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{{dablink|This article is about institutions for learning. For the concept of "schooling", see [[Education]]. For other uses of the word "school", see [[School (disambiguation)]] or [[Educational institution]].}}
{{wiktionary}}
A '''School''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] '''''σχολεῖον''''' - scholeion) is an [[institution]] designed to allow and encourage [[student]]s (or "pupils") to learn, under the supervision of [[teacher]]s. Most countries have systems of formal [[education]], which is commonly [[Compulsory education|compulsory]]. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools. The names for these schools vary by country (discussed in the ''Regional'' section below), but generally include [[primary school]] for young children and [[secondary school]] for teenagers who have completed primary education.
In addition to these core schools, students in a given country may also have access to and attend schools both before and after primary and secondary education. [[Kindergarten]] or [[education|pre-school]] provide some schooling to very young children (typically ages 3-5). [[University]], [[vocational school]], [[college]] or [[seminary]] may be available after (or in lieu of) secondary school. A school may also be dedicated to one particular field, such as a school of economics or a school of dance. [[Alternative school]]s may provide nontraditional curriculum and methods.
There are also non-government schools, called private schools. Private schools may be for children with special needs when the government does not supply for them; religious, such as [[Christian Schools]], [[Khalsa Schools]], [[Torah Schools]] and others; or schools that have a higher standard of education or seek to foster other personal achievements.
In [[homeschooling]] and [[E-learning|online school]]s, teaching and learning take place outside of a traditional school building.
== Regional Terms ==
[[Image:Serrekundamadrassa.JPG|thumb|240px|right|A [[madrasah]] in [[the Gambia]]]]
The use of the term ''school'' varies by country, as do the names of the various levels of education within the country.
===United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations===
In the [[United Kingdom]], the term ''school'' refers primarily to pre-[[university]] institutions, and these can, for the most part, be divided into [[pre-school]]s or [[nursery school]]s, [[primary school]]s (sometimes further divided into [[infant school]] and [[junior school]]), and [[secondary school]]s. There are various types of secondary schools which include [[grammar school]]s, [[comprehensive school|comprehensives]], [[secondary modern]]s and [[Academy (England)|city academies]]. In Scotland school performance is monitored by [[Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education]]. [[Ofsted]] reports on performance in England and Wales.
In the United Kingdom, most schools are publicly funded and known as [[state schools]] or maintained schools in which tuition is provided free. There are also private schools or [[Independent school (UK)|independent schools]] that charge fees. Some of the most selective and expensive private schools are known as [[public schools]], a usage that can be confusing to speakers of [[North American English]]. In North American usage, a [[public school]] is one that is publicly funded or run.
In much of the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], including [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Kenya]], and [[Tanzania]], the term ''school'' refers primarily to pre-[[university]] institutions.
=== Europe ===
In much of continental [[Europe]], the term ''school'' usually applies to [[primary education]], with primary schools that last between six and nine years, depending on the country. It also applies to [[secondary education]], with secondary schools often divided between ''[[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasiums]]'' and [[vocational school]]s, which again depending on country and type of school take between three and six years. The term school is rarely used for [[tertiary education]], except for some ''upper'' or ''high'' schools (German: Hochschule) which are used to describe [[college]]s and universities.
=== North America and the United States ===
In [[North America]], the term ''school'' can refer to any educational institution at any level, and covers all of the following: [[preschool]] (for [[toddler]]s), [[kindergarten]], [[elementary school]], [[middle school]] (also called intermediate school or junior high school, depending on specific age groups and geographic region), [[senior high school]], [[college]], [[university]], and [[graduate school]].
In the [[United States|US]], school performance through high school is monitored by each state's [[State education agency|Department of Education]]. [[Charter schools]] are publicly funded elementary or secondary schools that have been freed from some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools. The terms [[grammar school]] and ''grade school'' are sometimes used to refer to a primary school.
=== Universal Terms ===
In many countries, [[Business Schools]] are colleges providing instruction in business, business administration, and management.
[[Boarding schools]] are schools where students live [[Full time|full-time]] amongst their peers in [[dormitories]]. Some boarding schools are separated by gender.
==School ownership and operation==
Many schools are owned or funded by [[state]]s. [[Private school]]s are those which are operated independently from the government. Private schools usually rely on fees from families whose children attend the school for funding; however, sometimes such schools also receive government support (for example, through [[School voucher]]s). Many private schools are affiliated with a particular religion; these are known as [[parochial schools]].
==Components of most schools==
Schools are organized spaces purposed for teaching and learning. The [[classroom]]s, where teachers teach and students learn, are of central importance, but typical schools have many other areas which may include:
* [[Cafeteria]] (Commons), dining hall or [[canteen]] where students eat [[lunch]].
* athletic field, playground, [[gym]], and/or track place where students participating in [[sports]] or [[physical education]] practice
* [[auditorium]] or hall where student theatrical or musical productions can be staged and where all-school events such as assemblies are held.
