Primary school

{{short description|School for children}} {{Redirect|Elementary school|1991 movie|The Elementary School}} {{Redirect-distinguish|Grade school|Graduate school}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use British English|date=May 2019}} [[File:Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.jpg|thumb|right|An elementary school class in Japan]] {{Childcare}} [[File:ZŠ Višňové.JPG|thumb|Elementary school in Višňové (Slovakia)]] [[File:An aerial photo of a primary school in Hayesville, North Carolina.jpg|thumb|An aerial photo of a primary school in Hayesville, North Carolina]] thumb|Classroom with chairs on desks in the Netherlands A '''primary school''' (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite web |title=Primary education (4 to 11 years) |url=https://cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/schools-learning/education-system/elementary-education-4-to-11-years |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Cambridgeshire County Council |language=en}}</ref> Australia,<ref>{{cite web|last=Technology|first=Elcom|title=Education system overview|url=https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/english/australian-education/education-system|access-date=2021-02-21|website=www.studyinaustralia.gov.au|language=en|archive-date=30 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930200146/https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/english/australian-education/education-system|url-status=dead}}</ref> New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web|title=Changes to schools and the network: Options for managing changes in growth|url=https://www.education.govt.nz/school/new-zealands-network-of-schools/about/changes-to-schools-and-the-network/options-for-managing-changes-in-growth/#classify|access-date=2023-05-25|website=www.education.govt.nz|date=16 April 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore<ref>{{Cite web |title=Singapore |url=https://ncee.org/country/singapore/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=National Center on Education and the Economy |date=January 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>), '''elementary school''' (in North America and the Philippines), or '''grade school''' (in North America), is a school for primary education of children who are usually 4 to 11 years of age (preschool to fifth grade). Primary schooling follows preschool and precedes secondary schooling. The International Standard Classification of Education considers primary education as a single phase where programmes are typically designed to provide fundamental skills in reading, writing, and mathematics and to establish a solid foundation for learning. This is ISCED Level 1: Primary education or first stage of basic education.<ref name= 2011en>[http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/Documents/isced-2011-en.pdf Annex III in the ISCED 2011 English.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225071153/http://uis.unesco.org/ |date=25 December 2018 }} Navigate to International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)</ref>

== Terms == The phrase "primary school" is a calque from French {{Lang|fr|école primaire}}, which was first used in a text of London Times in April 1802.<ref>{{cite web |title=Online Etymology Dictionary |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=primary |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702192406/http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=primary |archive-date=2 July 2017 |access-date=9 November 2007}}</ref>

===Primary schools=== [[File:St Pats Primary school 2021 b.jpg|thumb|St Patrick's School at Murrumbeena, Victoria, Australia: one of many religious primary schools in the world.]] thumb|A 2015 classroom for 6–7-year olds in Switzerland [[File:Grundschule Haus St Marien Neumarkt - Klassenzimmer 06.JPG|thumb|A classroom of a private Catholic elementary school in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz]] In most parts of the world, primary education is the first stage of compulsory education, and is normally available without charge, but may also be offered by fee-paying independent schools. The term ''grade school'' is sometimes used in the US, although both this term and ''elementary school'' may refer to the first eight grades, in other words both primary education and lower secondary education.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 April 2024 |title=Definition of GRADE SCHOOL |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grade+school |website=Merriam-Webster}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 April 2024 |title=Definition of ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elementary+school |website=Merriam-Webster}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date= |title=American Heritage Dictionary Entry |url=https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?id=E5086600 |accessdate=2022-02-12 |publisher=Ahdictionary.com}}</ref>

In the United Kingdom, "elementary education" was taught in "elementary schools" until 1944, when free elementary education was proposed for students over 11: there were to be primary elementary schools and secondary elementary schools;{{efn|'''Secondary elementary school''': A term already used by London County Council from 1921 to describe some 11–14 schools,<ref>{{cite web |title=Hadow Report (1926) |url=http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/hadow1926/hadow1926.html |publisher=educationengland.org.uk |access-date=17 April 2019 |archive-date=25 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625221806/http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/hadow1926/hadow1926.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and term still in use in Florida, Ohio and Brazil.}} these became known as primary schools and secondary schools.

* ''Primary school'' is the preferred term in the United Kingdom, Ireland and many Commonwealth nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).<ref>{{cite web |title=Britannica Academic |url=https://academic.eb.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314153937/https://academic.eb.com/ |archive-date=14 March 2020 |access-date=2019-11-01 |website=academic.eb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Primary schools/Elementary schools |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/tags/primary-schools}}</ref> * ''Elementary school'' is the synonym but mainly used in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=elementary school |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/elementary-school |website=Collins Dict}}</ref>

===Elementary schools===  Although often used as a synonym, "elementary school" has specific meanings in different locations.

