School Uniform: Year Level Country Trends


Figure 1.--Comparing school classes in different countries is not always easy. Here these children at a school in 1946-47 are clearly primary school children. Note that some of the girls, but none of the boys wear smocks.

The different coubntry educational systems and grade levels can be quite consusing. As a result we have compiled separate pages for several different countries to help readers compare the different system. We only have a few county pages prepared, but hope to eventually add additional pages as HBC expands.

Austria

We have no information at this time on the organization and grade levels in Austro-Hungarian Empire schools. The Empire fell in 1918 as a consequence of World War I. Since the Anchluss in 1938 just before World War I, the school system in Germany and Austria has been practicly the same. There were a lot of changes in the 1960s. There are Kindergardens, but they are not compulsory. They are now two levels of primary school in Austria. Primary school continuesto be called Volksschule. The basic level is called Grundschuleand the advanced level is called Hauptschule. Secondary schools include the Gymnasium and Berufsschule.

Belgium


Canada

Some private schools may have adopted English style school uniforms. The Catholic schools are especially important in Canada, especially in French-speaking Quebec. Boys there never seenm to have worn smocks as in France itself. Nor did boys at parochial schools wear uniforms, at least in the early 20th century. Canadians schools of all types have classes structured in much the same way as the grades in the United States. A Canadian reader reports, "I actually started in grade one at the age of 5 and skipped kindergarden all together. Some provinces like Ontario have a grade 13 as well, kind of interesting the different structures! There was an auful program instituted for grade nine in 2002, but that was abandoned after a lot of frustration. The set up here in New Brunswick is basically the same as the U.S. chart HBC prepared. However I have found that alot of my class mates are 1, 2, or even 3 years older than I because of being "held back a year" or in other words failing. I'm speaking about public schools by the way."

England

One difficulty foreign readers have in following some English books in the different names used the various class "forms" or grades as Americans tend to refer to grades. Not only are different terms used, but their are also futher complications such as "the upper fifth". These complications are further compounded by the fact that the different classess used at parimary schools are repated for secondary schools. Thus a boy might be in the 6th form at his prep school, but the next year begin the 1st form at his Public School.

France

The differet grade levels in various countries often make it difficult to compare the different accounts because it is not always clear just how they compare. This is complicated by the different terms used for the schools in various countries. Grammar schools and public schools in America and Britain are very different types of schools. Lycee in France has been used differently, meaning a prinmary school in the 19th century and a secondary school in the 20th century. Here we have detailed the different school levels in France to help clarify how they compare with American schools.

Germany

German school are orgnized along the primary, secondry, and tertiary system that developed in other countries. The Germans were leaders in sponsoring state supported primary schools, significantly ahead of the British. The Germans are also notable for the development of pre-school Kindergardens. The academically selecive seondary schools called grammar schools in Britain were the gymnasium in Germany. Germany is also notable for the development of some of the most prestigious universities in the world. The American Ph.D. is a degree derived from the German university tradition. One of the notable development of the German universities beside their academic prestige was the development of the university drinking clubs or brotherhoods.

Italy


Russia


United States

One difficulty readers have in following school trends in different countries is the different names used for the various class "forms" or classes. The term in America is "grades", not to be confused with the same term used to describe the marks assigned to assess performance. America does not have a single unified national educational system. Each state has its own system, but all 50 states use the same 1-12 grades. The curriculum in the different states can vary significantly. In addition each state has separate school districts administered locally. There are, however, no confusing terms used like forms and further complications such as "the upper fifth". With few exceptions, the classes throughout America are grade 1 through 12. Grades 1-6 are elementary school, grades 7-8 are junior high or middle school and grades 9-12 are senior high school. Some times grade 6 is placed in middle school and grade 9 in junior high school. A few private schools have affectations like using forms instead of grades.


Additional Information

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Created: February 7, 2003
Last updated: February 7, 2003