Transcript Britain Part

Britain Part
British Education System
I. Introduction
1) The purpose of education of the UK:
◎ to provide children with literacy and the other
basic skills they will need to become active
members of society;
◎ to socialize children: they learn rules and values
they need to become good citizens, to participate
in the community, and to contribute to the
economic prosperity of an advanced industrial
economy.
中国教育的目的：提高全民的素质，促进社会主义
物质文明和精神文明的发展
2)
 British children are required by law to have an education until
they are 16 years old.
 Education is compulsory, but school is not,children are not
required to attend school. They could be educated at home.
 1996 Education Act of the UK
Section 7 of the 1996 Education Act states: "The parent of
every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to
receive efficient full-time education suitable(a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and
(b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by
regular attendance at school or otherwise.“
 Education is free for all children from 5 to 16.
 Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged
between 5 and 16 (inclusive) across England. This can be
provided by state schools, independent schools, or
homeschooling.
 About 94 per cent of pupils in England, and the rest of the UK,
receive free education from public funds, while 6 per cent
attend independent fee paying schools or homeschooling.
3) Curriculum
 All government-run schools, state schools, follow the same National Curriculum.
4) The School Year
The school year runs from September to July and is 39 weeks long.
For many areas the year is divided into six terms:
＊September to October
＊ October to December
＊ January to February
＊ February to March
＊ April to May
＊ June to July
 (Some counties in England still follow the traditional three terms a year.)
 The dates for school terms and holidays are decided by the local authority or the
governing body of a school, or by the school itself for independent schools.
5) School holidays
The main school holidays are:
＊ Christmas- 2 weeks
＊ Spring - 2 weeks
＊ Summer - 6 weeks
There are also one week holidays:
＊ end of October
＊ mid February
＊ end of May
6) The importance of the relationship between
education and social class
In 1994, 46% of conservative party members
of Parliament, 3/4 of the Government
executives, and most senior civil servants are
Oxbirdge graduates.
“the old boys network”: an elite group of men
who went to school and university together.
In Great Britain, where you are educated is
very important to your future.
II. The present education system
1. state schools: funded by local and central
government
private schools: public
schools=independent schools
“league tables”: comparative tables which rank
schools according to public examination results,
truancy rates, destinations of school leavers and
so on.
2.
1)Before age 5: pre-primary schooling
such as nursery schools,
daycare or play groups
2) age 5-11: Primary school
co-educational schools/mixed schools
3) age 11-19: secondary school
comprehensive schools: provide general
education. Pupil can study everything from
academic subjects like literature and sciences,
to more practical subjects like cooking and
carpentry.
grammar schools: pupils who show academic
potential are selected through an examination
called “the 11-plus”(age 11). They concentrate
their study on advanced academic work rather
than the more general curriculum of the
comprehensive schools (Northern Ireland)
4) Examinations
age 16: GCSE exams (General Certificate of
Secondary Education)中学毕业证书
①quit school and find a job
②prepare to sit exams for university
entrance
③concentrate on vocational training
A-levels (General Certificate of
Education-Advanced)高级水平测试结业证书
GNVQs (General National Vocational
Qualifications)国家专业资格证书
III. Higher education
1. Three main groups of British universities
1) The old universities:
Oxford and Cambridge (the oldest)
4 universities in Scotland that were built in
the 14th and 15th century:
St. Andrew (1411)
Glasgow (1450)
Aberdeen (1494)
Edinburgh (1538)
2) The redbrick universities: 1850-1930
3) The new universities: after WWII
altogether: 46 unis, 35 in England, 8 in
Scotland, 2 in Northern Ireland, and 1 in
Wales
2. Degrees
1) Bachelor’s degree: 3-4 years of study
Bachelor of Arts for history, philosophy, language,
literature, social studies, theology
Bachelor of Science or Commerce, or Music
Honors
(first class: 5% upper 2nd class: 30%
lower 2nd class:40%
3rd class, pass, fail
15% of the students leave without degree)
Pass
2)Master’s degree: 1 year or more
Oxford and Cambridge
3. Governing of the school
1) non-academic chancellor/vice-chancellor
2) Governing
Council: a few professors together with
some local nobles
Senate: entirely academic, receiving
advice from the boards of the various
faculties
3) departments: chief (professor)
Professors, Readers/Senior Lecturers, Lecturers