handout_British_education

							Education in Britain lasts for …… years and is compulsory from (the age of) …… to (the age of) …….
It is provided by two kinds of schools:
public or independent (fee-charging) schools and state-funded schools. In British usage, a public school
is actually a …………… school, while a government-run school is called a …………… school.
When they are …… and …… children attend ………………………, also called “……………………”, which is a
German expression meaning “……………………………”.
Compulsory education is structured into ………………………… and ……………………………….
Primary or …………………… education is divided into …………… (from 5 to 7) and ………… (from 8 to 11)
schools. The major goals of primary education are achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all
their students, as well as establishing foundations in science, geography, history and other social
sciences.
…………………………………, or secondary school, is a period of education which follows directly after
…………………………… and which may be followed by tertiary or "post-secondary" education. The purpose
of a secondary education can be to prepare for either higher education or vocational training.
At twelve students can choose among:
………………………………, ………………… or ……… ………………………… schools.
The majority of students attend comprehensive schools; only a minority attends Modern or Grammar
schools. If you want to attend a grammar school you have to pass an entrance test: the eleven plus.
At the age of …… you sit your exams to obtain the so-called …………………………………………………………...
………………………………………… in the subjects you have attended: Chemistry, English, Physics, Maths,
History, Geography, Art, Music, Physical Education, European Studies, Religious studies, French, etc.
At 16 you can leave school. This is the point at which students have to make some serious decisions
about their future. Indeed, they have to decide whether to go to a university or college or to go to work.
If you obtain a certain number of passes (at least in 5/6 subjects) you can continue your school career
attending the so-called …………………. Here you study 3/5 subjects at Advanced level and if you pass the
exams you obtain the so-called ………………… (A) or ………………………………………… (AS) certificates, for
example in English, French, History, Religious Studies, Maths, etc.
Passes are graded from A (the top) to E (the lowest pass grade) - F stands for fail.
Now you can attend University, where you have to apply.

Higher education
Higher education is education provided by universities and other institutions that award academic
………………, such as university colleges, and liberal arts colleges.
Higher education includes both the teaching and the research activities of universities, and within the
realm of teaching, it includes both the undergraduate level and the ……………… (or postgraduate) level.
University Degrees are divided into three levels:
1. Undergraduate: you have to attend courses for three years to obtain the academic title called
   ………………………… (B.A.), ………………………………… (B.Sc.), ……………………………………… (BEng) or
   other (six years for medicine, and veterinary science), with a final exam;
2. Postgraduate is the second level degree called ……………………… (M.A.) or ……………………………
   (M.Sc.) after one further year of attendance. You have to produce an original paper, a thesis on
   some subject;
3. ………………………………… (Ph. D.); it is granted to students who carry out research work for at least
three years. They are usually paid for that work and can become academics.
Education in Scotland differs from the system used elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Basically, there are
two systems: one covering England, Wales, or Northern Ireland and one covering Scotland. The two
education systems have different emphases. Traditionally, the English, Welsh and Northern Irish system
has emphasised depth of education whereas the Scottish system has emphasised breadth. Thus English,
Welsh and Northern Irish students tend to sit a small number of more advanced examinations and
Scottish students tend to sit a larger number of less advanced examinations.