The education system in the UK. Education in Great Britain, in England as an example for the whole planet Higher education in England

British education is one of the highest quality in the world.

The legislation of this state prescribes compulsory school attendance for children from 5 to 16 years old (in Ireland - from 6 to 16).

All countries that are part of the United Kingdom dominated by public schools.

The issues of education on the territory of the Kingdom were dealt with from the day the Anglo-Saxons settled these territories, or even earlier - during the reign of the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, Latin and grammar were taught here in schools.

Main educational institutions were controlled by the church, and young people received practical skills through apprenticeships.

At the end of the 19th century, a single state education was introduced in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. In parallel, institutions of higher education developed.

The oldest universities in England - and have been open for more than 800 years ago.

In the 19th century, universities were opened in London, Birmingham and Manchester. In Scotland, 4 of the 6 first universities in the UK were opened - in particular, universities in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

The development of education continues to this day.

In 1988, a reform was carried out in the British educational system, as a result of which in all schools in the countries of the United Kingdom a unified state training program was introduced and in 1997 new education laws were introduced.

Early childhood education in the UK

Kindergartens, although they are called schools, are actually kindergartens.

British preschool education is not much different from Russian - children are taught to sing songs, tell fairy tales and poems, draw, develop their fine motor skills.

In kindergartens, little Britons study up to 5 years.

School education in the UK

School education in this country is divided into two stages:

  • primary (from 5 to 11 years old);
  • middle (from 11 to 16).

Primary education is provided in 3 types of schools:

  • grammatical (in such schools, the emphasis is on academic education, focused on continuing education in universities);
  • modern (here the leading role is played by the applied orientation for the purpose of subsequent professional education);
  • unified (the majority of such schools, here the academic and applied areas are balanced).

The schools provide for the continuation of education at the end of the main course.

Secondary education is considered complete if an A-level is obtained.

Receiving this level certifies .

The course of study in accordance with such a program lasts 2 years and is considered standard for assessing preparation and suitability for further academic education.

Education in elite schools(in some of them only boys study) not only for a fee, but also provides for testing upon admission.

Higher education in Britain

After receiving the A-level, young people can enter universities - universities or higher colleges and get a bachelor's degree.

In England, Ireland and Wales Bachelor's degree takes 3 years, in Scotland -4.

For some specialties, training includes work practice, in which case the period of study is extended.

Specific disciplines such as art and design require a basic course to be completed before a three-year study.

Architectural and medical education in the country, provide for longer periods of study - up to 7 years.

The UK education system is a product that has taken centuries to perfect. In the 21st century, it is considered a reference. It was this system that provided the core for the teaching lines of states. Both before and now teenagers go to England to get a competitive education.

The system of higher education in the UK is 4 periods:

  • Training;
  • General;
  • Afterschool;
  • Higher.

The stages of education in England are also post-graduate courses.

Compulsory education in the UK is eleven years. As the name implies, this is the minimum that is inevitable for the passage. It has a couple of steps:

  • Initial;
  • General.

preparatory education

The process of learning in foggy Albion arises from the earliest nails. Toddlers literally from the age of two already begin to gnaw at the granite of science. Primary education in the UK is performed through:

  • nursery;
  • Kindergartens (Nursery School);
  • primary schools;
  • Full cycle institutes (from two to 18 years).

As we can see, even kindergartens are not called kindergartens, but schools. And their programs are special. The emphasis is not on the fact that the baby could be sent somewhere while the parents are at work, but on the fact that the baby could master elementary educational materials from an early age.

Secondary education

The school system in the UK is not only a school direction. In Britain, there are also institutions of a different format. What are they needed for? Everything is aimed at ensuring that the parent can choose education in harmony with personal conditions. If a university is planned, one school is chosen, if parents want special educational schemes, another school is chosen:

  • Boarding school. Status studies aimed at enrolling in universities. Specificity: a teenager lives there all year. Separate boarding schools are in demand in the country. Russians can also enter the establishments;
  • Private schools. Specificity: personal approach, detailed study of the material, availability of all tools and equipment in the school. The doors of commercial schools are also open to Russians;
  • Public Schools. Only an Englishman can learn in them without spending money.

