System of education in britain

The first step of compulsory education in Britain is primary schooling. Primary schools cater for children between the ages of 5 and 11. The first two years are the years of infant school. In infant school (or classes) children are encouraged to read, to write in their own words, to understand and make use of numbers. Subject teaching is rare. At the age of 7 children go to the junior school where the teaching becomes more formal. About 40-50 minutes every day are spent on Arithmetic. Almost an hour a week is given to work in History, Geography, Nature Study and Music. Pride of place is given to English, which may occupy from 7 to 10 hours a week. Special care is taken to continue the teaching of Reading. The infant and junior schools are in many cases housed in the same building and may be regarded as two levels of primary education.

Children begin their secondary education at about eleven years of age. There are different types of secondary schools in England and Wales. The most popular and mostly often used by pupils are comprehensive schools. These are large state secondary schools for boys and girls of all abilities aged 11-16 (or - 18). Comprehensive schools were introduced in the 1960s with the aim to replace the system of dividing children between more academic (grammar) and less academic (secondary modern) schools. In comprehensive schools teaching is done in mixed ability classes. It means that children of all abilities are put in one class so you will have less able children, more able children and average children all in one class. About 6 per cent of students go to grammar schools, state schools which take only students who pass an examination at the age of 11.

At the age of 16, pupils can leave school. If pupils stay on, they usually take A (Advanced) levels, AS (Advanced Supplementary) levels or GNVQs (Greater National Vocational Qualifications). It is common to combine, for example, two A levels with one AS level, or one A level with one GNVQ. Pupils taking A levels study traditional subjects, such as French, Physics or History. To go to University, pupils usually need two or three A levels.

About 10 per cent of children attend independent public schools which are for children of rich parents, not for the general public. Britain's 200 public schools take fee-paying children whose parents are able to pay several thousand pounds a year. Public schools are believed to provide a better education in comparison with state schools. They are also known to give the right social background for top jobs in the Establishment. Most public figures were educated in public schools. One of the most famous and best known public schools is Eton College. The first education establishment of this kind was Winchester College opened in 1382, which is now very popular among the boys. Harrow School (founded in 1571) is known to have educated Winston Churchill (1874-1965), who was a politician, a member of Parliament (from 1900 till 1965), Britain's Prime Minister, the Nobel Prize winner, an honorary US citizen. One of the best-known British public schools for girls now is Cheltenham Ladies’ College (established in 1853). Not far from the southern city Brighton there is Roedean School known as the leading public school for girls.

Most public schools are boarding schools where students live during term-time. The discipline in public schools is rather strict. These may be the reasons why some wealthy people choose public schools for their children in Britain. A great number of former public school students become the students of the most famous and prestige universities. Oxford and Cambridge Universities are the first among them.

There is a wide network of further education institutions in Britain. They give students the chance to increase their theoretical background and professional training. Students may get further education after they have passed their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) exams taken at the age of 16.

Further education includes sixth-form colleges and classes where students work for "A" (Advanced) level exams necessary to enter a university. It also includes colleges of further education which provide a theoretical background and professional qualification training in nursing, accountancy, management, art, music, etc. Besides there are some vocational training courses in such fields as engineering, building, secretary skills, hairdressing and others. Many further education courses prepare people for jobs, some lead them to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and other certificates and diplomas. So-called sandwich courses offer students periods of paid work as well as periods of study.

Exercise 2. Answer the questions.

1. What is the first step of compulsory education in Britain?

2. What are children encouraged to in infant schools?

3. At what age do children go to junior schools?

4. How much time is spent on different subjects?

5. What kind of schools can be regarded as two levels of primary education?

6. What types of secondary schools do you know?

7. What are the options at the age of 16?

8. Why are private schools also called independent schools?

9. What types of private schools are there in Britain?

10. What children can study at public schools?

11. What education do public schools offer to pupils? What are the most famous public schools?

12. When do students get further education?

13. What does further education also include?

14. Do so-called sandwich courses offer periods of study or work?

Text 2

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text.