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Топики по английскому языку (English topics)

Образование. Структура образования в странах изучаемого языка.

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The school system in Great Britain

Education in Britain is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5-16. Nine tenths of all children are educated in state schools. All books and equipment are provided free. Uniform is worn in many schools but this is mow quite flexible. Students never repeat a year in British system, but they may be sent to a vocation school or section.

Primary school. Schoolchildren attend a primary school for 6 years (from 5 to 11 years). They study general subjects and special help is given to children with handicaps and learning difficulties. The division between primary and secondary education is at the age of 11 when almost all children in the state system change schools.

Secondary school. When students transfer to Secondary school at the age of 11, they don't take any examination, but their reports are sent on from Primary school.

Most children - over 80 % - go to a comprehensive school. "Comprehensive" means all-inclusive. They admit pupils of all abilities. But there are also grammar schools and secondary modern schools. The pupils have to pass an exam to go there; so admission depends on the result of the selective exams and the pupils abilities.

All types of secondary school have the five year courses for pupils from 11 years up to the school leaving age.

Pupils in all State schools in England and Wales study 10 main subjects: English, Mathematics, and Science. Foundation subjects: History, Geography, A Modern language, Art, Music, Information Technology, Physical education, Religious education is also taught.

Attainment tests are given at the ages of 7, 11, 14, and 16. At the end of a 5-year course, at the age of 16, students sit the General Certificate of Secondary Education exams in as many subjects as possible. Weak students may only sit for free or four subjects. Better students take ten.

Subjects.

At the age of 16 about two third of these pupils leave school and get jobs or apprenticeships. About one-third of pupils stay at school until the age of 18 preparing themselves for higher education.

The 6th form. More ambitious pupils continue to study in the 6th form. They stay on at school for one or two years to prepare themselves for university. They have only three or four main subjects which are necessary to pass the advanced level exams at the age of 18. In addition to the foundation subjects the 6th formers are offered many other courses at Advanced Level such as classical Civilization, Further Mathematics, Information Technology, History of Art, Social Biology and many others.

The school year is divided into three terms with the intervals between them during the Christmas and Easter holidays lasting about two weeks each and the summer holiday which begins rather late and is usually six weeks long.

All kinds of out-of-class activities are part of school life in Britain. Students have a lot of opportunities for playing sports, attending different clubs and singing in choir. Most schools have very good libraries which students use for reference work.

Private Education.

Seven per cent of British Schoolchildren go to private schools. There are 3 levels of private schools: primary schools (age four to eight), preparatory schools (age eight to thirteen). At the age of 13 children take an examination. If they pass it, they go to public school, where they usually remain until they are 18. Many preparatory and most public schools are boarding schools; the children live at school during the school terms. But though these schools are called public, they are, in fact, private and it can be very expensive to send a child to such a school.

The most famous public schools have a long history and tradition. It is often necessary to put a child's name on a waiting list at birth to be sure he or she gets a place. Children of wealthy or aristocratic families often go to the same public school as their parents and their grandparents. Eton is the best known of these schools.

It is situated in Eton, a town about 20 miles west of London, on the River Thames. The school was founded in 1440 by King Henry 4, and some of the original buildings are still standing. Many famous figures from British public life were educated at Eton. Immediately opposite Eton (across the Thames) is Windsor - a town which is closely associated with Eton. Windsor Castle, the largest castle in England and a favourite home of the Royal family, dominates the skyline the town.

Traditionally, public schools were always single-sex schools but now many of them are becoming co-educational, both boys and girls attend the school. Eton, however, still remains a public school for boys only.