Hello and welcome to my podcast, My Life and Other Funny Stories. My name is Dagmar Tomášková, I’m an English tutor and coach, and I’ve created this podcast for English students who want to improve their oral comprehension. As always, you can find the transcription of this episode and a vocabulary list in the notes of the podcast.

Today’s episode is about a topic I find interesting, especially since education shapes so much of our lives—educational systems! Specifically, we’ll look at and compare how education works in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. Because sometimes it is very hard to orient ourselves in the way it works in different countries. 

Also, even though I think that the academic level of education and the quality in the US and UK might be overall better, I believe that we still should be grateful for the way the education system works in the Czech Republic.

Early Education: Starting the School Journey

Let’s begin at the very start—early education. This is where you first come in contact with formal schooling, and it’s a really important foundation for everything that comes afterward. But the way this stage is structured is quite different in the U.S., the U.K., and the Czech Republic.

United States

In the United States, formal education starts around age 5 or 6 with kindergarten. Kindergarten is considered the first year of elementary school, which then continues through grades 1 to 5. However, before that, there is an option to attend pre-school or nursery school from around the age of 3 or 4. Pre-school is not mandatory, but many parents choose to send their children there to help them develop social and basic academic skills before kindergarten.

Elementary school focuses heavily on basic subjects like reading, writing, math, and science. Class sizes can vary depending on the location, but it’s common to have the same teacher for most subjects during these early years.

One thing that really stands out in the American system is how informal the early years can feel. There’s a big emphasis on hands-on learning, where kids do a lot of arts and crafts, singing, and playing. This approach can make the transition into the academic world smoother, but some argue it leaves certain students less prepared when they move on to the more demanding secondary education. 

American children are in elementary school from the age of 5 or 6 until the age of 10.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, children start school a bit earlier. Most children begin reception at age 4 or 5, which is part of the primary school system. Reception is more similar to kindergarten, but it’s already part of the formal school system, in comparison to the optional nature of American pre-school.

After reception, children move into year 1 of primary school and continue in this phase until year 6. During this time, there’s a gradual shift from play-based learning to more structured academic subjects like English, maths, and science. Children also take part in arts, physical education, and sometimes foreign languages depending on the school.

What’s particularly interesting in the U.K. system is that it often has a more traditional, subject-based curriculum from an earlier age than in the U.S. By the end of primary school, children are already preparing for their transition to secondary education, which can be quite competitive, especially if they want to get into prestigious schools. 

They are in the primary school from the age of 5 to the age of 11. When I think about it, it makes sense because in the Harry Potter series, children get their Hogwarts letter when they are 11 and I was always wondering – why 11? Isn’t it a little random? But the children finish their primary school and move to the next stage of education so it is like we would get our letter before transitioning to the second part of elementary school for example.

Czech Republic

And now, the Czech Republic. I think you are all very familiar with this one but let’s go over it so we have it all complete. Early childhood education here is quite different from both the U.S. and the U.K. Children typically start with kindergarten, at age 3. It’s not mandatory, but it’s common, and parents are strongly encouraged to send their kids to kindergarten at least by age 5, as a form of preparation for primary school.

In kindergarten, children focus on developing social skills, basic literacy, and numeracy, but there’s still a lot of play-based learning involved, similar to the American system. Most usually, it is about playing and socializing. And sleeping after lunch. Which I hated from the bottom of my heart, I could never fall asleep and wanted to be anywhere else but there. Now I would actually welcome some after lunch rest but unfortunately, sometimes you start to appreciate things only after you don’t have them anymore.

Formal education starts at age 6, when children enter elementary school. Here’s where things get a bit different. Elementary school is divided into two stages. The first stage is grades 1 to 5, and the second stage covers grades 6 to 9. Unlike the American and British systems, which transition students into a different school around grade 6 or 7, in the Czech system, kids typically stay in the same school building from the age of 6 until they finish grade 9, when they are around 15 years old.

In the Czech elementary school system, the curriculum (curriculum is the name for the system of all the courses given in a school) is quite consistent across the country, and students all follow the same subjects, with regular tests and evaluations. Even in the early years, there was a sense of academic seriousness, though, of course, we still had time for fun activities. When I was little, I think we were getting marks even in the first and second grades but now I think it changed a little and the children get evaluations in the form of text- about how they worked throughout the school year and so on. 

