The System of Education in The UK

The System of Education in the UK
I. First stages
- in Britain all children start their education at the age of 5

- they don’t leave school until the age of 16
- nursery school: children between 2 and 5 may go to nursery school
- preparing themselves for compulsory education
- after nursery school there is a choice: state-schools OR public/independent schools
- 9 out of 10 children are educated in state-schools, which are free
II. State schools
- these schools provide their pupils with books and equipment for their studies
- the division between primary and secondary education is at the age of 11: almost all
children in the state system change schools
- at the age of 15 almost ⅔ of these pupils leave school and get jobs
- about ⅓ stays at school until the age of 18, preparing themselves for advanced level
examinations
Primary education
- takes place in infant schools (5-7), and junior schools (8-11)
- when they leave primary school they can go on to 3 kinds of secondary schools
1. Grammar School
- gifted children
- they study for examinations
- many of them continue their studies at higher education
2. Secondary Modern School
- for children who need a good practical education in addition to a general education in
things like English, Mathematics, foreign languages
3. Comprehensive School
- a combination of the first two types of secondary school
- these schools are open to children all types of ability from the age of 11
- over 80% of children go to comprehensive schools
- these schools are not selective, they want to develop the talents of each individual
child
- they offer a wide choice of subjects, from art and craft woodwork, modern languages,
computer studies
● Secondary schools of each type try seriously to build up the sense that the school is
a real community, with its hierarchy and authority
● 90% of the schools in England, Scotland and Wales are co-educational
● every school wants a hall
○ it is big enough to accomodate all the pupils
○ it is expensive to build up
○ the mornings begin with Assembly, for prayers and announcements
III. Uniforms
- in most secondary schools students have to wear a uniform
- girls:
- white blouse (perhaps with a tie)
- dark coloured skirt and pullover
- colours: grey, brown, navy blue, dark green or similar
- boys:
- shirt and tie
- dark trousers
- dark coloured pullovers
- both sexes:
- blazers (kind of a jacket) with the school badge on the pocket
- often some kind of hat on the way to and from school
- shoes are usually brown or black (no high heels)
IV. Private education
- 7%-8% of children go to public/independent schools

- parents pay for them a high tuition fee
- small proportion of pupils are paid for by the local authorities for various reasons
- they provide good education with small classes, high academic standards, good
facilities for sport, music and arts
- they attract good and dedicated teachers
Preparatory schools
- prepare the children to the Common Entrance Exam

- entry to the best schools at the age of 13
Public/independent schools
- they are in fact private schools

- the most famous secondary schools with long history and tradition are these
public schools
- it is often necessary to put your child’s name on a waiting list at birth to be
sure they get a place
- children of the wealthy and aristocratic families often go to the same school
as their parents and grandparents did
- Eton is the best known of these schools (Prince William and Prince Harry
went to this school)
- they are mainly boarding schools for 500 to 800 boys or girls (between the
age of 13 and 18), some of them take day-pupils too
- the majority of independent/public schools used to be single-sex, although in
recent years girls have been allowed to join the sixth forms of boys’ schools
● independent schools include religious (Jewish, Catholic, Muslim) and schools

for ethnic minorities
V. Exams
- students choose exam subjects in secondary schools at the age of 14 or 15

- In 1988 a new public examination- the General Certificate of Secondary Education
(GCSE) - was introduced for 16 year-old students. This means the end of the
compulsory education
- some children continue their studies in Sixth Form College
- 17 year olds in Lower Sixth
- 18 year olds in Upper Sixth
- prepare them for a national exam, ‘A’ level (Advanced) exam at 18
- A level is highly specialized and necessary for university entrance
- there is an AS level exam (since 1988): Advanced Supplementary
- it is worth half an A level exam
- if pupils wish to study more than 2 or 3 subjects in the Sixth Form, they can
take a combination of ‘A’ and ‘AS’ levels
- other 16-year-olds choose to go to a Further Education (FE) College
- most of the courses are linked to some kind of practical vocational training
- eg. engineering, typing, cooking, hairdressing
VI. School-days
- an academic year is divided into 3 terms:

- autumn break
- spring break
- summer break
- the intervals between them are formed by the Christmas and Easter holidays (this
may vary from region to region)
- usually 10 days at Christmas and Easter and 6 weeks in the summer from the end of
July to September
- school-days are from Monday to Friday
- from about 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m.
- lunch is provided in the school canteen -- parents pay part of the cost unless their
income is low enough to entitle them to free children’s meals
- pupils have 8 periods a day, each lasts 40 minutes
VII. Clubs and societies
- for pupils to participate in after school if they wish

- e.g. photography, science, drama, astronomic society
VIII. Universities
- there are more than 100 universities in the United Kingdom

- Students have to pay a tuition fee and living costs, but every student may receive
from the local authority of the place where they live a personal grant which is enough
to pay his full costs, including lodging and food
- the majority of the UK universities are government financed
- The Department of Education and Science does not exercise direct control, but it can
have important influence on new developments
Universities offer 3 types of degrees:(university qualifications)
1. Bachelor’s Degree
- the general name for a first degree, most commonly a BA (Bachelor of Arts)
or BSc (Bachelor of Science)
- who pass the exams at the end of 3 or 4 years of study
2. Master’s Degree
- the general name for a second (postgraduate) degree, most commonly an MA
or MSc
- at Scottish universities this title is used for first degrees
- students work for this degree 1 or 2 more years
3. Doctorate
- the highest academic qualification
- this usually (not everywhere) carries the title PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)
- it is awarded for a thesis that is an original contribution to science
Famous universities
- Oxford and Cambridge have a special and privileged position within British higher
education
- they are the two oldest and internationally most famous universities
- today they have less than 10% of all uni students
University of Oxford
★ the foundation is unclear, but there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096
★ the university grew rapidly from 1167
★ students apply not to the University, but to a specific college
★ there are many notable Oxonians (as alumni of the University are known)
○ Bill Clinton, Hugh Grant, Stephen Hawking, J, R. R. Tolkien
★ there are 102 libraries
University of Cambridge
★ second-oldest university in the English-speaking world (after the University of Oxford)
and the seventh-oldest globally
★ founded in 1209
★ alumni:
○ A. A. Milne, Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, Oliver Cromwell
- Both universities consist of more than seperate colleges, which are similar to small
autonomous universities
- Each college has 200 to 400 undergraduate students and 30 or more fellows who
teach small groups and form the college governing body
- the traditional and now world-famous method of teaching is tutoring:
- each college student has an individual consultant, called a tutor who meets
him or her once a week, gives out assignments, reads essays, answers
problems, gives advice or research
There is an annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge Universities in April

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The System of Education in the UK

- in Britain all children start their education at the age of 5

II. State schools

IV. Private education

- 7%-8% of children go to public/independent schools

- prepare the children to the Common Entrance Exam

- they are in fact private schools

● independent schools include religious (Jewish, Catholic, Muslim) and schools

- students choose exam subjects in secondary schools at the age of 14 or 15

- an academic year is divided into 3 terms:

VII. Clubs and societies

- for pupils to participate in after school if they wish

- there are more than 100 universities in the United Kingdom

★ there are 102 libraries

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