THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IN THE USA
Read the text about the school system in Great Britain and identify the levels of schooling British students pass through. Use a dictionary when necessary.
Education in Britain is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5-16. About 93 percent of all children are educated in state schools and the rest attend private schools.
Primary School. Schoolchildren attend a primary school for 6 years (5 to 11 years). The division between primary and secondary education is at the age of 11 when almost all children in the state system change schools. When students transfer to Secondary School at the age of 11, they do not take any examination, but their reports are sent on from the Primary School.
Secondary School. Most children - over 80 per cent - 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 results of the selective exams and the pupils' abilities.
Notes:
Grammar school - a school for children over the age of 11, who are specially chosen to study for examinations which may lead to higher education.
Secondary modern school - a school for children over the age of 11, who are not expected to go on to higher study later.
All types of secondary schools have the 5-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 (in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the education system is a little different).
Core subjects: English; Mathematics; Science;
Foundation subjects: History; Geography; A modern language; Art, Craft and Design (ACD); Music; Information Technology (IT); Physical Education (PE).
Religious education is also taught.
Attainment tests are given at the ages of 7,11 and 14. At the end of a 5-year course, at the age of 16, students sit the G.C.S.E. (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams in as many subjects as possible. Weak students may only sit for three or four subjects. Better students take ten subjects.
At the age of 16 about two thirds of these pupils leave school and get jobs or apprenticeships. About one-third stay on 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 (called A- 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 (for example, Book Club, Maths Club, Chess Club, etc.) and singing in a choir. Most schools have very good libraries which students use for reference work.
Read the text about the school system in the USA and identify the levels of schooling American students pass through. Use a dictionary when necessary.
There are different types of schools and colleges in the United States, and there are many differences among them. Yet, they are in some ways similar in their structure.
American students pass through elementary and high school. About 85 per cent of students attend public schools. The other 15 per cent attend private schools.
Elementary School usually means grades Kindergarten (K -most schools start at the kindergarten level) through 8. But in some places, the elementary school includes only grades К to 6.
Almost every elementary school provides instruction in Mathematics, Language arts (a subject that includes reading, grammar, composition and literature), penmanship, science, social studies (a subject that includes history, geography, citizenship and economics), music, art and physical education. In many elementary schools, courses in the use of computers have been introduced. And in some areas, a second language (other than English) is offered in the upper elementary grades.
High School generally means grades 9 to 12. However, in many districts, junior high school includes grades 7 to 9. And when grades 7-9 are included with the 10th, 11th and 12th grades, all six are said to form a senior high school.
Most secondary schools offer the same "core" of required subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education. In some areas and at more advanced levels students can choose some subjects. And they can take additional units as electives, for example, a year of European history and a year of world political issues. Elective courses vary from school to school. Some high schools specialize in business education, or industrial trades or foreign languages. A student planning to be a physician would want to attend a school offering many electives in science.
High school students can take vocational courses that prepare them to perform specific jobs, such as that of an automobile mechanic or a carpenter. Advanced courses prepare other students for university or college study.
Schools organize all kinds of sport activities. Most schools publish their own student newspapers, and some have their own radio stations. Almost all have student orchestras, bands and choirs, which give public performances. There are theatres and drama groups, chess and debating clubs, Latin, French, Spanish and German Clubs, groups which meet after school to discuss computers, chemistry, or other topics.
Compare the school systems in Britain and in the USA. How do they differ?
1 At what age do children in Britain and in the USA start school?
2 What types of schools can be found in these countries?
4 What subjects are taught in British and American schools?
5 What is the school leaving age in Britain and in the USA?
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Do the structures of British and American schools differ greatly from that of your own country? How?