Secondary Education: High School, Secondary School, and Grammar School

Moving on to secondary education, this is where the differences between the systems become even clearer.

United States

In the United States, after elementary school, students move to middle school or junior high for grades 6 to 8 (sometimes starting in grade 7, depending on the area). They finish middle school at the age of 13. After middle school, they continue to high school, which covers grades 9 to 12. I am sure you heard the names of the grades in the movies:  9th grade is freshman year, 10th grade sophomore year, 11th grade junior year, and 12th grade senior year.

In American high schools, students have a lot of flexibility in choosing their courses, especially in the later years. While there are core subjects like English, math, and science, students can also take elective courses in areas like art, music, drama, or vocational subjects. This flexibility allows students to explore different interests and even switch career paths later on, but it can also lead to a lack of depth in any one subject compared to the U.K. or Czech systems.

High school is the last stage of compulsory education in the U.S., and when students finish, they receive a high school diploma, which is necessary for entering college or university. Students are evaluated on their GPA – that means Grade Point Average, and it is a number that indicates how high they scored in their courses on average.

GPA is, however, usually not enough. Standardized testing is a big part of American high school life. Most students take exams like the SAT or ACT in their final years, which play a major role in college admissions. There’s a lot of emphasis on extracurricular activities as well—sports, clubs, and community service are all seen as important for a well-rounded education and are heavily considered in university applications. Usually, they are evaluated on their GPA = general results from high school, their results from the SAT, and also points from their hobbies. That is why it is so important for American high schoolers to spend time doing something outside school because then it is a big part of their application for the university.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, after primary school, students move to secondary school at age 11. This phase lasts until year 11, when students are around 16 years old. The British system has a more academic focus, especially as students prepare for their GCSE exams. GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. They are highly valued by schools, colleges and employers. These exams cover subjects like English, math, and science, but students also choose additional subjects to focus on, like history, geography, art, or foreign languages.

The GCSEs are a critical part of the U.K. system. After finishing year 11 and taking their exams, students have a few options: they can leave school and start working or continue their education. Those who want to go to university typically stay on for an additional two years to study for their A-levels. A-levels are more advanced and specialized subjects, and students usually take 3 or 4 of them, depending on what they want to study at university. I know, even I am getting a little lost in that.

One major difference between the U.K. and the U.S. is that in the British system, students specialize much earlier. By the time they’re 16, they already know what subjects they want to focus on, and their A-levels are a key part of that specialization. 

Czech Republic

Now, let’s look at secondary education in the Czech Republic. After finishing elementary school at age 15, students have several options. They can attend a grammar school, in Czech it is gymnázium. But never say “gymnasium” in English, that is “tělocvična” – we have physical education in a gymnasium, yeah?

Okay, so they can go to grammar school, which is the academic route, or they can attend vocational school– which is like “odborná škola” or apprenticeship school – which is our “odborné učiliště” if they want to focus on practical skills.

Grammar school is similar to the British system in that it prepares students for university. It lasts for four years and ends with the maturita exam, which is required to apply to university. However, students can also choose more specialized schools if they’re interested in vocational training. For example, there are schools focused on technology, healthcare, or business, and many students graduate from these schools with a professional diploma rather than going to university. I went to grammar school because I think it is quite hectic to choose your career path when you are 15. I didn’t know anything when I was 15. Don’t get me wrong, I am almost 27 now and I still don’t know anything but I knew much less back then. The grammar school was a great way to push this decision in front of me for the next four years.

One thing that stands out in the Czech system is how structured and exam-oriented it is, especially compared to the U.S. The grammar schools are quite demanding, and there’s a lot of pressure to perform well on the maturita exam if you want to go to a good university. I was that kind of student who stressed about everything and wanted to have the best results so my years in grammar school were just filled to the brim with studying. 

Higher Education: Universities and Beyond

Now let’s talk about university education.

United States

In the United States, students typically start university at age 18, after completing high school. Most students pursue a bachelor’s degree, which usually takes four years to complete. One of the things that makes the American system unique is its flexibility. Students don’t have to declare a major (their primary field of study) right away. They can take a variety of courses in their first two years before deciding what to specialize in. This system allows for a lot of exploration and changes in academic focus.

