A school is a place where people go to learn about topics such as Reading, Writing and Maths. In a school, one or more teachers help students to learn.

In many places around the world, children have to go to school for a certain number of years. Learning may take place in the classroom, in outside environments or on visits to other places.

Some people attend school longer than others. This is because some jobs require more training than others. For young children, one teacher is able to teach all subjects. Teachers for older students are often specialized and they only teach a few subjects. Common subjects taught include: science, art, music humanities and languages.

In many parts of the world, schools also help children learn things about life.

• In school, pupils develop their personality.
• Schools teach pupils about religions and ethics.
• Schools help people recognise socially accepted behaviour.

Schools are organized spaces purposed for teaching and learning. The classrooms, where teachers teach and students learn, are of central importance. Classrooms may be specialized for certain subjects, such as laboratory classrooms for science education and workshops for industrial arts education.

Typical schools have many other rooms and areas, which may include:

• Dining hall or canteen where students eat lunch and often breakfast and snacks.
• Athletic field, playground, sport hall, and/or track place where students participating in sports.
• School yards, that is, all-purpose playfields often made of concrete.
• Hall where student theatrical and musical productions can be staged and where all-school events such as assemblies are held
• Office where the administrative work of the school is done
• Library where students ask librarians reference questions, check out books and magazines, and often use computers
• Computer labs where computer-based work is done and the internet accessed