School

30th November 2013

 

Today I'm going to tell you about the differences of an Irish and a Swiss School.

 

Irish school is seperated in primary school and secondary School. Secondary school is seperated into Junior and Senior Cycle. Junior Cycle lasts for 3 years and is followed by Transition Year (TY), a voluntary year. Senior Cycle lasts for 2 years and consists of 5th and 6th year. In Ireland I am attending 5th year.

 

In Switzerland we have primary and secondary school as well. You go to primary school for 5 year. It's divided into lower grade and middle school. After These 5 years you have another 4 years to go. Secondary school is divided into 3 different levels and you have to attend every class at the same level. After these 4 year you can do an apprenticeship or if you went to the highest level you can go to Gymnasium and after to university.

 

In Ireland you have to do at least seven different subjects in Senior Cycle. Every subject is available in Higher and Ordinary level. Because everyone has different subjects you don't have four classes and they stay togheter in every subject. Meaning: There are different people from 5th year in every subject.

After 6th year you have to write the Leaving Certificate and teachers teach only stuff that might come up there.

 

In Switzerland everyone has to do English, French, Biology, Geography, History, Chemisty, Physics, Maths, Business and Music/Art. We have exams during the school year and in the end we get the average of every subject. Because everyone has the same subjects to do there are 4 classes in every year and they don't mix. Every subject counts for our final exam!

 

Of course the schooltimes differ as well. This year school starts at 8.50 and ends 16.00. You have nine different subjects every day. There's a lunch break of an hour in between. If you think that's now really easy then you haven't thought about the homework.

 

In Switzerland school starts not always at the same time. The earliest is 7.25 and lasts until 16.45. There's also the possibilty of school starting only at 9.10 for example. Normally we don't get as much homework as in Ireland but we have to study for our exams.

 

 





 

That would me my timetable for this year. I didn't choose any optinal subjects, so it would be even more...

 

And another main difference: wearing a school uniform. To be honest I don't mind wearing a school uniform at all. But I am also looking forward to next year to wear my own clothes in school again.

 

Sorry it might be a bit confusing now but I hope you got the differences. If you have any questions I am pleased to answer.

 

Jana