The American university experience is also very social. Many students live on campus in dormitories, and do a lot of extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, and fraternities – which is an organization, society, club of men that usually have common hobbies, school subjects and they party a lot. A girl’s version of that is called a sorority. They play a big role in student life. However, university in the U.S. can be very expensive, with tuition costs ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars per year. Scholarships and financial aid are available, but many students graduate with significant debt. We can look at the cost of the education now. The average cost for a student living on campus at public 4-year university is $27,146 per year or $108,584 over 4 years. If you come from a different state, it can be even more expensive. Also, private, nonprofit university students at universities such as Harvard or Yale- pay an avarage $58,628 per year or $234,512 over 4 years. Which is around 5 300 000 Czech crowns. And that’s only the bachelor. Cheap, right?

After completing a bachelor’s degree, students can continue with a master’s degree (usually 2 years) or a PhD (which can take 4 to 6 years or more).

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, most students also start university at age 18, but the bachelor’s degree generally takes only three years to complete, unless you’re studying in Scotland, where it can take four years. One big difference is that British students specialize much earlier than their American friends. When they apply to university, they typically apply for a specific course or subject and start focusing on it right away. There’s less flexibility to switch subjects, and students don’t take elective courses in unrelated fields.

After completing a bachelor’s degree, students can continue to a master’s degree, which usually takes one year in the U.K. Some students go on to pursue PhDs, which typically take around three to four years. I was always a little jealous because that means that they could reach their PhDs by the age of 25 while in the Czech Republic you are lucky if you get your PhD by the age of 29 but usually it takes much longer.

Another key difference is the cost. While university tuition in the U.K. is also high, it’s generally more affordable than in the U.S., and students from lower-income backgrounds can receive government support to help pay for their education.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, university education is quite different from both the U.S. and U.K. For one thing, public universities in the Czech Republic are free for Czech and EU students, as long as they study in Czech. If they choose to study in English or another language, or if they’re non-EU students, then they have to pay tuition fees, but these are still absolute breadcrumbs compared to U.S. or U.K. universities.

Czech students typically enter university at age 19 or 20, depending on whether they took a gap year after finishing their maturita exams. The standard university degree system consists of a three-year bachelor’s degree, followed by a two-year master’s degree and then a PhD. However, some fields, like law, medicine, and engineering, offer combined bachelor’s and master’s programs that take five to six years to complete.

One unique feature of Czech universities is the emphasis on theory. University education in the Czech Republic is often highly academic, especially in programs like philosophy, history, or the sciences. This can be both a strength and a challenge—students graduate with a strong theoretical understanding of their field but sometimes find they lack practical skills when they enter the job market. Which is completely my experience when I was studying Internal Relations during my bachelor’s studies. I knew everything about everything when it came to theories of conflicts, the history of world wars and so on but my practical application of that knowledge was non-existent.

Personal Reflections: My Experience with Different Systems

When I studied in France on Erasmus, I was surrounded by students from many different countries. It was fascinating to see how each student’s approach to learning was shaped by their home country’s educational system. I am not even going to talk about French besides the fact that they were very relaxed about everything. The American students seemed more flexible and open to changing their majors or exploring new fields. And for me, coming from the Czech system, I was used to a very structured approach, with a clear focus on passing exams and meeting academic requirements. 

One of the things that struck me about the American system was how much emphasis is placed on extracurricular activities. In the Czech Republic, there’s a lot more focus on the academic side of things, and while we do have sports and clubs, they don’t play the same central role in university life as they do in the U.S. I also felt a little sorry for all my American friends. They had to pay so much money to come and study in France while I was literally getting money to go there from the European Union. I just can’t stress enough how lucky we are here with these options.

The Czech school system has many flaws but I just have to highlight the big advantage of studying for free. This makes higher education accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial background, which is something that’s much harder to achieve in countries like the U.S. and the U.K., where students often graduate with large amounts of debt.

And that’s that! Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to check the podcast notes for the transcript and vocabulary list, and if you liked this episode, leave me a five-star rating and share it with your friends. See you next time!