Of English teachers

There are many different types of schools in Great Britain. In the first place the education system in Scotland is entirely different from that in England and Wales. All the remarks here refer to England and Wales, but not to Scotland.

First comes the state system, which provides education for the overwhelming majority of children. Although this is commonly called the state system and the schools are called state schools, they are in fact not administrated by the central government but by local councils. However, in administrating their schools the local councils are bound to obey certain rules which are laid down by the central government.

State schools. All children begin school at the age of five. They remain at the Junior School until they are eleven. By the 1944 Act there were three types of schools.

1) The Academic (Grammar Schools).

2) The Technical (Technical Schools).

3) The rest (Secondary Modern Schools).

In fact it boiled down to two types of children in most areas - those who go to the Grammar School until they are eighteen, and then on to university; and those who go to the Secondary Modern Schools and leave at fifteen. (No child may leave school before the age of fifteen). Some of the latter will go on to technical schools and colleges.

The selection as to which school they will attend is made at the age of eleven and is based on the opinion of the teachers who taught the child at primary school and on an examination known as the “eleven plus”¹.

Grammar Schools provide education of an academic type. The number of subjects taught is greater and the standard is higher in Grammar Schools than in Modern Schools, which give a general education with practical bias. In other words, children at a Grammar School get a better education than those at a Modern School.

Some years ago, the first of a new type school was built in England. This was a Comprehensive School. Comprehensive Schools take all children regardless of ability and provide all types of secondary education for all children of a certain area. There is no “eleven plus” examination and each child is given an opportunity to develop his talents and follow his special interests. The first Comprehensive Schools were set up in London. Gradually this type of school is spreading now. In many areas the most able children are taken by the local Grammar School but in some areas there are truly comprehensive schools.

Private Schools. There are also private schools in Great Britain. The law only says that a child must attend school; it does not matter whether it is a private or state school.

For the upper classes and for the wealthy groups there are certain schools which are called “Public” Schools. The schools are in fact private. Parents who send their children to these schools must pay high fees. Public Schools provide a good education and usually lead to two ancient Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. There are two kinds of Public Schools: those which are entirely independent of the state, called Independent Schools, and those which receive a monetary grant from the state in return for which they take a certain number of pupils without payment.

Notes:

1. “eleven plus” – одиннадцать плюс (экзамен, позволяющий определить школу для дальнейшего обучения).

Answer the following questions:

1. What is a peculiar feature of state schools?

2. What are the criteria for the selection of school a child will attend when he is eleven?

3. Why do they say that children at a Grammar School get a better education than those at a Modern School?

4. Where were the first Comprehensive Schools set up?

5. Who attends “Public” Schools? What are the two types of Public Schools?