2. The comprehensive, selective and private systems of education

Schools in the UK are organized in a number of different ways. Therefore, there are many different types of schools in Britain, however, one can observe only three main systems: comprehensive, selective and private.

The Comprehensive System

More than 90% of children who attend state schools go to school in the comprehensive system – a system introduced in 1960s. Children go to a primary (or first) school at the age of five. Primary schools consist of the infant schools and the junior schools.

At infant schools children aged 5-7 in the form of games learn the 3 R’s: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. It is learning through experience. Children sit at their tables that are grouped into 6 or 8 places. Much of the time is devoted to playing, drawing, painting and music. Strong emphasis on the use of Standard English is the heart of the new proposals for English lessons. Primary pupils are to concentrate on maths applied to everyday activities, such as shopping. They should count up 1000, use simple fractions, add, multiply and divide numbers. They must be able to use measures from rulers to computer software. Children learn basic electricity and physics. In the PE the emphasis is on not only how to play games, but how to observe fair play, honest competition and good sporting behaviour. At 7 teachers measure children’s progress in each subject.

The junior school is for children aged 7 to 11. Most junior schools carry out a policy of streaming: A – for the cleverest, B – for the next in ability, and C – satisfactory. A typical classroom is divided into “areas” for different activities. The children can work alone or in-groups under the guidance of the teacher. Pupils must know their multiplication tables, do basic algebra, and square and cubed roots.

At the age of 11 children have to pass the Eleven–Plus Examination (now – an assessment test) of three papers: English, Arithmetic and Intelligence Test. About 25% of children win places at the grammar school, which opens the way to the University. The other 75% will go to a secondary modern school. They prepare pupils for non-professional occupations.

State secondary schools for children aged 11-16 fall into 3 main types: secondary modern, grammar and comprehensive. Grammar schools give General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) of two levels O /Ordinary/ and A /Advanced/. The GCSE-O marks the end of school career and a start of some white-collar profession. A small number of pupils remain at school until they are 18 to pass to sit for the GCSE-A, which is required by most universities.

Schoolmasters and mistresses of the Grammar Schools wear gowns and mortarboards, academic caps with a flat square top. The pupils are divided into Houses and wear uniform with the school badge.

Secondary Modern Schools concentrate on practical work. Boys are instructed in metal and woodwork, girls – in domestic science and cooking. The children leave this school at 15 with a certificate or Written Evidence of their studies.

Comprehensive Schools provide secondary education for all children of the district irrespective of their intelligence. The comprehensive system aims to develop the gifts of all children to the full. These schools are usually very large. At the age of 14 children have to take an assessment test. At the age of 16 they take exams for the GCSE /English, French and Maths/ or the GNVQ – General National Vocational Qualifications /design, business and tourism/. At the age of 18 pupils can take “A”-level examinations or “AS” /half of the content of A-level/.

The Selective System. In some areas of Britain, you can still find a different, older system of education (introduced in 1944). This is selective system – children are selected for certain schools according to their abilities. All children go to a primary school until the age of 11. Then they take an examination called the 11-plus. Those who are successful go to grammar schools, where they receive a more academic education. Those who fail the exam go to secondary modern schools, where they receive an education which is less academic, and more intended to train them for a job when they leave at the age of 16.

The Private (Independent) System. Independent Schools provide education of the grammar school type and are completely independent of local authorities. They receive a grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Education.

In the UK about 7% of children go to independent schools that their parents pay for and it can be very expensive to send your child to such a school. These are called private schools, but the most famous ones, such as Eton, Harrow, Winchester and Rugby, are always called public schools. Private schools in the US are often run by church groups, when they are known as parochial schools, but there are private schools, especially on the East Coast, that are considered to be very good, such as the Hotchkiss school, Andover Academy and Choate Rosemary Hall, but these can be very expensive).

Some British people think that children at public schools get a better education than children at state schools.

There are three levels of private schools – primary schools (age 4 to 8) and preparatory (“prep”) schools and public schools /for boys and girls over 13/. At the age of 13, children take an examination. If they pass, they go to the public school, where they usually remain until they are 18. Many “prep” and most public schools are boarding schools – separate houses where the children live during the school terms. The boarding school has about 50 boys under the care of housemaster and his wife. Much attention is paid to sport. “Fagging” is a public school custom in which the preps act as servants of older boys.

Within the three systems, there are several varieties of schools. For instance, you can find:

• schools for boys only;

• schools for girls only;

• mixed schools – for boys and girls;

• voluntary schools – often with a religious background – such as Roman Catholic schools.

You can see that the British education system is rather confusing.

Breaking down the artificial barriers between education and business is an important aim of the British Government. Pupils of all ages take part in workplace activities and work-based projects. One of the schools set up links with a telecommunications firm, which installed satellite dishes on the roof of the school. It gave the children experience of industry at first hand, and the school access to foreign language TV programmes to use in lessons.

In 1933, the government introduced a new type of secondary school called the City Technology College. They are in cities and concentrate on teaching science and technology.

There are also a small number of specialist independent schools – including theatre, ballet, and choir schools. There are over 1200 special schools in England for children who have learning disabilities or behavioural problems.