IELTS Speaking: Describe a school you attended in your childhood

The topic “Childhood School” is a very familiar and emotionally resonant topic in the IELTS Speaking test. However, transforming these memories into a coherent speech that scores high on Lexical Resource and Fluency is a challenge for many test-takers.

To help you navigate this topic with ease, Mr. Trinh Nam Viet (an IELTS 8.0 instructor at ECE Foreign Language Center) has compiled the detailed academic material below, including high-scoring vocabulary, prominent sentence structures, and complete sample answers for all three Speaking parts.

Useful Vocabulary & Structures for the Topic “Childhood School”

Instead of using simple words like study, play, good school, you can elevate your speaking with the vocabulary and structures carefully selected by Mr. Nam Viet below:

High-Scoring Vocabulary (Topic Vocabulary)

Vocabulary	Meaning
Primary school	Elementary school
Homeroom teacher	Class teacher
Schoolyard	School grounds / Playground
Make lifelong friends	Form lasting friendships
Extracurricular activities	After-school activities
Have fond memories of…	Cherish memories of…
Well-equipped classrooms	Classrooms with full facilities
A sense of community	A feeling of unity and shared identity
To shape one’s personality	To develop someone’s character

Natural-sounding Sentence Structures (Useful Structures)

• To start the story: I’d like to talk about the school where I spent my childhood.
• To emphasize a preference: What I liked most about my school was…
• To recount a memory: One of my happiest childhood memories was…
• To assess importance: The school played an important role in helping me…
• To conclude/reminisce: Looking back, I still have fond memories of…
• To expand on meaning: It was a place where I learned not only academic knowledge but also important life skills.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Answers – Topic: School / Childhood

In Part 1, questions typically revolve around personal feelings and experiences. You need to answer concisely and directly, while still maintaining a natural flow.

Question 1: Did you enjoy your primary school?

Sample: Yes, I really did. I have fond memories of my primary school because the teachers were kind and my classmates were very friendly. Besides studying, we often took part in extracurricular activities, which made school life much more enjoyable.

Question 2: Who was your favorite teacher?

Sample: My favorite teacher was my homeroom teacher. She was always patient and supportive, especially when I had difficulties with my studies. She encouraged me to work hard and helped shape my personality in many positive ways.

Question 3: Do you still keep in touch with your childhood friends?

Sample: Yes, I still keep in touch with a few of my old classmates. Even though we study at different schools now, we occasionally meet up or chat online. I think we’ve become lifelong friends because we shared so many unforgettable memories together.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample Answer

Prompt: Describe a school you went to in your childhood.

You should say:

• Where it was
• What it looked like
• What you did there
• And explain why you remember it so well.

Sample Answer:

I’d like to talk about the primary school that I attended during my childhood. It was located not far from my house, so I could easily walk there every morning with my friends.

Although it wasn’t a very large school, it had a beautiful schoolyard with many trees and colorful flowers. The classrooms were clean and well-equipped, and there was also a small library where students could borrow books. The atmosphere was always welcoming, and everyone knew each other, creating a strong sense of community.

During my time there, I studied many different subjects, played games during break time, and often took part in extracurricular activities such as singing competitions and sports events. I also made many close friends, some of whom I still keep in touch with today. My teachers were patient and always encouraged us to study hard while enjoying school life.

Looking back, I still have fond memories of that school because it was where I spent some of the happiest years of my childhood. The school not only gave me a