SCHOOL SYSTEM

At what age do you start going to school? Until what age?

Can you leave before? Is it common?
Are schools divided by age? (elementary, middle, etc) How?
Can students jump forward, if they are talented? Can they do it if they lost a school
year?
Is education free or you have to pay some fees?
Do you have to pay for the books?
What is free in your school? What isnt?
What happens if someone cant afford it?
Are schools opened both for boys and girls?
Is there a student card that gives students privileges? (discounts on public
transport, for example)
Who pays for the bus/train fare? What happens if the student cant afford it?
Is there a school library? Can you borrow books from there? Is it free?

SCHOOL DAY
How long does a school day last?
Can students sleep at school? If yes, do they have to pay for it?
Do you have breaks in between the school day? How many and how long?
How does a school day start/end in your country?
How many days per week do you attend school?
Do you have holidays? When?
What do you usually do at school?
Can you eat at school?
Is there a canteen where you can buy/get food? Is it free?
If you can eat at school, what kind of food can students find?
Do schools organize school trips? Who has to pay for it?
Where do students usually travel to? Where do they stay? (hotel, host families etc)
Do schools organize school exchanges? If yes, also with foreign schools?
What school facilities do you usually have? (science lab, gym, swimming pool,
soccer field etc)

SUBJECTS, GRADES, TESTS & EXAMS

Are schools in your country divided on subjects? (language school, technical
school, music school etc)
What subjects do students study at school?
Can you choose what subjects to study and what to avoid?
How many teachers do you have for each subject?
Do you change class when you have to study another subject? (English room,
Math room etc)
Do schools in your country give students mark/grades? If yes, how do they work?
What happens when you get a bad mark/grade?
Do students have to repeat years of school if they fail?
Do you have tests in your school? If yes, how are they structured? (open answer/
multiple choice etc)
If you have tests, how frequently do you have them?
Do you also have exams? When do you have to take them?
What are the most important exams in a students life?
 Is religion taught in your schools? How does it work?
Is Food and Nutrition taught in your schools?
Is sex education taught in your schools? If yes, what do you learn?
Is Art taught in your schools?
Is Music taught in your schools?
Is Physical Education taught in your schools?
Do you learn languages at school? Which ones? How many languages can a
student speak when hes 14?

RELATIONSHIP STUDENTS & SCHOOL STAFF & TEACHER

Do you call your teachers with Mr,Mrs or can you use their real names? (John,
Anna etc)
Are teachers generally strict? Do you think they are open-minded?
What about the school staff?
Are there student councils or other form of student organization?
Can students decide something about the school system?

BEHAVIOR & PUNISHMENTS

What are some rules that every student have to follow?
Do students in your country wear shoes when they are in school?
In your opinion, what are some rules that are common in your country but not in
other places?
Can students use smartphones/tablets in your schools?
Is it possible to punish a student? If yes, for what reasons?
Is corporal punishment allowed in your school? If yes, when and how?
What kind of punishment can a student face and for what reasons?

BULLYING
Is bullying a serious issue in your country?
How do schools react about it?
How do schools prevent it?
Is there racism in your schools?
Is there homophobia in your schools?
Is there sex discrimination in your schools?

DRESS CODE
Do students have to wear a school uniform?
What clothes are allowed and what arent?
What happens if a student doesnt follow the dress code?

HEALTH & HYGIENE

Do you have doctors/nurses at school? If yes, do you have to pay for it?
What happens when a student is ill? Does he/she have to prove it?
Does your school also provide vaccines?
Is your school clean?
Who cleans your school? Do students clean school sometimes?
If a student writes on a desk/wall, does he have to clean it?
Do students have to shower at school (after sport, for example)?
If yes, do students feel at ease with it? If not, why?