Lesson 9 Stages in a person’s (British) education

Lesson 9 Stages in a person’s (British) education

Here are some names that are used to describe the different types of education in Britain.

play-school /nursery school

 

infant school

 

 junior school/comprehensive school or grammar school

 

university or college or polytechnic

pre-school (2-5 years old)

 

primary (5/6-12/13)

 

secondary (12/13-16/18)

 

further/higher (18+)

mostly play with some early learning;

 

basic reading, writing,

arithmetic, art, etc.

wide range of subjects in arts and sciences and technical areas

 

 

degrees/diplomas in specialised academic areas

Note: Comprehensive schools in the UK are for all abilities, but grammar schools are usually by competitive entry. Public schools in the UK are very famous private schools. Polytechnics are similar to universities, but the courses tend to be more practically-oriented. Colleges - include teacher-training colleges, technical colleges and general colleges of further education.

Make a table for the various stages and types of education in your country, like the table at opposite page.

How does it compare with the UK system?

Is it possible to find satisfactory English translations for all the different aspects of education in your country?

Fill the gaps in this life story of a British woman.

At 5, Nelly Dawes went straight to ……(1) school, because there were very few    ………(2) schools for younger children in those days. When she was ready to go on to secondary school, she passed an exam and so got into her local ……….    (3) school. Nowadays her own children don’t do that exam, since most children go to a ………..(4) school. She left school at 16 and did not go on to ………….(5) education, but she goes to………..(6) once a week to learn French. She would like to take up her education again more seriously, if she could get a ……… 7) or scholarship from the government. Her ambition is to go to a………. (8) and become a school-teacher.