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Education in England
Education is important in England, as it is in Wales and Scotland too.
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
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.
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.
School holidays
The main school holidays are: There are also one week holidays:
Christmas- 2 weeks end of October
Spring - 2 weeks mid February
Summer - 6 weeks end of May
Children normally start primary school at the age of four or five, but many schools now have a reception year for four year olds.
Children normally leave at the age of 11, moving on to secondary school (High school).
British children are required to attend school until they are 16 years old. In England, compulsory schooling currently ends on the last Friday in June during the academic year in which a pupil attains the age of 16.
At the age of 16, students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland take an examination called the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Study of GSCE subjects begins at the start of Year 10 (age 14-15), and final examinations are then taken at the end of Year 11 (age 15-16).
After completing the GCSE, some students leave school, others go onto technical college, others continue at high school for two more years and take a further set of standardized exams, known as A levels, in three or four subjects. These exams determine whether a student is eligible for university.
Active vocabulary
1. to require
2. to attend
3. education is free
4. full-time education
5. can be provided
6. the school year runs
7. term
8. the governing body of a school
9. independent schools
10. a reception year
11. the academic year
12. General Certificate of Secondary Education
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13. final examination
14. leave school
15. eligible
16. to determine
Text- based exercises
Exercise 1.
.
, , , , 5-16, , , , , , , ' , , , .
Exercise 2.
.
At of from into by to from
1.....can be provided...a)... state schools
2......receive free education...b) public funds
3.....the school year runs.....c)... September...d)... July
4..... the year is divided....e)...six terms...
5..... leave...f).. the age...g)... 11
Exercise 3.
.
1. Is education compulsory in England?
2. Must children pay for educftion?
3. Is full-time or part-time education compulsory?
4. What types of school are there in England?
5. When does the school year run?
6. Who decides the dates for school terms and holidays?
7. When do children start primary school and when do they leave school?
8. What exam do puiples have at the age of 16?
9. Where can students do after completing the GCSE?
Exercise 4.
, .
a) private / state school
b) day / boarding school
c) primary / secondary school
d) to go to college / to get into college
t) higher education / post-graduate education
Exercise 5.