* [[office]] where the administrative work of the school is done.
* [[library]] where students consult and check out books.
* Specialized classrooms including [[laboratories]] for science education.
* A [[Computer lab]] where computer-based work is done
==History and development of schools==
{{main|History of education}}
The concept of grouping students together in a centralized location for learning has existed since [[Classical antiquity]]. Formal schools have existed at least since [[ancient Greece]] (see [[Academy]]). The [[Byzantine Empire]] had an established schooling system beginning at the primary level. According to ''Traditions and Encounters'', the founding of the primary education system began in 425 A.D. and "… [[Soldier|military personnel]] usually had at least a primary education …". The Byzantine education system continued until the empire's collapse in 1453 AD.{{Fact|date=February 2008}}
Islam was another culture to develop a schooling system in the modern sense of the word, largely brought about by conquests of Greek, Roman and Persian cultures, revealing a wealth of knowledge.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Emphasis was put on knowledge and therefore a systematic way of teaching and spreading knowledge was developed in purpose built structures. At first, mosques combined both religious performance and learning activities, but by the tenth century, the Seljuks introduced the [[Madrassa]], a proper school built independently from the mosque. They were also the first to make the ''Madrassa'' system a public domain under the control of the [[caliph]]. The Nizamiyya madrasa is considered by consensus of scholars to be the earliest surviving school, built towards 1066 CE by Emir [[Nizam al-Mulk|Nizam Al-Mulk]]. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
Under the [[Ottomans]], the towns of [[Bursa]] and [[Edirne]] became the main centers of learning. The Ottoman system of [[Kulliye]], a building complex containing a mosque, a hospital, madrassa, and public kitchen and dining areas, revolutionized the education system, making learning accessible to a wider public through its free meals, [[health care]] and sometimes free accommodation.
[[Image:FSA school in Alabama.gif|thumb|right|350px|One-room school in 1935 [[Alabama]].]]
The nineteenth century historian, Scott holds that a remarkable correspondence exists between the procedure established by those institutions and the methods of the present day. They had their collegiate courses, their prizes for proficiency in scholarship, their oratorical and poetical contests, their commencements and their degrees. In the department of medicine, a severe and prolonged examination, conducted by the most eminent physicians of the capital, was exacted of all candidates desirous of practicing their profession, and such as were unable to stand the test were formally pronounced incompetent. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
In [[Europe]] during the [[Middle Ages]] and much of the [[Early Modern]] period, the main purpose of schools (as opposed to universities) was to teach the [[Latin|Latin language]]. This led to the term [[grammar school]] which in the United States is used informally to refer to a primary school but in the United Kingdom means a school that selects entrants on their ability or aptitude. Following this, the school curriculum has gradually broadened to include literacy in the vernacular language as well as technical, artistic, scientific and practical subjects.
Many of the earlier public schools in the United States were [[one-room school]]s where a single teacher taught seven grades of boys and girls in the same classroom. Beginning in the 1920s, one-room schools were consolidated into multiple classroom facilities with transportation increasingly provided by [[kid hack]]s and [[school bus]]es.
==School security==
[[Image:rathaykentst.jpg|thumb|right|400px|A typical school entrance building in [[Australia]]]]
The safety of staff and students is increasingly becoming an issue for school communities, an issue most schools are addressing through improved security. After mass shootings such as the [[Columbine High School massacre]] and the [[Virginia Tech massacre|Virginia Tech incident]], many school administrators in the United States have created plans to protect students and staff in the event of a [[school shooting]]. Some have also taken measures such as installing [[metal detectors]]). Others have even taken measures such as having the children swipe identification cards as they board the school bus. For some schools, these plans have included the use of [[door numbering]] to aid public safety response.
Other security concerns faced by schools include [[bomb threat]]s and the presence of [[gang]]s. [[Bullying]] is of major concern in many schools.<ref>[http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/bullying.html Bulling, Anti-bullying Legislation, and School Safety<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==School health services==
{{main|School health services}}
== Online schools/classes ==
{{Details|Cyberschool}}
Some schools offer remote access to their classes over the Internet. Online schools also can provide support to traditional schools, as in the case of the [[School Net Namibia]].
Some online classes provide experience in a class so that when you take it you have already been introduced to the subject and know what to expect, and even more classes provide High School/College credit allowing you to take the class at your own pace. Many online classes cost money to use but some are offered free.