Colleges in England for Russians, schools where teachers communicate in the language of the Russian Federation, have not been created. Education is only in English.

There are types of schools with specifics:

  • Grammar. This is a path to the development of academic knowledge. Such schools are relevant if a teenager plans to try himself as a university representative;
  • Modern. Emphasis on applied learning. Schools of this specificity become relevant when a person plans to start mastering work qualifications;
  • Standard. Training according to the standard, in which the load is uniform. These are general establishments.

Transnational colleges are a chance for a high school diploma. They enter at the age of 14-18 years. Colleges have programs for admission to a university. Their passage is a guarantee of admission to the university without introductory tests.

Exams in the UK catch up with teenagers at the end of school. They contain the change of 6-8 items. If a person sees himself as a university student in the future, he will need to pass mathematics, a foreign language, natural sciences, and English.

Video about British schools

Post-secondary education

Places for the development of professional programs (Tertiary College) is an analogue of schools with an emphasis on preparation for enrolling in the university. What does vocational education in the UK provide? This is an offer for teenagers who decide not to pursue higher education, but at the same time want to be competitive in the job market. The issued diploma is a pass to work in the chosen field.

Post-secondary education will take 2 years. The main goal is to pass the A-Level exam.

Its specifics:

  • The student must expect exams after each year, as in regular studies;
  • In the first year, a person chooses 4-5 disciplines;
  • In the second year, a person stops his choice in 3-4 directions;
  • Subjects are not chosen randomly. It is expected that the teenager has already understood what he wants to become. In accordance with its purpose, lessons are selected.

Post-secondary education is given over to the implementation of institutions:

  • colleges;
  • Institutes, lessons in which are sharpened both for university programs and for professional places of study;
  • In institutions.

Most often, for Russians, the A-Level program is the first step on the way to education in foggy Albion. Russians can switch to the Foundation program. Its specificity:

  • Election of 1-2 disciplines;
  • Learning the language of the state.

Through the efforts of representatives of educational structures and employers, a different version of the Foundation program was created. Its specificity:

  • Duration of passage: 12 months;
  • This is an option for teenagers and adults who work. These programs are for busy people.

Higher education

The primary education of universities is called undergraduate. In the UK, there is a two-level training scheme. If in our country such a scheme appeared only in 2002, then in England it was perfected centuries ago.

Higher education in the UK is implemented through:

  • State Universities;
  • Prof. colleges;
  • Private universities;
  • Commercial colleges;
  • State. colleges.

In Britain there are degrees:

  • By art;
  • in economic sciences;
  • By architecture;
  • For accounting;
  • By engineering.

You have to pay money for it. But the British can also achieve budget places. Russians and other foreign citizens cannot apply for the budget. Only a teenager or an adult who has received a post-secondary education can enter them. The device is asking for the following data:

  • Scores already acquired in exams or expected scores;
  • A compact essay on goals, justification of why a teenager chose a particular area;
  • List of universities desirable for admission;
  • Characteristics from the school.

Secondary education in the Russian Federation will not become a pass to universities in England. What to do? You need to unlearn two years at a Russian university, pass the IELTS test, which will “tell” about the mastery of the language.

For studying in England, the legalization of a diploma of the Russian Federation is relevant: its translation into English, a meeting with a notary. It is necessary to confirm the authenticity of the diploma.

A student who graduates from a university becomes a bachelor.

The higher education system in England will take 3-4 years. The exact dates depend on the chosen future work.

Video about higher education in England

Postgraduate education

Postgraduate education in England is postgraduate and doctoral studies. There are four study programs in England that make up the post-graduate category:

  • Schemes for the passage to the magistracy. Will take from six months to a year;
  • Programs in specialties, through a number of which one can obtain a master's degree;
  • Academic and research programs, through which one can acquire a master's degree;
  • Doctorate. Will take 5-8 years.