* Elementary schools, also known as board schools, were first established in England and Wales by Elementary Education Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 75).<ref name="Gutek1994">{{cite book |author=Gerald L. Gutek |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Db35CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA203 |title=A History of the Western Educational Experience: Second Edition |date=14 December 1994 |publisher=Waveland Press |isbn=978-1-4786-3010-4 |page=203 |access-date=16 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902064635/https://books.google.com/books?id=Db35CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA203 |archive-date=2 September 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Most of these schools became primary schools in the late 1940s, following the historic compromise in the Education Act 1944. * Elementary schools in the United States were first promoted in 1647 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 April 2006 |title=Historical Timeline of Public Education in the US |url=https://www.raceforward.org/research/reports/historical-timeline-public-education-us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703120257/https://www.raceforward.org/research/reports/historical-timeline-public-education-us |archive-date=3 July 2018 |access-date=2018-02-08 |work=Race Forward |language=en}}</ref> Today, there are currently approximately 92,858 elementary schools (68,173 public, 24,685 private).<ref name="NCES">{{cite news |title=Digest of Education Statistics, 2001 |url=http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002130.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809090250/https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002130.pdf |archive-date=9 August 2017 |access-date=12 August 2017 |agency=National Center for Education Statistics}}</ref> In the United States, elementary schools usually have six grades with pupils aged between 5 and 11 years old.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Snyder |first1=Thomas D. |url=http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002130.pdf |title=Digest of Education Statistics 2001 |last2=Hoffman |first2=Charlene M. |date=2001 |publisher=National Center for Education Statistics |location=Institute of Education Sciences, Washington |page=7, fig. 1 |access-date=19 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809090250/https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002130.pdf |archive-date=9 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was designed to fund primary and secondary education.<ref>{{cite web |last=Evers |first=Williamson M. |date=January 17, 2000 |title=Secretary Riley Reignites the Math Wars |url=http://www.hoover.org/research/secretary-riley-reignites-math-wars |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329121149/https://www.hoover.org/research/secretary-riley-reignites-math-wars |archive-date=29 March 2018 |access-date=28 March 2018 |publisher=Hoover Institution}}</ref> It also emphasized equal access to education and established high standards and accountability.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elementary and Secondary Education Act |url=http://www.k12.wa.us/esea/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326065033/http://www.k12.wa.us/esea/ |archive-date=26 March 2018 |access-date=28 March 2018 |website=Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction}}</ref> * Elementary schools in Japan were first established by 1875.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Establishment of Elementary Schools and Attendance |url=http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/html/others/detail/1317264.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171220074406/http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/html/others/detail/1317264.htm |archive-date=20 December 2017 |access-date=12 August 2017 |publisher=Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan |department=Japan's Modern Educational System}}</ref> In Japan, the age of pupils in elementary school ranges from 6 to 12, after which the pupils enter junior high school.

=== In other languages ===

==== Chinese ==== In Chinese-speaking world, the Chinese word {{Lang|zh-Latn|xiǎo xué}} ({{Lang-zh|s=小学|t=小學}}) is used. {{Lang|zh|國小}} is a more common term in Taiwan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=國民小學 |script-title= |url=https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=72032 |quote=我國實施前六年國民義務教育的學校。 |trans-quote=The school for the former six years national obligated education in our country (Taiwan).}}</ref>

In older texts it can mean linguistics including phonology, grammatology and semantics.<ref>{{Cite web |title=小學 |url=https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=106938&la=0&powerMode=0}}</ref>

==== German ==== {{Lang|de|Grundschule}} ({{Literal translation|ground/basic school}}) is the word in Germany. {{Lang|de|Primarschule}} is used in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. {{Lang|de|Volksschule}} is used in Austria and Switzerland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grundschule, die |url=https://www.dwds.de/wb/Grundschule |website=DWDS |language=de}}</ref>

== Levels of education == {{excerpt|International Standard Classification of Education|2011 version}}

==Comparison of cohorts== {{More citations needed section|date=January 2024}} Within the English speaking world, there are three widely used systems to describe the age of the children in the cohort: #"Equivalent ages" #Countries that base their education systems on the "English model" use one of two methods to identify the year group. #Countries that base their systems on the "American K–12 model" refer to their year groups as "grades".

