF it is a mixed high school, *most* tend to have an attached 6th form ,so continuation in regards to her gender transformation and also level of education would be fine. If it was a single sex igh school, some have mixed 6th forms.

colleges are mixed.

the bf thing works

~~~

Mat, the 3 tier system is slowly going out around here, my town was 3 tier till a year ago...i think its better to have 2 tier. i hated moving through schools 3 times.

The local Education authority here wanted to change back to the 2-tier system, but the parents are 100% against it, and so its been vetoed. The 3-tier will continue until further notice. It seems to work well.

 

[wehstar]

If you have any questions when I'm green (online), feel free to fire me a PM.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Thanks. I think I have everything I need. I'll have to ask the main character when her birthday is, and use that actual date if it fits into the story. Otherwise, I'll just say she was born in August.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

You dont know how happy I am to remember this thread was here. I finish one paper last night and start the next today. I get to the very part of question one and I'll be designing a system for a secondary school.

Briefly paniced like mad as to what secondary age kids are here in the Uk then twinged didnt i see this on Lit?

So to the starter of the thread and those that left answers....

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}



Thank you all for being unintentional research buddies for my class

 

[Just-Legal]

You dont know how happy I am to remember this thread was here. I finish one paper last night and start the next today. I get to the very part of question one and I'll be designing a system for a secondary school.

Briefly paniced like mad as to what secondary age kids are here in the Uk then twinged didnt i see this on Lit?

So to the starter of the thread and those that left answers....

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}



Thank you all for being unintentional research buddies for my class

Does that mean I can copy your exam answers?

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Does that mean I can copy your exam answers?

lol, your more than welcome to take a peek but at the rate I am having to turn out these answers and learn the material you might want to rethink that For this paper which these usually take me 2 weeks to write I have 2 months of work to catch on (very very long story) plus the paper to do all in 2 weeks. So I'm hitting for pass only not high marks.