There is one more difference from the domestic educational scheme - in Britain, the magistracy is an autonomous institution. This is not a transformation of the bachelor's level, as is customary in Russian reality.

Master's degree will take a year of time. The learning process is short but very intense. Requests to students are tough.

How to get into the magistracy? A bachelor's degree is the entry ticket. If a person has received the status of a master, he can choose to continue post-graduate studies with doctoral studies. You need to pass a test and an interview. Foreigners need to provide an IELTS certificate confirming the required level of knowledge of the official language of Britain.

Grading system

The grading system in the UK is not unified. That is, it, unlike our fatherland, is diverse. Based on these factors, the evaluation structure is selected:

  • Region;
  • The specifics of training.

There are two grading systems:


Holidays in the UK

Studying in England in the summer for children, as a rule, is aimed at learning the language. However, for teenagers there are also courses:

  • By art;
  • By design;
  • Acting and others.

They help you learn new skills. Since the training is associated with intensive communication with the British, the bonus is the pumping of English proficiency.

Getting an education for Russians

Education in England for Russians is ideally done when the child is very young. To implement this, a commercial school is selected. In this option, the teenager will have time to adapt to English standards, master the language, get used to the environment. How much does it cost to study in England? Institutional policy is the center of decisions. The estimated price for commercial schools in the country will be 4-5 thousand pounds per trimester.

This is relevant only for those students who are eager to go to Cambridge or other status universities. If the ambitions of a teenager and his parents are not so great, you can prefer small private schools, the price of education in which is, plus or minus, 2 thousand pounds.

Can education in England be free? Unfortunately, Russians have virtually no access to education, for which they will not have to pay money. However, nevertheless, you can acquire an education without paying money for it, according to the following schemes:

  • Registration of citizenship, which will make it possible to apply for budget places;
  • Participation in international programs;
  • Exchange trips, if the Russian university has established contacts with local universities;
  • Grants for study in England;
  • Scholarships from the Russian Federation or from universities in Britain.

By the way, some people are so obsessed with studying in foggy Albion that they try to get to their dream by very extravagant methods. For example, applying for refugee status. But this is a laborious path, since refugee status with all its privileges is not granted to everyone.

To solve the problem of tuition fees, it is better to contact directly the representative of the educational institution in which the teenager dreams of enrolling. In a personal case, a reduction in the cost of training is possible.

In conclusion, it can be noted that the majority, when it comes to education, is stopped by the significant price and the fact that foreigners have to pay for education. However, ways to solve the financial problem are possible. To search for them, it is recommended to contact representatives of institutions directly, since information about grants and programs is not advertised extensively.

24.04.2018

The modern education system in England is based on its own traditions of teaching the younger generation, accumulated over the centuries. Not just because she deserved the status of a reference. As has been said more than once, many educational institutions in the UK are known for their centuries-old history and are famous for their amazing quality of education.

At the moment, the English education system includes four main stages:

  • Primary education - from 5 to 11 years;
  • Secondary - from 11 to 16 years;
  • After school - from 16 to 18 years;
  • Higher - from the age of 18.

The main stages of education in England (based on public schools):

  • children aged 5-11 attend primary school;
  • children aged 11-16 study in secondary school;
  • at 16 - 18 years old - receive a complete secondary education;
  • at 18 - 22 students receive a bachelor's degree.

Before going to school, the child takes a pre-school training course (from the age of 3), during which the emphasis is on educational issues and developmental activities, the material is presented in a playful way. Knowledge at this stage is not overloaded. The basic principle is that there is a time for everything.
At the age of 5, all children, without exception, without fail, begin their studies at, where they study until they are 11.

When moving to secondary school, the exact sciences and additional lessons are added to the basic list of subjects: geography, history, the basics of religion, art, music, foreign languages.
At the age of 16, children graduate from high school. In order to receive a diploma of secondary education, it is necessary to pass the GCSE final exam. However, this diploma does not give the right to enter higher educational institutions.

