4. Pay attention to the essential vocabulary:

School an institution for educating children

attend / go to school

start school

leave school

in / at school in the school building; attending a school

be absent from school

school year

school rules

school holiday (s)

school yard

school playground

school building / schoolhouse

schoolroom

school library

school-time lesson time at school

schoolwork = classwork

school bag

schoolbook = textbook

school uniform

school tie

school bus

school report a written statement by teachers about a child’s work at school which is sent to his or her parents

school meal

school dinner

school age

school-age child

school-leaving age

school children / pupils

schoolboy / schoolgirl / child / kid

school friend / schoolfellow / schoolmate

school-leaver

schoolteacher

schoolmaster / mistress

after-school activities

nursery, day care center (in the US) a place where small children between three and five years old are looked after while their parents are at work

playschool (in Britain playgroup) a type of school where children below school age meet regularly and play together while supervised by adults

nursery school a school for children from two or three to five years old (= kindergarten)

infant school a school in Britain for children aged between four and eight

first school a school in Britain for children between the ages of 5 and 8 or 9

primary school a school for children in England and Wales between 5 and 11 years old

elementary school / grade school a school in the US where basic subjects are taught for the first six years of a child’s education

junior school a school in Britain for children from the ages of 7 to 11

junior high school a school in the US and Canada for children aged between 12 and 14

middle school (1) a school in Britain for children between the ages of 8 and 12; (2) a school in the US for children between the ages of 11 to 14

secondary school a school for children between the ages of 11 and 16 or 18

high school a secondary school in the US and Canada for children of 14 or 15 to 18 years old

preparatory school / prep school (1) a private school in Britain for children between 8 and 13 years old whose parents pay for their education; (2) a school in the US, usually a private one, that prepares students for college

public school (1) a private school in Britain, esp. England for children aged between 13 and 18 whose parents pay for their education. Public school usually provide food and accommodation for pupils. (2) a free local school in the US, Australia, Scotland controlled and paid by the government

private school a school where education must be paid for by the children’s parents

comprehensive school / comprehensive a state school in Britain for children over the age of 11 of different abilities

grammar school a school in Britain for children over the age of 11 who have to pass a special examination to go there. The school concentrates on academic rather than technical or practical courses.

state school a British school which receives money from the government and provides free education

academy a secondary school in Scotland that prepares pupils for higher education

boarding-school a school where some or all of the pupils live as well as study during the term

day-school a school attended daily by pupils living at home

night school lessons giving in the evening for adults in a wide range of subjects, eg languages, sport or cooking

Sunday school a class held on Sundays at which children learn about the Christian religion

finishing school a private, expensive school where girls are taught how to behave in fashionable society

independent school a school not owned or paid for by the government

single-sex school a school where only boys or girls are taught

coeducational school a school where only boys or girls are taught together; the system of educating boys and girls together in the same building and classes