Island factfile - Education
The maxim that 'school days are the best days of your life' happily still rings true for many pupils in the Isle of Man. The Manx education system is entirely independent, technologically advanced and offers high teaching standards with a staffing ratio that still allows room for individual attention.
Pre-school education is available through a number of Nurseries, Kindergartens and Daycare Centres and all approved centres are registered with the Department of Health and Social Services. Details are also available from the Job Centre. Children begin Primary education in the year in which they turn five, allowing many to start at the age of four.
At the age of 11 they transfer to a Secondary school for which the minimum leaving age is 16. The island currently has thirty-five state Primary Schools and five, non-denominational state Secondary Schools run by the Manx Department of Education. The secondary schools are Castle Rushen High School in the south, Ramsey Grammar School in the north, St Ninian's High School and Ballakermeen High School in Douglas and Queen Elizabeth II High School in the west.
Manx Secondary schools are comprehensive in their intake of pupils, are subject to OFSTED inspections and are fully reviewed every two years. They are all well-equipped with books, computers, technical and sports facilities and class sizes are generally small compared to the UK with a generous pupil-to-teacher ratio of about 19:1 in primary schools and 14:1 in secondary schools. All teachers are now equiped with laptop computers, which are linked to Depatment's own Intranet system.
The Manx school year is divided into three terms beginning with an Autumn term from early September to mid-December, a Spring term from early January to late March and a Summer term from early April to late July. Schoolchildren are also entitled to the May Day holiday, Spring Bank holiday, a TT week holiday and Tynwald Day holiday.
Children wear uniforms at the discretion of individual headteachers and their Governors but most schools use them; school lunches are provided and children from low income families can apply for free meals.
Manx schools follow basically the same National Curriculum as in England but with adaptations to suit local history and geography. In addition, the numeracy and literacy hours being introduced will in future include specially written Manx-themed stories and Primary school children also have the option of learning Manx Gaelic from the age of 7. Unlike the UK it is also compulsory for all 7 year olds to begin studying French. Secondary school students sit GCSE examinations in Year 11 and about a third stay on for more specialised Sixth Form studies - usually two-year A-level or AS-level courses. Dedicated Sixth Form Units have been built for Ballakermeen, QEII, St Ninian's and Castle Rushen High Schools. Some schools now also offer senior pupils career-orientated General National Vocational Qualifications which the ability to concentrate on one general area such as Tourism and Leisure, Business or Art and Design.
Independent education in the Isle of Man is provided by King William's College and the Buchan School. The two schools merged in 1991 to make a continuous educational provision for boys and girls, day pupils and boarders from the age of 4 to 18. The age of transfer between the two sites is eleven. Pupils at both sites follow a range of extra curricular activities and almost all sixth form leavers proceed to Higher Education.
Boarding pupils from overseas are welcome on both sites and can arrive on the boundary of King William's College, perhaps from the other side of the world, without having left an airport building in the UK. There is no requirement for overseas pupils to have a guardian resident in the UK and they may remain at school, supervised and provided for, during the half term breaks.
The Manx Education Department is also progressive in encouraging music, drama and media studies with widespread provision of orchestras, choirs, rock bands and music tuition. Modern multi-media and creative skills are fostered by initiatives such as QEII High School's Multi-Media unit which teaches film, video and media skills and Ballakermeen High School's new Open Learning Centre which features state-of-the-art IT facilities, modern languages classrooms, a dark room and a drama studio.
Possibly most crucial in equipping students for the modern outside world is access to learning technology and in this respect the size of Manx schools and generous Government budgeting has enabled the Island to be at the forefront of the latest developments. The Education Department already has its own exclusive Internet service, allowing all primary and secondary schools fast access to on-line education, and a specially-designed Computer Bus equipped with over twenty computers which has helped pioneer projects such as advanced school e-mail and Internet publication systems.
The next step is the evolutionary new National Grid for Learning being installed in every school. This system, which is way ahead of the UK, is already linking all classrooms and staffrooms to an island-wide network, giving every student and staff member access to the world wide web, e-mail and the Department's Intranet. Hundreds of state-of-the-art computers are being installed with the aim of giving primary pupils access to computers at an increased ratio of 7:1 and secondary students access of 5:1. Technology is also being put to good use in other ways, such as the futuristic multi-sensory rooms offered at some secondary schools, which help children with special needs to relax and use their senses.
Students wishing to go on to Higher Education without leaving the Island can choose from a range of academic and vocational courses at the Isle of Man College in Douglas. As well as a range of GCSE, A and AS level courses the College offers nationally recognised qualifications in business, hospitality, hairdressing, technology, art, health and community disciplines. These include NVQ, GNVQ, BTEC, RSA and Art Foundation courses that can be studied full-time, part-time or as evening classes.
The Island doesn't have its own university but the Isle of Man College is developing a number of Degree courses in conjunction with Liverpool University which enables students to study their first year on the island and complete their degrees in Liverpool. The courses are currently confined to business subjects but degrees in art, IT, hospitality and engineering are in the pipeline.
The International Business School is an exciting new facility for the island. It was founded to provide top quality higher education specialising in programmes for business, banking and finance, and management. Degree courses are validated by Liverpool John Moores University. Full and part-time courses include:
Undergraduate degrees:-
- BA (Hons) Business Studies
- BA (Hons) Business Administration
Postgtraduate degrees:
- MSc International Banking & Finance MBA
Chartered Management Institute programmes and management development programmes.
Two-year diploma courses in hotel and tourism management are offered by the International Hotel School in Port Erin. The majority of their students are from abroad however, including many from Africa and the Far East, and they also have an international first-year campus in the Phillipines.
Financial help is available to Manx students under the age of 35 studying for a first degree, HND or Higher Education diploma. All students can apply for a grant to cover tuition fees but grants covering both fees and living expenses are scaled according to parents' income. Manx students are not eligible for UK Student Loans.
Adult classes on a huge range of recreational, educational and professional topics are available at The Isle of Man College during the winter months. Evening classes covering everything from Indian cooking to car maintenance are also available at secondary schools around the island and advance details are usually published in local newspapers.
There is no nursing school on the Island but Open University courses in health and social care are run by the Isle of Man College, supported by on-Island tutorials.
Adult Literacy Scheme classes organised by the College are held on a regular basis in Ramsey, Peel and Douglas. They are both free and confidential.
Parents of children with special needs have plenty of support on the island with a well-staffed Pre-School Assessment Centre that can determine and advise on learning difficulties. Deaf, partially sighted and physically handicapped children are generally taught in special units alongside existing primary and secondary schools and integrated in mainstream activities wherever possible. Students with severe problems can attend the Glencrutchery Special School. Professional support is also available through the School Psychological Service.
Acknowledgement: Manx Heritage Foundation