Page 22 - TTTP_4_SB_SE

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Culture Page
A. Read the text and tick
the topics mentioned. 
1. Types of secondary schools
2. Primary schools in Scotland
3. How to get a scholarship
4. The members of the Royal
Family who have attended
public schools
5. Public schools and who
attends them
6. Britain’s first university
B. Read the text again. What do
the numbers refer to?
a. 30,000 d. 93
b. 16 e. 19 th
c. 1440 © MM Publications
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THE BRITISH
EDUCATION
SYSTEM
In Britain you can find some of the world’s oldest and most famous
schools and universities, as well as new and innovative schools.
About 10 million students attend 30,000 schools in England and
Wales. Scotland, while part of the UK, has got an education system
which is quite different from that of England and Wales.
Primary Education
For children aged 5 to 16, education is compulsory. However, parents
often send their children to nursery school at the age of two or
three. Many believe it is important for children to be around and
play with other children of the same age as early as possible. Before
beginning primary school, five-year-olds attend a reception class.
They remain in primary school until they are eleven, when they go
on to secondary school.
Secondary Education
There are different types of secondary schools in Britain. 93% of
British school children attend schools that are government-funded,
and for which they don’t have to pay. The most common are
comprehensive schools, which teach a variety of subjects. At 16,
students take GCSE exams, and those who choose to can remain at
school until they are 18 and take their A-levels. A-levels are necessary
for those who want to be admitted to a higher education institution.
Some students attend private, or, as they are confusingly known,
public schools, where they pay a lot for their education. They are
called public schools because originally students from any part of
the country could attend. Attending these schools gives students
status and it is common for rich families to send their children there.
Members of the British Royal Family go to Eton, a public school
(for boys only), that was founded in 1440. Nowadays, many public
schools offer scholarships so other families can afford them as well.
Higher Education
There are many different kinds of universities in the UK. The oldest
university of all is Oxford and it was founded in the 12 century. Its
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traditional rival is Cambridge, which was first set up by scholars who
left Oxford. ‘Redbrick’ Universities are universities that were founded
in the 19 century, mainly to teach practical skills, like engineering.
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There are also many other universities, many of which were founded
in the 1960s or even later. British universities enjoy a good reputation
worldwide, and many of the newer ones are considered to be equal
to or even superior to the older ones.
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