Education in Great Britain

British education has many different faces, but one goal. Its aim is to realize the potential, for the good of the individual and the country. Britain's education system is traditionally decentralized. Under the Education Reform Act of 1988 England and Wales began phasing in of a compulsory National Curriculum. The Act also aims to give parents a wider choice of schools for their children. Education is compulsory from 5 (4 in Northern Ireland) to 15 years of age.

Pre-school Education is provided in nursery schools and nursery classes for children from of 2 to 5 years /under-fives/.

Primary schools consist of the infant schools and the junior schools. At infant school 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 the 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. Such phrases, as " I ain't done nuffink" will have to be corrected. Primary pupils are to concentrate on math applied to everyday activities, such as shopping. They should count up to 1000, use simple fractions, add, multiply and divider numbers. They must be able to use measure 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 behavior. At 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 passed 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 occupation.

State Secondary schools for children aged 11 – 16 fall into 4 main types: secondary modern, grammar and comprehensive. Grammar Schools give the 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 the GCSE-A, which is required by most universities.

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

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

Comprehensive Schools provide secondary education for all children of the district irrespective of their intelligence. Over 90% of the state secondary school population in England and Wales go to comprehensive schools. The comprehensive system aims to develop the gifts of all children to the full. These are usually very large. At 14 children have to take an assessment test. At 16 they take exams for the GCSE (English, French and Maths) or the GNVQ - General National Vocational Qualifications (design, and tourism). At 18 pupils can take " A" -level examinations or " AS" (half of the content of A-level).

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. They include the preparatory schools (" prep") and public schools (for boys and girls over 13).

About 7% of pupils go to independent schools. Parents pay fees. Most of the schools are for boys. They live in separate houses. A house 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 the older boys. Eaton and Harrow are the most famous of the public schools for boys and Cheltenham Ladies Collegefor girls. Nearly all the men holding leading position in Great Britain were educated at public schools. The English used to say: " The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eaton".

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 1993, 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 specialized independent schools - including theatre, ballet, and choir schools. There are over 1200 special schools in England for children who have learning disabilities or behavioral problems.

Vocabulary Notes

goal / aim – мета, ціль

a wider choice – широкий вибір

infant school – початкові класи від 5 до 7 років

junior school – початкові класи для дітей від 7до 11 років

experience – досвід

to devote – присвячувати

strong emphasis – сильний наголос

behaviour – поведінка

carry - 1) вести, перевозити; 2) нести, носити; сarry out – доводити до кінця; carry about мати при собі, носити з собою; carry around носити з собою; carry back нагадувати про минуле; carry down передавати, залишати нащадкам

policy of streaming – методика диференційованого навчання

guidance – керівництво

white-collar profession - службовці

irrespective of – незалежно від

authority – публіка, влада

to pay fees – платити

to break down – розруха, падіння, цілковите знесилення

to aсcess - доступ