60 English Words for School & Education

School is its own little world, and it has its own language to match. You might chat happily in English about the weather, food or your weekend — and then freeze the moment a teacher says, “Please sign the report card and finish the spellings in your notebook.”

If you’re a student, you feel it in class. If you’re a parent helping with homework at the kitchen table, you feel it even more.

That’s exactly why we built this list of English words for school. Below you’ll find 60 words for school and education, in five friendly groups: things in the classroom, people at school, school subjects, exam and result words, and the action verbs you hear every day. Each word comes with a simple meaning and one natural example sentence.

If you’re still building your basics, start with our 100 essential English words for beginners first, then come back here. Even the word “school” itself carries several meanings — the Cambridge Dictionary entry for “school” is worth a quick look.

Don’t try to swallow all 60 words in one sitting. Take one group at a time, read the examples out loud, and steal them for your own sentences — your classroom, your child’s teacher, your next exam. This page is part of our growing English vocabulary collection; if you enjoy it, you’ll also like our list of English words for health and the body.

English Words for School: In the Classroom

Let’s start where every school day starts: inside the classroom. These twelve things sit on your desk, hang on your wall or travel with you in your bag.

• blackboard — a large dark board at the front of the classroom that teachers write on with chalk — Our teacher writes the new words on the blackboard.
• desk — the table where a student sits and works in class — I keep my books inside my desk.
• textbook — the main book that you study from in a subject — Open your textbook at page twenty, please.
• notebook — a book with empty pages where you write notes and exercises — She wrote the answers in her notebook.
• ruler — a flat, straight tool used for measuring and drawing straight lines — Draw a line with your ruler.
• eraser — a small piece of rubber that removes pencil marks from paper — I made a mistake, so I used an eraser.
• sharpener — a small tool that makes the point of a pencil sharp again — My pencil is broken; I need a sharpener.
• timetable — a plan that shows the days and times of lessons and activities — We have mathematics twice on the timetable today.
• homework — school work that students do at home, not in class — Our teacher gives us homework every Friday.
• backpack — a bag that you carry on your back, used for books and school things — He put his lunch and books in his backpack.
• chalk — soft white sticks used for writing on a blackboard — The teacher picked up a piece of chalk.
• globe — a round model of the Earth, often found in geography lessons — The teacher showed us our country on the globe.

People at School

A school is full of people, and each person has their own title. Here are the twelve you’ll hear most often — in the classroom, in the corridor and at parents’ meetings.

• principal — the head of the whole school, the most senior person there — The principal welcomed the new students on Monday.
• teacher — a person who teaches lessons and helps students learn — Our teacher explains everything twice.
• student — a person who is studying at a school, college or university — Every student in my class loves art class.
• classmate — a student who is in the same class as you — My classmate sits next to me.
• librarian — the person who looks after the school library and its books — The librarian helped me find a storybook.
• coach — a person who trains students in a sport — Our football coach is strict but kind.
• janitor — the person who cleans the school and fixes small things — The janitor fixed the classroom door.
• counsellor — a person at school who listens to students’ problems and gives advice — You can talk to the school counsellor if you feel sad.
• nurse — a trained person at school who helps students who feel sick or hurt — The nurse put a plaster on his knee.
• secretary — the person who works in the school office and answers phones and letters — Ask the secretary if you arrive late.
• tutor — a teacher who works with one student or a very small group — My son has a mathematics tutor on Saturdays.
• teaching assistant — a person who helps the teacher and supports students during lessons — The teaching assistant reads with the younger children.

School Subjects

Some words on your timetable name the subjects themselves. Here are twelve subjects you’ll find in almost every school, in almost every country.

• mathematics — the subject about numbers, shapes and counting, often shortened to “maths” — Mathematics is my best subject.
• English — the subject where you learn to read, write, listen and speak in English — We have English every morning.
• science — the subject where you learn about the natural world through experiments — In science, we did an experiment with water.
• history — the subject about important people and events from the past — History lessons are full of old stories.
• geography — the subject about the Earth, its countries, maps, mountains and rivers — In geography, we learned about the oceans.
• art — the subject where you draw, paint and make things — Art is the last lesson on Friday.
• music — the subject where you sing, listen to and play music — She plays the piano in music class.
• physical education — the subject with sports, games and exercise, often shortened to PE — Don’t forget your sports shoes for physical education.
• computer science — the subject about computers and how to write programs for them — Computer science is a new subject at our school.
• biology — the science of living things, like plants, animals and our bodies — In biology, we looked at leaves under a microscope.
• chemistry — the science of substances and what happens when they mix together — Chemistry experiments can change colour.
• French — the language of France, studied as a foreign language in many schools — My daughter is learning French this year.