In order to try your hand at entering, you need to become the owner of an A-Level certificate (with a fairly high average score), which is issued upon completion of the course at university preparation schools - the so-called Six Form. Education here lasts two years, during this period there is a deep immersion in the study of 4-6 selected subjects. At the end, an exam is taken, according to the results of which an A-Level certificate is issued.

The academic year in English schools is divided into trimesters. Holidays during the academic year twice, last for two weeks, timed to coincide with the Catholic holidays - Easter and Christmas, summer holidays - six weeks. There is a short seven-day break during each trimester.

Secondary (school) education in the UK is expected to:

  • Transfer of cultural experience. Schools and other educational institutions must pass on to the new generation the cultural heritage, the wisdom of previous generations, which have been recognized as valuable from time immemorial and are zealously guarded by the British.
  • Socialization of the younger generation. Schools are conduits for accepted patterns of behavior and the values ​​behind it. Children are aware of the social roles that they have to play in society, in the professional field of activity, personal, family.
  • Preparation for the profession. This refers to the knowledge and skills necessary for subsequent professional activities. This includes both academic knowledge and practical skills necessary for mastering a particular profession.

In England there are a lot of schools for children requiring a special approach. They are attended by children with mental or physical disabilities. The program in them is simpler and focused on the characteristics of the students. Here in progress learning be sure to connect psychologists and physiotherapists.

Many parents have a cherished dream - to send their child to study at. Pupils here, in addition to the prestigious and high level of education, receive full maintenance. The range of subjects studied in a private school is much wider than in a public school, and the teaching staff is highly qualified and has an impressive material base.

Do not forget that the school system in the UK is famous for the strictest discipline, so even in a private school, where education is paid and costs a lot of money, do not expect concessions. Students may be expelled for poor academic performance and inappropriate behavior.

The modern system of higher education in England is distinguished by its democratic nature. Universities have a rich selection of different courses, from which you can choose the one that suits you, and if necessary, change the list of selected subjects for study.

UK universities are divided into two types:

  • Collegiate (consisting of colleges. For example, the universities of Cambridge and Oxford);
  • Unitary (with faculties and departments in the form of subdivisions).

The British government has completely entrusted the formation of educational policy to higher education institutions, the state only controls the quality of teaching.

Without exception, all students of English universities have access to libraries and scientific laboratories equipped to modern standards. Students have the opportunity to attend various electives. Educational programs allow in the learning process to receive not one, but two degrees of different directions.

Quite popular in the UK and. This format of education, as usual, takes place independently, but based on educational materials developed specifically for such students, as well as on periodic consultations with teachers online and by e-mail.

Historically, it has been British education resembles a pyramid: in the early stages, education is carried out in a wide range of disciplines, in the future, their circle narrows based on the choice of the students themselves, who at the age of 14 determine which exams they will take in the future.

The education system in England has been developing for many centuries and today is one of the best in the world, meeting high quality standards. Streamlining was achieved after the adoption of the first important legal act in this area, namely the Law on Education in 1944. From this began a glorious story.

Education in England today is compulsory for all citizens of the country at the age of five to sixteen. There are two sectors in the structure of the educational system: public and private (paid education). In general, there are two systems in the state on which the educational process is based: one of them operates directly in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and the second - in Scotland.

Secondary education

Schools in England are very diverse. Boarding schools are common, where students not only receive knowledge, but also live. Such educational institutions appeared in Britain in the early Middle Ages, they were mainly opened at monasteries. And from the twelfth century, the Pope introduced the obligation for all Benedictine monasteries to create charitable schools. Later, they began to charge a fee for training.

At first, in aristocratic families, the belief prevailed that it was better for children to study at home than in monastic schools, but then the understanding came that, regardless of origin, it is better for children to acquire knowledge together with their peers. This opinion became the foundation for the formation and development of privileged boarding houses, some of which function to this day and have been teaching and nurturing the elite of British modern society for more than a thousand years.

