School Vocabulary
I have divided up my school vocabulary into easy to learn sub-sections. You will also find some more academic vocabulary that relate to university terms here.
School Subjects
| literacy | the ability to read and write |
| PE | Physical Education - sport and movement |
| History | the study of past events |
| Mathematics | abbr. maths (BrE) and math (AmE) - the study of numbers, measurements and quantities. Includes algebra and geometry. |
| Science | the study of Chemistry, Physics and Biology |
| Creative writing | writing that expresses the writer’s thoughts and feelings in an imaginative way |
| Computer Studies | studying the use of computers |
| Geography | study of the earth and its features |
Types of Schools
| Nursery School | school for young children (normally between the ages of 1 and 5) before starting statutory education. Sometimes also called Kindergarten and pre-school |
| Primary School | the first stage of compulsory education, also sometimes referred to as Elementary School |
| Secondary School | the final stage of schooling, between primary school and university, also sometimes called High School |
| Private School | a school that is not run by local or national government, also sometimes called independent or nonstate schools |
| Boarding School | a school where some or all of the pupils study and live during the school year |
| Co-educational | the integrated education of boys and girls together |
Nouns
like board
| headmaster | a male principal of a school |
| headmistress | a female principal of a school |
| pupil | a young person who studies at school |
| blackboard | a dark, smooth board, for writing on with chalk |
| canteen | place where food is provided at the school for the pupils |
| staff room | a room where the teachers can socialise, relax, discuss, eat and have a break |
| term | a semester, a time when a school holds classes |
| syllabus | the curriculum, the course outline |
| optional classes | classes that are not compulsory, you have a choice in whether to do them or not |
| marks | number, letter or symbol used to indicate various grades (e.g. 95%, A) |
| break | time in between lessons when children can rest from learning, when they can eat and play |
Verbs
| to play truant | to be absent from school without permission |
| to be absent | to not be present |
| to be expelled | to be forced to leave permanently, normally because of bad behaviour |
| to bully | repeated intentional cruel and aggressive behaviour |
| to learn by heart | to memorize |
| to cheat | to act dishonestly, to break the rules e.g. by using crib notes |
| to pass | to receive a grade or mark above the acceptable minimum |
| to fail | to receive a grade or mark below the acceptable minimum |
| to retake | to write an exam again |
| to revise (Brit) to review (US) |
to go through material again in order to remember it, usually before an exam |
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