School (institution)

A school is an institution dedicated to teaching and training people, usually through teacher-led lessons - and can refer to both pre-university institutions, as well as institutions within universities and more generally anywhere which offers education or training. Education differs widely around the world, with different regulations and principles operating in different countries.

Types of school

• A primary school or elementary school is a school generally intended for those between the age of four or five and early adolescence.

• A secondary school or high school is a school for students during their adolescent years, from eleven or twelve onwards.

• At a boarding school, students live on site, often in dormitories.

• Vocational schools are schools which teach skills intended to help with a particular trade or business (as opposed to academic skills).

• Faith schools and religious schools teach a general curriculum but with religious components of a particular denomination. This is different from a Sunday school, Bible college yeshiva, seminary or madrassa in that they provide a general curriculum (often in line with local primary or secondary school curricula), and often are open to those of other faiths or none (in the United Kingdom, which is quite a secular country, many parents go to church to get their children into faith schools that outperform state community schools).

• A public school (US) or state school (UK) is one funded mainly by the state.

• A private school (US) or independent school (UK) is one mainly funded by fees or charity.

• A public school (UK) is an independent school run as a non-profit-making institution.

• A private school (UK) is an independent school run as a business.