Classification

The education system in England includes:

1. Preschool institutions.

2. Full cycle schools for children aged three to eighteen.

3. Institutions for younger students, which are divided into Junior Schools and Primary Schools.

  • Junior Schools cater for children aged seven to thirteen. They are taught a special general initial cycle of subjects, and ends with an exam, the successful passing of which is necessary in order to enter the high school.
  • Primary Schools accepts children between the ages of four and eleven. In the second and sixth years of study, SATs are taken - they, as in the previous case, are needed for admission to high school.

4. Institutions for senior students are divided into Senior Schools, Secondary School and Grammar School.

  • Senior Schools are for children thirteen to eighteen years old. In such schools, teenagers first study for two years, then take the GCSE exams, after which they go through another two-year training program.
  • Secondary School provides an opportunity for education to children from eleven years old.
  • Children from the age of eleven also study at the Grammar School, but there are in-depth programs here. In such a school, you can even get a full preparation for entering a higher educational institution.

5. University preparation schools are for older teenagers between the ages of sixteen and eighteen.

In addition, in the United Kingdom, schools are classified according to the gender of the students. There are separate schools for boys and girls, as well as mixed schools. There are many supporters of separate education for children of different sexes in the country, who argue their position by the fact that boys and girls develop differently physically and emotionally, and in the case of separate education, they do not have to adapt to each other.

in England

It can be obtained from both private and public schools. Often, the British send their children to nurseries and kindergartens at the age of three or four years. Pre-school education in England continues until the child reaches the age of seven and includes learning to read, write, and count. As a rule, the development of children occurs in the form of play. Many private schools in the country have preparatory classes for children from the age of five. Upon graduation, children continue to receive primary and secondary education in the same educational institutions.

Primary School

As already mentioned, most parents send their children to school as early as five years old (preparatory classes). In general, in England, it begins at the age of seven and continues until the children reach the age of eleven. After that, children move on to secondary school, usually within the same educational institution. In this sense, education in Russia and England is not much different. The kids study mathematics, English, music, geography, history, art and industry technology. Parents choose the necessary items themselves.

secondary school

It should be noted that education in England is in English, and for children under the age of sixteen it is mandatory. Secondary schools educate teenagers between the ages of eleven and sixteen and prepare them for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or National Certificate of Vocational Qualification (GNVQ).

Secondary education in England, as one of its most important tasks, is responsible for the formation of independent, self-confident, creative individuals. At school, students master a general special cycle of training in various subjects, followed by exams. In order to successfully pass the exams (in seven to nine subjects), which is necessary for admission to high school, students begin preparing for them from the age of fourteen.

University Preparation School

Upon completion of the compulsory educational cycle, sixteen-year-old boys and girls can either go to work or continue their studies at the Sixth Form - a school where preparation for entering a university is carried out. Those who wish are invited to master the two-year A-levels course, which involves passing two exams: after the first year of study - AS, and after the second year of study - A2-levels. In the first year, four or five subjects are studied, and in the second, three or four. At the same time, their students choose independently from fifteen to twenty proposed options, there are no compulsory disciplines. Thus, young people determine their future specialization, to which they will devote three to five years of study at a higher educational institution.

Foreign students usually begin their education in England with a two-year A-level course.

Vocational and higher education

The UK has more than six hundred private and public universities and colleges where young people can find a profession. A variety of educational institutions are offered. Passing the preparatory course A-levels gives students the opportunity to receive either professional or higher education in England. The first is to master the course of professional training in the chosen specialty, and the second already includes undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and MBA programs.

Tuition payment

Education in England is paid both for its citizens and for foreigners, but for the latter its cost is much higher. Citizens of the country have the opportunity to study on credit, and the state requires its return only if, after receiving a diploma, a person can get a job with a salary of at least 21,000 pounds a year. Otherwise, you don't need to repay the debt. Recently, in the English Parliament, disputes about whether or not to increase the cost of education have not ceased, and many deputies are inclined to believe that it is necessary to increase it.

International assessment of the quality of educational services

Conducted international studies indicate that in the last decade the quality of secondary education in England has a negative trend in relation to the preparation of school graduates for universities. As for higher education, the UK traditionally ranks second or third in international rankings of higher education institutions.