He's just left Eton.

[Nonverbis]

Theatre by Somerset Maugham.

He told Julia at once that he desired to leave Eton at Christmas, he thought he had got everything out of it that he could, and he wanted to go to Vienna for a few months and learn German before going up to Cambridge. Michael had wished him to go into the army, but this he had set his face against. He did not yet know what he wanted to be. Both Julia and Michael had from the first been obsessed by the fear that he would go on the stage, but for this apparently he had no inclination.

"Now listen, Roger's coming home tomorrow. You now he's leaving Eton for good. I'm sending the car for him early and I want you to come to lunch. Not a party; only you and me, Michael and Roger."

"He's just left Eton. He's gone to Vienna to learn German. Of course he's very young, but his father and I thought it would be good for him to spend a few months abroad before going up to Cambridge. And what parts have you played? Your cigarette's gone out. Won't you have another?"

Could you tell me whether he has graduated from Eton or just dropped out of it?

 

[5jj]

We do not graduate from schools in the UK. We just leave at the end of the appropriate term. As Roger is going up to Cambridge, he has not dropped out of anything.

 

[Nonverbis]

We do not graduate from schools in the UK.

Well, thank you. I consulted Wikipedia. Eton is really a school. It's a college, which confused me. I envisaged it as a place for education after leaving a school, that is to get a profession. But in fact it is just a school. Thank you.

But in this case what "to leave" means?

It is a Christmas time, the dead of winter in fact, and a scholboy just at his whim decides to leave school and go to Vienna for a few months? How can it be? It is not about his summer holiday.

 

[5jj]

After they have reached the official school leaving age, students can leave school at any time they wish

 

[Nonverbis]

Adter they have reached the official school leaving age, students can leave school at any time they wish

I still can't cath what is going on here.

If he had finished the school, he had passed his exam, he is free. But if all his classmates continued studying and there were still subjects to learn on the curriculum, how could he leave?

This seems to be all about his last year at Eton. If I understand it correctly, in January he is leaving for Vienna for, say, three months. This means, he returns to Eton on, say, the first of April. Then he studies for two more monthes and finishes Eton.
But what about the final examinations? Even if he is allowed to leave for several months, is it practical and prudent to do like that?
The final year at school and the final half year before the examinations are very important.

Could you comment on that?

 

[5jj]

He thought he had got everything out of it that he could, Back when I was at school, it was common for Oxbridge candidatess to stay for the first term of the third year sixth form to take scholarship exminations. When these were over, students would often take nine months off to work or relax.

If he had finished the school, he had passed his exam, he is free. But if all his classmates continued studying and there were still subjects to learn on the curriculum, how could he leave?

He thought he had got everything out of it that he could, Back when I was at school, it was common for Oxbridge candidatess to stay for the first term of the third year sixth form to take scholarship exminations. When these were over, students would often take nine months off to work or relax before going up.

If I understand it correctly, in January he is leaving for Vienna for, say, three months. This means, he returns to Eton on, say, the first of April. Then he studies for two more monthes and finishes Eton.

No. He doesn't return to Eton. He has left the school, finished his time there.

But what about the final examinations? Even if he is allowed to leave for several months, is it practical and prudent to do like that?
The final year at school and the final half year before the examinations are very important.

He has no more examinations he wishes to take,