Pupils are admitted to schools’ Reception classes at the beginning of the academic year in which they reach their fifth birthday.
To help schools plan, parents are required to register their child with a school. Catchment areas exist and parents unsure which catchment area they live in should contact the Department of Education and Children on 01624 685820.
Parents of children who are five on or after September 1 2013 should contact the relevant school as soon as possible to register their child for the start of the academic year 2013/2014, which begins on Wednesday 4th September 2013.
The cornerstone of compulsory education delivered via 35 primary schools and 5 secondary schools is the DEC’s Essentials for Learning curriculum, which aims to develop learners with:
- Readiness
- Relationships which are positive
- Resourcefulness
- Resilience
- Remembering skills
- Reflectiveness
The curriculum content is largely drawn from the English national curriculum, with amendments to reflect the Manx context, but schools have the freedom to deliver this content in an imaginative way, which engages and motivates children to become independent learners.
Manx language is available on an optional basis from eight.
In addition, there is a statutory requirement for schools to deliver an agreed religious education syllabus to all pupils.
As pupils progress through secondary education, and especially from Key Stage 4 (14/15), their learning will increasingly focus on the need to cover key elements of the appropriate examination.
Public examinations at age 16 are the main focus for the majority of pupils. These mostly take the form of GCSEs but many pupils are also able to access a range of more vocational qualifications.
Many older pupils take up the opportunities schools offer, such as Duke of Edinburgh and sports leadership awards, to gain a wider range of qualifications.
The Island’s many cultural and historical strengths allow a strong emphasis to be placed on Manx curriculum work. Personal, social and health education and citizenship are a key component of the learning experience for all pupils.
There are 6,580 pupils in primary schools (including nursery) and 5,637 11 to 18 year olds in secondary schools (autumn term 2011).
Schools’ performances are monitored on a regular cycle of School Self Review and Evaluation (SSRE), with schools’ own assessments validated by DEC officers and external consultants. These reviews cover all aspects of the organisation of the school including the ethos, management planning and development planning of each school.
Special educational needs of pupils are met in mainstream settings wherever possible. All schools support children with special needs and many have special units for meeting the needs of children and students with severe and profound learning difficulties.
Each school has its own brochure for distribution to parents in either e-form or hard copy. Please contact individual schools.