Canada also follows the American model, although its names for year groups are given as a number after the grade: for instance, "Grade 1" in Canada, rather than "First Grade" in the United States. This terminology extends into the research literature.<ref name=ward>{{cite web|last1=Ward|first1=Ken|title=British and American Systems (Grades)|url=https://trans4mind.com/personal_development/writing/Readability_software/briishAmericanComparison.htm|website=Trans4mind |access-date=30 March 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331205354/https://trans4mind.com/personal_development/writing/Readability_software/briishAmericanComparison.htm|archive-date=2017-03-31|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=January 2024|sure=y}}

In Canada, education is a provincial, not a federal responsibility. For example, the province of Ontario also had a "Grade 13", designed to help students enter the workforce or post-secondary education, but this was phased out in the year 2003.

{| class="wikitable" !Equivalent ages ||4–5 || 5–6||6–7 ||7–8 ||8–9 ||9–10 || 10–11 |- | U.S. (grades) ||Pre-K||K||1 ||2||3 ||4 ||5 |- | Ireland ||Junior Infants||Senior Infants||1st Class||2nd Class||3rd Class||4th Class||5th Class |- | England (forms) ||Reception ||Infants ||Top infants || Junior 1|| Junior 2 || Junior 3|| Junior 4 |- | England (year) ||R || 1||2|| 3|| 4||5||6 |- | England (key stage) ||EYFS/FS ||KS1 ||KS1 ||KS2||KS2||KS2||KS2 |- | Scotland ||P1 ||P2 ||P3 ||P4 ||P5 ||P6 ||P7 |- |Jamaica |Pre-K |K-1 |Grade 1 |Grade 2 |Grade 3 |Grade 4 |Grade 5 |- | ISCED level ||0 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1<ref name=ward/>{{Unreliable source?|date=January 2024|sure=y}} |- | Indonesia{{CN|date=January 2023}} ||TK A||TK B||SD Kelas 1 ||SD Kelas 2 ||SD Kelas 3 ||SD Kelas 4 ||SD Kelas 5 |}

{| class="wikitable" |- !Equivalent ages ||11–12 ||12–13||13–14 ||14–15 ||15–16||16–17 ||17–18 |- | U.S. (grades) ||6||7||8 ||9||10 ||11||12 |- | Ireland ||6th Class||1st Year||2nd Year||3rd Year||4th Year/Transition Year (TY)||5th Year||6th Year |- | England (forms) ||First ||Second ||Third ||Fourth||Fifth ||Lower Sixth||Upper Sixth |- | England (year) ||7||8||9||10||11||12||13 |- | England (key stage) ||KS3 ||KS3 ||KS3 ||KS4||KS4 ||KS5||KS5 |- | Scotland ||S1 ||S2 ||S3 ||S4 ||S5 ||S6 || |- |Jamaica (forms) |First |Second |Third |Fourth |Fifth |Lower Sixth |Upper Sixth |- |Jamaica (grades) |7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |12 |13 |- | ISCED level ||2 ||2 ||2 ||3||3 ||3 ||3<ref name=ward/>{{Unreliable source?|date=January 2024|sure=y}} |- | Indonesia{{CN|date=January 2023}} ||SD Kelas 6 ||SMP Kelas 7 ||SMP Kelas 8 ||SMP Kelas 9 ||SMA Kelas 10 ||SMA Kelas 11 ||SMA Kelas 12 |}

==Theoretical framework of primary school design== School building design does not happen in isolation. The building (or school campus) needs to accommodate:

* Curriculum content * Teaching methods * Costs * Education within the political framework * Use of school building (also in the community setting) * Constraints imposed by the site * Design philosophy Each country will have a different education system and priorities.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Liew Kok-Pun|first1=Michael |first2=Pang |last2=Kia Seng |last3=Singh |first3=Harbans |title=The design of secondary schools:Singapore a case study|url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0004/000443/044397EB.pdf|website=Educational Building reports|publisher=UNESCO|access-date=3 April 2017|page=37|date=1981|series=17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404132431/http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0004/000443/044397EB.pdf|archive-date=2017-04-04|url-status=live}}</ref> Schools need to accommodate students, staff, storage, mechanical and electrical systems, support staff, ancillary staff and administration. The number of rooms required can be determined from the predicted roll of the school and the area needed.

