Education in

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generally follows the

English system English units are the units of measurement used in England up to 1826 (when they were replaced by Imperial units), which evolved as a combination of the Anglo-Saxon and Roman systems of units. Various standards have applied to English units at ...

operating within a three tier system. Schools in Gibraltar follow the Key Stage system which teaches the

National Curriculum A national curriculum is a common programme of study in schools that is designed to ensure nationwide uniformity of content and standards in education. It is usually legislated by the national government, possibly in consultation with state or other ...

Primary education

The first year of education in Gibraltar is done in nursery or

pre-school A preschool, also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, or play school or creche, is an educational establishment or learning space offering early childhood education to children before they begin compulsory education at primary scho ...

. Attendance is from 3 to 4 years and is not compulsory. Compulsory education starts at the age of 4 years with primary education. The first year is known as

Reception Reception is a noun form of ''receiving'', or ''to receive'' something, such as art, experience, information, people, products, or vehicles. It may refer to: Astrology * Reception (astrology), when a planet is located in a sign ruled by another ...

, where attendance is up to 5 years. In Gibraltar Primary education lasts for 8 years (First and Middle school).Government of Gibraltar - Education & Training.

Secondary education

At the age of 12 Gibraltarian students enter a single-sex secondary school (all education before this age follows a coeducational system). Following a four-year course preparing for

General Certificate of Secondary Education The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...

(GCSE), where students sit for final examinations at the age of 16. Students can take on up to 10 GCSE subjects including the core 5 (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, mathematics,

science Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...

, religious studies and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

). Students willing to continue their studies after taking their GCSEs can move onto

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

(in the same school) providing they have obtained a minimum requirement of 4 subject passes at grade C or higher (generally including

and mathematics). Here the student will go onto a two-year A-Level course, sitting Advanced Subsidiary (AS) examinations at the end of the first year and Advanced 2 (A2) examinations at the end of the course. Gibraltarian students can take up to 4 different A-Level subjects simultaneously. Government secondary schools are Bayside Comprehensive School for boys and Westside School for girls, and Prior Park School Gibraltar is an independent coeducational secondary school.

Schools

Gibraltar has fifteen state schools, one MOD school, one

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Further education

Gibraltar College The Gibraltar College is a school in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, providing programmes at academic, vocational and professional levels. It focuses on the post-16 age group, promoting a culture of lifelong learning. Located on So ...

(formerly known as the Gibraltar College of Further Education)

Higher education

On 31 March 2015 the government of Gibraltar announced the adoption of the University of Gibraltar Act and The

University of Gibraltar The University of Gibraltar is a degree-awarding higher education institution established by the Government of Gibraltar through the University of Gibraltar Act 2015. The founding of the university was described by Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fab ...

, the first university of the territory, opened in September 2015. Previously, all students must study elsewhere at degree level or equivalent and certain non-degree courses. The

Government of Gibraltar His Majesty's Government of Gibraltar is the democratically elected government of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The head of state is King Charles III who is represented by the Governor. Elections in Gibraltar are held every four ...

operates a

scholarship A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholars ...

/grant system to provide funding for students studying in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. All Gibraltarian students follow the

student loans in the United Kingdom Student loans and grants in the United Kingdom are primarily provided by the government through the Student Loans Company (SLC), an executive non-departmental public body. The SLC is responsible for Student Finance England and Student Finance Wales ...

, where they apply for a loan from the

Student Loans Company The Student Loans Company (SLC) is an executive non-departmental public body company in the United Kingdom that provides student loans. It is owned by the UK Government's Department for Education (85%), the Scottish Government (5%), the Welsh ...

which is then reimbursed in full by the Government of Gibraltar. In 2008, there were 224 Gibraltarian students enrolled in British universities, the highest figure to that date.Abstract of Statistics 2008
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Teaching

All teacher-training takes place in British

universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

and

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

s, where students can opt to enrol on a teaching degree or a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). Students obtaining Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in any constituent country of the United Kingdom and who have a registration number issued by the DfES (UK) is eligible to teach in Gibraltar.

Early history

The

Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of King George V. Since 1942, the title has been held by Prince Edwar ...

during his brief period as a resident

Governor of Gibraltar The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the governor is to act as the ...

recommended that schools be set up for the regiments. These were reorganised in 1916 by General Don into a school at

Buena Vista Buena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to: Places Canada *Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, with the name being originally derived from “Buena Vista” *Buena Vista, Saskatchewan *Buena Vista, Saskatoon, a neighborhood in ...

and another on Castle Street, Gibraltar. The priority given to the schools however can be judged by their closure in 1828 when the Barrack Master was demanding the premises. This was unfortunate as examinations were in progress and the schools were open to better off civilians who could afford the dollar a week charges. Of the 180 children available, 70 had been attending. The regrowth of the schools can be assigned to Mary Ann Rule who was the wife of

William Harris Rule William Harris Rule (born 15 November 1802 – 1890) was a British Methodist missionary and writer. Rule and his wife started schools building to 400 pupils in Gibraltar. He tried to establish missions in Spain. Life Rule was born in Penryn in ...

a newly arrived Methodist missionary in Gibraltar. They had both learnt Spanish and Mary was asked to teach one child to read. She was joined by her brother and then other Catholics and then Jewish children. Rule noted that he became unawares the founder of the first

charity school Charity schools, sometimes called blue coat schools, or simply the Blue School, were significant in the history of education in England. They were built and maintained in various parishes by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants to ...

in the garrison". The Jews eventually withdrew on religious grounds and Rule was involved when the Lieutenant Governor Sir William Houston set up the first official free school on Flat Bastion Road in 1832 and he sent his own children there. The following year Rule restarted his school requiring his pupils to attend Methodist services each Sunday. In reply the Catholics arranged for two teachers from the

Congregation of Christian Brothers The Congregation of Christian Brothers ( la, Congregatio Fratrum Christianorum; abbreviated CFC) is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, Edmund Rice. Their first school was opened i ...

to start the Christian Brothers School in 1835. Rules school however was popular across the faiths but this came to a head in 1839 when his school marched down Main Street on the centenary of Methodism with 400 children of all faiths and denominations waiving messages in support of Methodism.

References

External links

List of schools in Gibraltar.
{{Education in British Overseas Territories