KEY STAGE 2 NATIONAL CURRICULUM TESTS. SATS

KEY STAGE 1 TESTS OR SATS

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KOSTROMA IS HE HOME OF ONE OF RUSSIA'S MOST FAMOUS CHARACTERS

SNEGUROCHKA OR THE SNOW MAIDEN.

LINK TO MORE INFORMATION

Student loans and finance

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

Full-time student	2017 to 2018 academic year	2018 to 2019 academic year
Full-time	Up to £9,250	Up to £9,250
Full-time at a private university or college	Up to £6,165	Up to £6,165

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

Full-time student	2017 to 2018 academic year	2018 to 2019 academic year
Living at home	Up to £7,097	Up to £7,324
Living away from home, outside London	Up to £8,430	Up to £8,700
Living away from home, in London	Up to £11,002	Up to £11,354
You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad	Up to £9,654	Up to £9,963

If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course you can apply for up to £3,680.

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/new-fulltime-students

ONLY FOR THE RICH?

Education in the UK

https://www.internationalstudent.com/study_uk/education_system/

• Key Stage 1: 5 to 7 years old
• Key Stage 2: 7 to 11 years old
• Key Stage 3: 11 to 14 years old
• Key Stage 4: 14 to 16 years old

Before primary school younger children can access reception and kindergardens, usually available at the school locally and of course privately. 

If your child is four years old before September, you can apply for a place in a reception class in the same way as you would for any school place. You child must attend school from the beginning of the school year following their 5th birthday.

Reception class is the first year at primary school, but unlike every other school year, it is not compulsory for your child to attend, but it is a good way to introduce your child to life at school.

British Council

Generally key stages 1 and 2 will be undertaken at primary school and at 11 years old a student will move onto secondary school and finish key stages 3 and 4.

Primary Education

Primary education begins in the UK at age 5 and continues until age 11, comprising key stages one and two under the UK educational system. Please visit the British Council page for more information on primary education.

Secondary Education System

Secondary education in the UK normally starts for most students at the age of 11 years old. Though not common, in some parts of the UK there are middle schools which run up to 12 or 13 years old.

Secondary Education

From age 11 to 16, students will enter secondary school for key stages three and four and to start their move towards taking the GCSE's - learn more about secondary education in the UK and what it will involve. Primary and secondary education is mandatory in the UK; after age 16, education is optional.

Further Education

Once a student finishes secondary education they have the option to extend into further education to take their A-Levels, GNVQ's, BTEC's or other such qualifications. UK students planning to go to college or university must complete further education.

Higher Education

Probably the most important subject area on this site, this explains more about the higher education system in the UK and how it works for international students. Most international students will enter directly into the UK higher education system, after completing their home country’s equivalent to the UK’s “further education.”

UK Degree Online

With online programs growing in popularity, this means the availability of top-notch online programs is also on the rise. If you want to obtain a UK accredited degree without having to relocate to the United Kingdom, choosing to study online is a good option for you. Getting a UK accredited degree online allows you to fit your studies into your schedule and save money on travel costs while having access to a variety of top programs.

https://www.tees.ac.uk/

DURHAM UNIVERSITY

FEES 

a 400 year old book! Robinson Crusoe.

Robinson Crusoe- Daniel Defoe

Version studied-

Penguin Classics edited by Angus Ross- Penguin English Library.1965

First published 1719

Daniel Defoe wrote this classic at the age of sixty, so there is hope yet!

A story described as the first real English novel. Written in 1719 and read in 2019. A mere 400 years later by a budding sixty three year old writer and poet.

The Penguin version seems to stick close to the original in its language and does not leave out details as in the Abbey classic version I acquired from Kostroma library. The other point that has to made is the size of the text in the Penguin classis. It is really small!

And annoying to read without a lot of light.

Another sign of my age, no doubt, but definitely worth mentioning and noting for future reading.

The story is as every young boy remembers, a man being shipwrecked, and adventures with pirates, but rightly so as described by the editor Angus Ross, as much more than an adventure story and as often is the case, having read the book as an adult, there are a lot of very wise and deep messages in the story.

Emphasising especially at the time of reading where I myself am experiencing a certain amount of isolation. References to the bible and self-belief are among the deeper messages to be found in this wonderful and very important story.

Writing in Russia and in Russian

I found this wonderful old typewriter today on a cafe. I don't suppose it is for sale! ?

It was good to catch up with Bob Beagrie today as we are continuing my study with the University of Teesside and the M/A Creative Writing course. 

Here's an example of some of my work so far.

Alexei Kondratyevich Savrasov

Грачи прилетели

Грачи прилетели?

Нет! Почему? 

Потому что голуби  едят голубику. 

И галки с голубыми глазами  едят клубнику

И вороны едят голубцы. 

Что? А где же грачи?

The rooks have arrived

Have the rooks arrived?

No!, Why

Because the pigeons are eating the blueberries

And the blue eyed Jackdaws are eating the strawberries

And the sparrows are eating the cabbage rolls

What? Where are the rooks?

Libraries and stamps

I have eventually found and joined the City Library.

This is a very important event for me, 

Especially as the library is a wonderful step back in time with old fashioned filing systems and telephones.

Even better a display of stamps and Philatelia from the local club.

It looks like a Middlesbrough player on this example from the exhibition!!!

Chefs and Bakers

A good French friend of mine once told me;

. You are either a Baker or a Chef, never both.

Well that may be the case in France mon ami!

It is true to say that I have never had the patience for baking and cake making, however, a little time and imagination and the results speak for themself!

Especially in a Russian flat with ingredients I am finding the names for. 7

For example Baking Powder! 

разрыхлитель

Pancakes and milk churns

The simplest things in life are often the most important and interesting.

Working away in the flat last Thursday, I was aware of a crowd gathering outside on the road.

Being a nosey, I made my way down stairs to investigate.

A queue was forming around a  UAZ BUKHANKA VAN.

This van first made its appreance on the streets of Russia in the 1960s and is still everywhere, 

Known affectionately as the BUKHANKA, буханка this word translates as the bread loaf, hence its shape.

In fact there were two vans parked next to each other, I then saw people arriving with their little milk churns and the penny dropped.

It was the milkman.

And the cheese, butter and Dairy product man.

Russians, especially of my generation are certainly like us Brits in their queuing habits, 

Going back to rationing queues, no doubt.

Being of the age to remember the morning bottle of milk at school, this was a real treat, so I made the effort to find out how it worked and how I could get some milk and butter.

It was clear that I was not getting any milk until I had a jug or some other vessel. So that would have to wait.

The Cheese and butter man was a different challenge, so I watched and made note of how people ordered their cottage cheese, block butter, cheese and other dairy products that I didn't know.

I came away with home made butter масло, Cottage cheese творог, hand crafted cheese домашний сыр. 

The following week I found a 3 litre jar and came away with a vat full fat fresh milk молоко .

Now my search is for a Bidon бидон , a milk churn.

wonderful vocabulary that enriches the language learning journey.

I then started to  find recipes such as Aladi оладья and blini,  блины which are different kinds of pancakes using kefir кефир , a fermented milk drink.