The current primary education system has no individual function. Primary schools are there to prepare children for there next stage of education (Cox 2011). Primary school creates an environment that it is safe and consistent for children of a young age (Cox 2011). Primary school children are tested at ages 7 and 11 with exams that are referred to as Standard attainment tests (SATs). SATs are used to compare children to the national average for their age group and make sure there isn’t any additional learning needs that may be addressed. SATs are used to put children into attainment groups when learning so that they are surrounded by children with the same intellectual knowledge as them when they get to high school (BBC 2018). SATs are also used to rank schools in terms of national averages (BBC 2018).

 

The current secondary education system has a teach to test mentality. It believes that content should be learnt for the sake of passing an exam (Phelps 2011). Students are going through a factory type education system and all students come out with the same qualifications and skill set to prepare for the next stage of life (Phelps 2011). The current education system believes by doing it in this way it creates employable students that have the skills they need to succeed. Test results are also used to create a pseudo market place in the education system (Patrinos 2000). Results are used to advertise successful schools in the current education system the better the results the better the school (Patrinos 2000). This is what the secondary education system at current finds of great importance to make sure students are ready for adult life (Gibbs 2015).

The current higher education system is based on minimum entry requirements to attend university. There are tuition fees paid to the institution attended by the student to cover the cost of the course and resources needed (GOV 2019). Tuition loans and maintenance loans are given to those who need it from the government although these do have to be repaid (GOV 2019). Physical universities can be attended however there is also the choice to attend online universities such as the open university (The Open University 2019). University degrees are usually three years long with the option to take a postgraduate course again grade dependent. The higher education system aims to create students that can take graduate attributes and skills out into the world and hold a successful job (Ryan, Toohey and Hughes 1996).