== Schools in the Media ==
Schools and schoolchildren are frequently portrayed in [[fiction]] and the [[Mass media|media]], ranging from [[Harry Potter]] and [[Grange Hill]] to [[Battle Royale]]. See [[List of fictional schools]]
== Stress ==
{{POV-section|date=December 2007}}
As a profession, teaching has very high levels of Work-Related Stress (WRS)<ref name="WRS">[http://www.wrsrecovery.com/ Work-Related Stress in teaching]</ref> which are listed as amongst the highest of any profession in some countries, such as the United Kingdom. The degree of this problem is becoming increasingly recognised and support systems are being put into place.<ref name="TSN">[http://www.teachersupport.info/ Teacher Support for England & Wales]</ref><ref name="TSNs">[http://www.teachersupport.info/scotland Teacher Support for Scotland]</ref> [[Teacher education]] is increasingly recognizing the need for new entrants to the profession to be aware of and trained to overcome the challenges that they will face on the 'mental health' front.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
== Discipline ==
Schools and their teachers have always been under pressure — for instance, pressure to cover the curriculum, to perform well in comparison to other schools, and to avoid the stigma of being "soft" or "spoiling" toward students. Forms of discipline, such as control over when students will and will not speak, and normalized behaviour, such as raising one's hand to speak, are imposed in the name of greater efficiency. Practitoners of [[critical pedagogy]] point out that such disciplinary measures have no positive effect on student learning; indeed, some would argue that disciplinary practices actually detract from learning since they undermine students' individual dignity and sense of [[Self-esteem|self-worth]], the latter occupying a more primary role in students' [[hierarchy of needs]].
== References ==
<div class="references-medium" style="-moz-column-count:1; column-count:1;"><references/></div>
== Bibliography ==
*Dodge, B. (1962). ‘''Muslim Education in the Medieval Times''’, The Middle East Institute, Washington D.C.
*''Education as Enforcement: The Militarization and Corporatization of Schools'', edited by Kenneth J. Saltman and David A. Gabbard, RoutledgeFalmer 2003.[http://human-nature.com/nibbs/04/ed.html review]
*Makdisi, G. (1980). ‘''On the origin and development of the college in Islam and the West''’, in Islam and the Medieval West, ed. Khalil I. Semaan, [[State University of New York]] Press
*Nakosteen, M. (1964). ‘''History of Islamic origins of Western Education AD 800-1350''’, University of Colorado Press, [[Boulder, Colorado]],
*Ribera, J. (1928). ‘''Disertaciones Y Opusculos''’, 2 vols. Madrid
*Spielhofer, Thomas, Tom Benton, Sandie Schagen. “A study of the effects of school size and single-sex education in English schools.” <u>Research Papers in Education</u> Jun. 2004:133 159, 27.
*Toppo, Greg. "High-tech school security is on the rise." USA Today 9 Oct 2006.
* ''Traditions and Encounters'', by Jerry H. Bentley and Herb F. Ziegler
==See also==
{{sisterlinks|School}}
{{Wikiversity}}
* [[List of colleges and universities by country]]
* [[List of schools by country]]
* [[List of songs about school]]
* [[List of television series about school]]
* [[Music school]]
* [[University-preparatory school|Prep school]]
* [[School and university in literature]]
* [[Teaching for social justice]]
{{Schools}}
[[Category:Schools| ]]
[[Category:Greek loanwords]]
[[ar:مدرسة]]
[[gn:Eskuéla]]
[[ay:Yatiña uta]]
[[az:Məktəb]]
[[bg:Училище]]
[[ca:Escola]]
[[cv:Шкул]]
[[ceb:Ecole]]
[[cs:Škola]]
[[cy:Ysgol (addysg)]]
[[da:Skole]]
[[de:Schule]]
[[et:Kool]]
[[es:Escuela]]
[[eo:Lernejo]]
[[eu:Eskola]]
[[fr:École]]
[[ko:학교]]
[[hi:विद्यालय]]
[[id:Sekolah (institusi)]]
[[ia:Schola]]
[[iu:ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᒃᓴᓕᐅᕐᕕᒃ/ilinniarutiksaliurvik]]
[[is:Skóli]]
[[it:Scuola]]
[[he:בית ספר]]
[[ka:სკოლა]]
[[la:Schola]]
[[lt:Mokykla]]
[[ml:വിദ്യാലയം]]
[[ms:Sekolah]]
[[nl:Schoolgebouw]]
[[ja:学校]]
[[no:Skole]]
[[nn:Skule]]
[[nds:School]]
[[pl:Szkoła (oświata)]]
[[pt:Escola]]
[[ro:Şcoală]]
[[qu:Yachay wasi]]
[[ru:Школа]]
[[sco:Schuil]]
[[sq:Shkolla]]
[[scn:Scola]]
[[simple:School]]
[[sl:Šola]]
[[sr:Школа]]
[[fi:Koulu]]
[[sv:Skola]]
[[ta:பள்ளிக்கூடம்]]
[[th:โรงเรียน]]
[[tr:Okul]]
[[uk:Школа]]
[[vls:Schoolgebouw]]
[[yi:שולע]]
[[zh-yue:學校]]
[[bat-smg:Muokīkla]]
[[zh:学校]]