School (noun) is an institution where children or adults receive education; also a group of people sharing the same ideas or style. As a verb, to school means to educate, train, or discipline someone. As an adjective, it describes something relating to school or school life (e.g. school uniform).
What Does School Mean?
The word school has been part of English since before the 12th century. It comes from Old English scol, borrowed from Latin schola, which in turn came from Greek skholē — meaning leisure or discussion during free time. To the ancient Greeks, learning was the highest use of one's spare hours. Over the centuries, the meaning shifted from informal intellectual discussion to the formal institution we know today.
In everyday British English, school most commonly refers to the institution children attend from age 4 or 5 up to 16 or 18. Crucially, in fixed phrases such as go to school, be at school, and leave school, no article is used — these phrases refer to the activity of studying rather than a specific building. Compare: She is at school (she is studying) versus She is at the school (she is physically inside the building, perhaps as a visitor).
Beyond education, school also denotes a group of thinkers, artists, or philosophers who share the same approach — a school of thought, the Venetian school of painting, or the Austrian school of economics. As a verb, to school someone means to instruct them rigorously, and in informal British usage it can mean to defeat or correct someone decisively.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| She attended a language school in London to improve her spoken English. | A2 — noun, specific institution |
| The children walk to school together every morning. | B1 — noun, fixed phrase without article |
| His father schooled him in the basics of carpentry from a young age. | B1 — verb, to train or teach |
| There are two schools of thought on the best approach to learning grammar. | B2 — noun, group sharing beliefs |
| Her work belongs firmly to the Romantic school, prioritising emotion over classical restraint. | C1 — noun, artistic or intellectual tradition |
Etymology Note
Greek skholē (leisure, rest from work) → Latin schola (school, lecture) → Old English scol → Middle English scole → Modern English school. The same Latin root gives us scholar, scholastic, and scholarship. The idea that education belongs to one's leisure time is baked into the very etymology of the word.
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| go to school | Most children go to school at the age of five in the UK. |
| primary school | She teaches Year 3 at a primary school in Bristol. |
| secondary school | He moved to secondary school last September. |
| boarding school | Many famous politicians were educated at boarding school. |
| school of thought | There are two schools of thought on this controversial topic. |
| school run | Traffic is always heavy during the morning school run. |
| school uniform | The school uniform is navy blue with a white shirt. |
| after school | She attends a drama club after school on Thursdays. |
| leave school | He left school at sixteen and trained as an electrician. |
| grammar school | Admission to the grammar school requires passing an entrance exam. |
Usage Notes
No article in fixed phrases: British English omits the article in go to school, at school, start school, and leave school when referring to the activity of education. Adding the changes the meaning: at the school means physically present at the building.
School vs. college vs. university: In British English, school covers education up to 18. College may refer to sixth form or further education. University is for degree-level study. Do not use school to mean university in British contexts — this is an Americanism.
Verb use: To school someone in something is slightly formal or literary. In everyday speech, British speakers more commonly say teach or train. However, well-schooled (well-trained, well-drilled) is common in both formal and informal registers.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I go to the school every day.
I go to school every day. (No article in fixed educational phrases)
She is studying at school in Oxford. (meaning university)
She is studying at university in Oxford. (British English uses university, not school, for degree study)
He was schooled of classical guitar by his uncle.
He was schooled in classical guitar by his uncle. (school someone in something — use in, not of)