The Education System of Great Britain Исполнитель

The Education System of Great Britain

Education in England is usually comprised of two stages, primary and secondary education. In most countries primary schools are subdivided into infant schools (ages 5-7) and junior schools (ages 7-11/12). In infant schools, children are encouraged to read, write, count and develop their creative abilities. Subject teaching is rare. The junior stage extends over 4 years. Children are taught arithmetic, reading, composition, history, geography, nature study and other subjects.

There was a time when children attended schools for special purposes and were separated according to their ability. The necessity to organize a school that would accept all the children from a particular area without consideration of their inborn ability became apparent in England. The first school of this kind, the so-called comprehensive school, appeared after World War II. These schools provide all the courses that were formerly given in grammar, technical and modern schools. These courses include all the academic subjects as well as practical subjects like cooking, needlework, gardening, shorthand, typing, woodworking and metalworking.

The main educational advantages of the current comprehensive schools are:

1) they are open to all children of all types of ability from a particular area;

2) the future of a child is not decided by the results of tests at an early age;

3) a much wider range of subjects is available to every pupil;

4) if necessary, a pupil can change from one course of study to another without moving to a new school.

Nowadays pupils can choose their own curriculum and take either a natural science course (math, physics, chemistry, biology) or an arts and humanities course (history, geography, Latin, foreign languages, arts, music).

Before leaving secondary school between the ages of 16 and 18, schoolchildren take one or two sets of exams. In England all examinations are written. Pupils can get five grades – A, B, C, D, E, or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Grade 1 is the highest grade. After examinations pupils get a General Certificate of Secondary Education.

After finishing secondary school and passing advanced level (A level) at age 18 or 19, young people may continue their education at universities and colleges. There are a great number of universities and colleges in Great Britain. The oldest university towns are Cambridge and Oxford. Together they are called Oxbridge. They have been famous for 700 years. It is a great honour to study at these universities. Now there are more than 66 colleges in Cambridge and Oxford. Five of them are women’s colleges. The rest are coeducational, which means they are for both men and women. The first women’s college appeared in 1869. The ancient buildings, museums, libraries, chapels and colleges are in the centres of these towns. The population consists mostly of teachers and students. All students have to live in the colleges during their course of study.

In the past, students’ life was very strict. They were not allowed to play games, to sing, to hunt, to fish or even to dance. They wore special dark clothes and special square academic caps called mortarboards. Students’ life is no longer controlled by such strict rules, but on special occasions, they still wear the dark robes and mortarboards.

After graduating, students receive bachelor’s degrees.

Comprehension Questions

1. What are the main divisions of the British education system?
2. When were comprehensive schools formed? Why?
3. What subjects are taught at the junior stage of primary education? What subjects are taught at the secondary level?
4. What are the most famous universities in Great Britain? How old are they? What are they made up of?

Discussion Questions

1. Name at least three ways the British education system is different from the Uzbek education system. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each system?
2. How do the subjects taught in British schools differ from those taught in your school?
3. Would you prefer to study a natural science course or an arts and humanities course? Why?