Interview with John Rickards

Q: At what age do you start school?
A: When you are about 5 years old, and then you start at the same grade as you do here in Sweden.

Q: What is the most important of these three in an English school when you put grades; presence, that you work hard on the classes, or that you’re doing good on the tests?
A: The tests. They are much more important than in Sweden.

Q: Can you address a teacher by name if you’re a student?
A: No, it’s most common with sir and ma’am.

Q: Can you address a student by name if you’re a teacher?
A: Yes, but most often by the surname.

Q: Is it common with school uniforms?
A: Yes, it’s the most common. But there are very many middle things also, like the school can decide that every girl shall have a blue skirt and every boy grey trousers for example. But students always try to break the rules, like the girls could come in a very short, light blue skirt, while others has dark blue. So I don’t think it works very good.

Q: Is England’s high school the same as ours?
A: Yes, mostly. But high School is an American term.

Q: Is the school buildings different than ours?
A: There are more older schools, but inside it’s much like yours.

Q: Is it common with punishments? What kind?
A: It’s quite common. You can sit after the class is over, or doing lines.
The teachers also have more “power” over the students that in Sweden.

Q: If you don’t have to wear school uniform, can you dress as you like?
A: It is very common with school uniforms, or middle things… Se Question five.

Q: How long do you have to study before you can get a job?
A: You can get a job after ninth grade, but it isn’t often that good. But many starts to work after ninth grade.

Q: In case of bullying, what measures do you take?
A: They don’t take that much measures, because bullying is more accepted in England. They often think that it is something you have to fix by yourself.
In former times it was often so that the older boys/girls was in charge over the younger boys/girls. (when there was separated school for boys and girls.)