Exams and Results

When exams come near, the language of school changes. Teachers talk about marks and results, and students talk about passing and revision. These twelve words carry the whole season.

• exam — an important, formal test of your knowledge, usually at the end of a term or year — The final exam is on Thursday.
• test — a shorter, smaller check of what you have learned — We have a spelling test every week.
• quiz — a very short and quick set of questions, sometimes just for fun — Our teacher started the lesson with a quiz.
• question — something that someone asks, which needs an answer — The first question was easy.
• answer — the words you say or write when someone asks you something — Write your answer in a full sentence.
• mark — the number of points you get for your work in a test or exam — I got a good mark in the test.
• pass — to succeed in an exam or test by reaching the result you need — She studied hard and passed the exam.
• fail — to not succeed in an exam or test — Don’t worry if you fail once; you can try again.
• result — the final mark or decision you receive at the end of an exam — The exam results come out next week.
• report card — a written school report about a student’s work and behaviour — Parents sign the report card each term.
• term — one part of the school year, usually one of three parts — The winter term starts in January.
• revision — studying again what you have already learned, before an exam — I need two quiet days for revision.

School Action Words: Verbs for Every School Day

Words are not only things and people — a school day is built from actions. These twelve verbs describe what students and teachers actually do, from the first bell to the last.

• study — to spend time learning something by reading about it and practising it — I study best in a quiet room.
• learn — to get new knowledge or a new skill — We learn ten new words every week.
• teach — to help someone learn something, or to give lessons — Mr. Khan teaches science at our school.
• read — to look at words and understand what they mean — We read a short story in class today.
• write — to make words and sentences with a pen, pencil or keyboard — Please write your name at the top.
• listen — to pay careful attention to sounds and words — Listen carefully to the instructions.
• repeat — to say or do something again — Repeat the sentence after me, please.
• practise — to do something again and again so that you get better at it — Practise the dialogue with your partner.
• attend — to go to a lesson, a school or a meeting; a slightly formal word — Students must attend school every day.
• explain — to make something clear and easy to understand — Can you explain this question, please?
• ask — to say a question because you want to know something — Always ask if you don’t understand.
• remember — to keep something in your mind and not forget it — I can’t remember the word for this in English.

School Words Learners Mix Up

Three pairs of school words cause trouble again and again. Here is the simple difference for each pair.

learn vs teach — You learn from a teacher; a teacher teaches you. Students learn, teachers teach — “My teacher teaches me, and I learn quickly.”

borrow vs lend — You borrow a book from the library, which means you take it for a time; the library lends the book to you, which means they give it. If the book moves towards you, it’s borrow; if it moves away from you, it’s lend.

exam vs test — An exam is big, formal and usually comes at the end of a term; a test is smaller, shorter and can happen in any week. A quiz is smaller still.

How to Learn School Words Faster

Sixty words can feel like a lot — until you start meeting them in real life. These three small habits work better than one long evening of memorising.

Tip 1: Label your world. Put sticky notes on a notebook, a ruler and a backpack at home. Every time you touch the thing, you read its English word — and words you touch are words you keep.

Tip 2: Start with your own week. Learn the subjects and people in your real timetable before the rest of the list. The words you need on Monday morning are the words your memory holds most easily.

Tip 3: Say one true sentence a day. Use one new word in a real sentence about your own day: “Today I have mathematics and art,” or “The librarian helped me today.” Our daily use English sentences are perfect practice material, and when you’re ready for full conversations, try our English conversation practice dialogues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a student and a pupil?

Both words mean a person who is learning at a school. “Pupil” is common in British English for younger children at primary school, while “student” fits any age and is the usual word for older students and university. In American English, “student” is used for everyone.

How can I help my child learn these school words?

Keep it small and playful: label a few things at home, read one example sentence together each evening, and ask, “What did your teacher say today?” For songs, games and stories that make children ask for more, the British Council’s LearnEnglish Kids website is a wonderful free place to start.

Is “homework” countable?

No, homework is uncountable in English, so we don’t say “a homework” or “two homeworks.” Say “some homework,” “a piece of homework,” or simply “My homework is finished.”

What is the difference between a mark and a grade?

A mark is usually a number, like 17 out of 20. A grade is usually a letter or a word, like A, B or “excellent.” Schools in Britain often talk about marks, while schools in America often talk about grades.

How many of these words should I learn each day?

Five a day is a kind, steady speed. In twelve days you’ll know the whole list — and because every word here comes with an example, try to say one sentence of your own for each new word. Small daily steps beat one giant list every time.