According to standards used in the United Kingdom, a general classroom for 30 reception class or infant (Key Stage 1) students needs to be 62 m2, or 55 m2 for juniors (Key Stage 2).<ref name="area guidelines">{{cite web |title=Mainstream schools: area guidelines |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mainstream-schools-area-guidelines |website=GOV.UK |access-date=18 April 2019 |language=en |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418090755/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mainstream-schools-area-guidelines |url-status=live }}</ref> Examples are given on how this can be configured for a 210 place primary with attached 26-place nursery<ref name="210place">{{cite web |title=Baseline design: 210 place primary school with a 26 place nursery |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/baseline-design-210-place-primary-school-with-a-26-place-nursery |website=GOV.UK |access-date=18 April 2019 |language=en |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418093330/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/baseline-design-210-place-primary-school-with-a-26-place-nursery |url-status=live }}</ref> and two-storey 420 place (two form entry) primary school with attached 26 place nursery.<ref name="420place">{{cite web |title=Baseline design: 420 place primary school with 26 place nursery |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/baseline-design-420-place-primary-school-with-26-place-nursery |website=GOV.UK |access-date=18 April 2019 |language=en |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418093328/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/baseline-design-420-place-primary-school-with-26-place-nursery |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Building design specifications == thumb|The first taxpayer-funded public school in the United States was in Dedham, Mass. [[File:Sandakan Sabah SJKC-Chi-Hwa-06.jpg|thumb|SJK (C) Chi Hwa Eco-Nature Primary School in Sandakan, Malaysia]] thumb|A classroom library in the US

The building providing the education has to fulfil the needs of the students, the teachers, the non-teaching support staff, the administrators and the community. It has to meet general government building guidelines, health requirements, minimal functional requirements for classrooms, toilets and showers, electricity and services, preparation and storage of textbooks and basic teaching aids.<ref name=za>{{cite web|title=Guidelines relating to planning for public school infrastructure|url=http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=cWhHzzzCo1w%3D&tabid=93&mid=2598|access-date=3 April 2017|date=2012|publisher=Department of Basic Education, Republic of South Africa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907024942/http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=cWhHzzzCo1w%3d&tabid=93&mid=2598|archive-date=2015-09-07|url-status=live}}</ref> An optimum school will meet the minimum conditions and will have:

* adequately sized classrooms—where 60 m2 is considered optimum but 80 m2 for the reception class * specialised teaching spaces * a staff preparation room * staff welfare facilities * an administration block * multipurpose classrooms * student toilet facilities * a general purpose school hall * adequate equipment * storage * a library or library stocks that are regularly renewed * computer rooms or media centres * counselling, sick and medical examination rooms<ref name=za/>

Government accountants having read the advice then publish minimum guidelines on schools. These enable environmental modelling and establishing building costs. Future design plans are audited to ensure that these standards are met but not exceeded. Government ministries continue to press for the 'minimum' space and cost standards to be reduced.

The UK government published this downwardly revised space formula for primary schools in 2014. It said the floor area should be 350 m2 + 4.1 m2/pupil place. The external finishes were to be downgraded to meet a build cost of £1113/m2.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baseline designs for schools: guidance - GOV.UK|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/baseline-designs-for-schools-guidance/baseline-designs-for-schools-guidance|website=www.gov.uk|publisher=Education Funding Agency|access-date=3 April 2017|language=en|date=11 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404134821/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/baseline-designs-for-schools-guidance/baseline-designs-for-schools-guidance|archive-date=2017-04-04|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Governance and funding== There are several main ways of funding a school: by the state through general taxation, by a pressure group such as a mosque or church, by a charity, by contributions from parents, or by a combination of these methods. Day-to-day oversight of the school can be done through a board of governors, the pressure group, or the owner.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}

The United Kingdom allows elementary education to be delivered in church schools, whereas in France this is illegal as there is strict separation of church and state.

==Accountability== This can be through informal assessment by the staff and governors such as in Finland, or by a state run testing regime such as Ofsted in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/standards-and-testing-agency|title=Standards and Testing Agency|website=GOV.UK|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318131353/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/standards-and-testing-agency|archive-date=18 March 2020|access-date=2020-01-28}}</ref>

==See also== {{portal|Education|Schools}} * Dame schools * Early childhood education * Educational stage * Virtual reality in primary education * Vocal school (Blab school)

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://nces.ed.gov/ National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (United States)] * [http://elementaryschools.org/ Elementary Schools with Education and Crime Statistics (United States)] * [http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/cashome.nsf/Home/Entry%20Page.es Australian CensusAtSchool (Australia)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703005059/http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/cashome.nsf/Home/Entry%20Page.es |date=3 July 2007 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305081228/http://www.cesc-csce.ca/ Canadian Education Statistics Council (CESC) (United States)] * [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nscl.asp?ID=6085 Office for National Statistics (ONS) (United Kingdom)] * [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324056/BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools_CORRECTED_25_06_14.pdf BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools (2014) UK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525160101/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324056/BB103_Area_Guidelines_for_Mainstream_Schools_CORRECTED_25_06_14.pdf |date=25 May 2017 }} * [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/ National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (United States)] * [http://www.oecd.org/education/innovation-education/centreforeffectivelearningenvironmentscele/48224041.pdf OECD Standardised designs (2011)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Primary School}} Category:Elementary and primary schools Category:Educational stages School Category:School terminology Category:School types