Philological sciences / 2.Rhetoric and stylistics.

Mukhiddinov K.S.

Student of Don State Technical University

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN BRITAIN

The period of compulsory education in Britain has been eleven years since 1782 when the school leaving age was raised to 16. In England and Wales responsibility for the education service is distributed between central government, the local education authorities (LEAs), the governing bodies of educational institutions and the teaching profession. The service can be described, therefore, as a national system locally administered. Under the Education Act of 1944 it is “the duty of the parent of every child of compulsory school age to cause him to receive efficient full-time education”. Compulsory education starts at the beginning of the term following a child’s fifth birthday, and the minimum leaving age for all pupils is 16. The education provided in publicly maintained schools is free; where parents choose to send their children to independent school, they pay fees.

Nursery Education. Local education authorities (LEAs) are not required to provide education for children below the age of 5 by law but a number do so. In the 1980s roughly 40 per cent of the population of England and Wales in the 3-and 4-year-old age group were receiving some pre-compulsory education in maintained schools. There are many different types of schools in Britain. There are, however, only three main systems:

The Comprehensive System. More than 90 per cent of children who to state schools in England and Wales go to schools in the comprehensive system – a system introduced in the 1960s. Children go to a primary (or first) school at the age of five. Depending on the policy of local education authorities, they may go directly to the upper school – usually called the comprehensive school – at the age of eleven. Alternatively, they may go to a middle school for three or four years before going to the upper school. The comprehensive system is non-selective. This means that all children go from one school to another without being selected according to their abilities.

The Selective System. In some areas of Britain, you can still find a different, and older, system of education (introduced in 1944). This is a selective system – children are selected for certain schools according to their ability. All children go to a primary school until the age of 11. They then take an examination called the “Eleven Plus”. Those who are successful go to a grammar school, where they receive a more academic education. Those who fail the exam go to a secondary modern school, 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. About 7 per cent of children go to private schools. There are three levels of private school – primary schools (age four to eight) and preparatory schools (preps) (eight to thirteen). At the age of 13, children take an examination. If they pass, they go on to public schools, where they usually remain until they are 18. Many preps and most public schools are boarding schools – the children live at the school during the school terms. Be careful – although these schools are called “public”, they are, in fact, private, and it can be very expensive to send your child to such a school.

Education reforms. Recent government measures have increased the rights of parents to find out more about schools and make informed choices about their children’s education. Parents have a statutory right to express a preference for a school. Parents are represented on school governing bodies, which appoint staff and manage school budgets. Under new reforms, all state schools in England and Wales will be inspected by independent inspectors to ensure that they meet agreed national standards.

National Curriculum. Educational standards are being raised by the introduction of a national school curriculum consisting of English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Technology, Music, Art, Physical education and, for older pupils, a modern language. In Wales, the Welsh language forms part of the national curriculum. Religious education is available in all schools, although parents have the right to withdraw their children from such classes. All pupils are assessed at the ages of 7,11,14 and 16.

Examinations. The public examinations taken by British children are: GCSE ( the General Certificate of Secondary Education). Pupils usually take their GCSEs at the age of 16. Some children take 3 or 4 exams; others take as many as 10 or 11. Pupils who have passed their GCSEs may remain at school for another two years and take their A (Advanced) – level exams. All grammar and most comprehensive schools have a sixth form, where pupils study for their A-levels. Any students who wants to go to a university needs to pass at least two or three A-levels. There is also a Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education for those staying at school for a year after the age of 16; this provides a preposition for work or vocational courses. The project method is now a basic part of English primary education and many secondary schools are beginning to adopt this method. Project may be anything from organizing an entertainment to producing a magazine. They are given to individuals or to groups, and their purpose is to interest the pupils and to encourage them to work things out for themselves.

The school Year is divided into 3 terms:

Autumn Term – early September to mid-December;

Spring Term – early January to the end of March / beginning of April;

Summer Term – end of April to mid-July. Half-terms are not the same in all LEA schools nor in all non-state schools. School hours are usually from 9.00 a.m. until 3.30 p.m.

Public School. A public school is by definition a school whose head-master is a member of what is known as the Headmasters’ Conference (HMC). Only boys’ school belong to this group and therefore only boys’ schools are “public schools” in this sense. Originally “public” meant that a school was run by a governing body “in public interest”.

Bibliography:

1. “ Страноведение Великобритании” – O.A. Leonovich ; Moscow 2009.