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Promottng community coheńon in Englisb education settings on tbe esample of Bamfield South Academy in Luton

number of GSCEs they have managed to achieve (students can also study voca-tional GSCEs and BTEC diplomas), they may go on to further education colleges (offering typically vocational or technical courses) or take a higher level of second-ary school exams known as A Levels (these are required for university entrance in the UK). Education is obligatory for all students up to the age of 16.

A typical English school day (on the example of BSA) starts with the statutory moming register (done by the form tutors either electronically or in writing), fol-lowed by period 1 and 2 after which there is PfL and a 15-minute break. There are two break slots so that KS3 and KS4 students (Years 7, 8, 9,10 and 11) do not have it all at one time. Then, we have period 3 and 4 followed by half an hour lunch (three slots this time — some classes might have their break in the middle of the lesson). Last, but not least, period 5 with yet another obligatory register taken by the teaching staff (in practice, teachers take the register during each lesson). Schools are free to set their own hours; at BSA these fali between 0800 hours and 1600 hours with the moming register commencing at 8:45 am and period 5 ending at 3 pm. After that time students can participate in extra curricular activities. This routine can be changed in some special circumstances (be they mock or proper exams for in-stance). School year usually begins first week of September and ends third week of July; each term consists of two half-terms separated from one another by a week-long break. Surprising as it may seem, we have no bells at BSA and there are no extra breaks in the meantime either: students swap the classrooms, if necessary, every 60 minutes (this is how long each period lasts for) only upon teacher’s con-sent. All Bamfield South Academy students are obliged to wear school uniforms and identity cards and anyone arńving at school in non-uniform clothing is sent home to get changed (as is the case in most English education settings). Students need to attend school regularly and their attendance is monitored by an attendance officer and, then, supervised as well by an EWO appointed directly by the govern-ment. Parents can face fines or even imprisonment if their child’s attendance falls below the expected (by the govemment) 95%. Unlike Polish students, their English counterparts do not receive any marks throughout the school year (but for the