“BRITISH CULTURE’’

Studying in a foreign country is a challenge. You will be studying using another language and you will also be living in a different culture. Although life is the same in many ways: you have to eat, have friends, have people who care about you, all these parts of life may look very different at first!

-Food

School food is really good but it may not be like food at home. There is a wide choice at lunch, a hot dish, for example pasta (can you eat pasta?) and then a wide choice of salads (can you eatsalad?-it’s very good for you...) This is followed by a pudding (sweet), for example ‘fruit crumble’ - cooked apple with a sweet topping made from flour, sugar and butter –it sounds strange but all English children love it, or fresh fruit.

Apple Crumble Pasta bakeYou will be able to cook for yourself if you want in the evenings, on Friday and Saturday if you are Sixth Form, Year 11 and 10. At weekends for all Years meals are always provided, if you chose not to cook. You must keep eating!

-Food manners in EnglandIt is useful for foreign students to know some of our English habits that may be different from yours when eating. English people do not eat with their mouths open and try to eat quietly (or that is what mothers try to teach their children!) We know that other ways aren’t wrong-it is just that we are different.

-WeatherIn September it is often warm andsunny. After this it can get colder andcan rain often. By December theevenings are dark and it is cold! Youwill be warm inside buildings but youshould expect to wear a plain white T-shirt or vest under your schooluniform. Bring a good waterproofjacket with a hood.

-SportYou will take part in at least one ‘games’ lesson a week in Sixth Form, and around 2 in lower years. There is a wide choice of sports including basketball, gym and trampolining, football, rugby, surfing......too many to list here.

-Drinking alcohol and smoking

Different cultures have different attitudes to drinking alcohol. In some European countries younger teenagers are allowed to drink and this is normal for them. In England this is not normal and students should know that it is against school rules to drink. The school is non-smoking site, both for staff and students. It is against the law to smoke indoors in public places in england. We want our students to be safe and healthy.

Special Focus in Education

Education in England

Traditionally the English, Welsh and NorthernIrish system has emphasised depth of educationwhereas the Scottish system has emphasisedbreadth. Thus English, Welsh and NorthernIrish students tend to sit a small number ofmore advanced examinations and Scottishstudents tend to sit a larger number of lessadvanced examinations. It should be noted thatlocal English practice can vary from this generalpicture although Scottish practice is well nighuniversal.

‘’Primary Education’’

Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. In most Western countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education (though in many jurisdictions it is permissible for parents to provide it).

Elementary SchoolThe elementary school consists of the first seven years of school, that is, grades 1 through 5 or 6, as well as kindergarten , a preliminary year of school before grade 1 (known in England and Wales as ' Reception '). Originally, however, it was studied after primary school in the 19th century, (some schools that have only the youngest students are called primary schools to this day). Also known as grammar school in the United States it is a major segment of compulsory education. Until the latter third of the 20th century, however, grammar school (or elementary school) was grades 1 through 8. After grammar school, one usually attends high school . (In many districts, grades 5-8 or 5-9 were called " middle school ", or further separated into " intermediate school ", "middle school", and/or " junior high school ".)

Secondary EducationSecondary education , or secondary school , is a period of education which follows directly after primary education (such as intermediate school or elementary school ), and which may be followed by tertiary or "post-secondary" education. The purpose of a secondary education can be to prepare for either higher education or vocational training.

British in Universities Student LiveExplore the local area. City University London is in Islington, an area of central London that is known for its great cafés, bars and restaurants, theatres and arts venues.Live in central London. We are just a few Underground stops away from London's West End, the British Library and many free museums.

Go out. We are in the heart of the Capital, so you won't have to go far to find new club nights, the latest films, and highly-rated dance, theatre, cabaret and comedy shows.Practise your faith. The Chaplaincy and Faith Advisory Team at City offers support to everyone, of all faiths and none, and is provided to all members of the University.Sport at City. The Students' Union organises a range of sporting activities and our sport and fitness specialists can advise you on wellbeing and sports facilities nearby.

Clubs and societies. We have clubs for engineers, entrepreneurs, chess lovers, electronic music enthusiasts and Russian speakers, among many others. If there's not an existing club or society for your hobby, you'll get help to set up your own.Volunteering. Make a difference to someone else's life and improve your own employability by volunteering with one of our partner organisations.

British Perception of JapaneseFor the purpose of studying the problemsarising from cultural and attitudinaldifferences between the two national groupsworking together in international businessorganizations, a survey was conducted amongBritish local employees working in six Japaneseowned financial companies and banks in theLondon area.

1. British locals perceive Japanese expatriates as loyal to the organization, as trustworthy, somewhat friendly, competent, patient, and fair, on the one hand, and as secretive, hard to understand, indecisive, and untrusting of others on the other;

2. The perception of the expatriates significantly differs by position, where the locals with higher ranks are likely to perceive the expatriates more negatively than the ones with lower ranks; and

3. There are significant differences in perception as the length of contact varies. The locals who have worked longer tend to view the expatriates more negatively than those who have worked for shorter periods. Policy implications for improved interpersonal relationships between the two groups are discussed.

Thank you