Chapter 8 British Education

Guide

Before we start, I would like to ask you several questions concerning their education system to see how much you know about it.

1. Which are the two most important and famous universities in Britain?

2. Which government department is particularly in charge of education in the U.K.?

3. Is the British education system run by the state or the private sector?

4. At what age are children legally obliged to attend school?

5. Where do British universities receive their funds besides students tuition?

Focal Points

● The purpose of the British education system

● The relationship between education and social class ● The influence of the church on schooling ● Comprehensive school ● Grammar school ● The National Curriculum ● Public school ● GCSE ● GCE—A ● GNVQs ● Old Universities ● Open University

Text Introduction

Many people think school is just about teaching children what are often called \"the three R's\"—\"reading\and \"rithmetic\" (reading, writing and arithmetic). In other words, the purpose of school is to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active

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members of society. But the purpose of the British education system is also to socialise children. Children are taught practical skills; but in school they also learn the rules and values they need to become good citizens, to participate in the community, and to contribute to the economic prosperity of an advanced industrial economy.

Students Talk with Their Teacher

It is no surprise, then, that the state is heavily involved in deciding when, where, how and what children are taught. It is also, be no surprise that these decisions are often very controversial. Should naughty pupils be punished physically? Corporal punishment is currently banned in the UK, but some people—including the government minister responsible for education—would like to see the return of the cane. What sort of English should children learn to speak? Should children be forced to speak in a standardised way rather than with regional accents and idioms? Or do local variations in the way people talk contribute to the richness of British culture?

Such controversies are not just about education. They reflect the deeper divisions in British society as a whole. Britain is a society in which social class is still very important: class inequality can be erased or continued according to educational policy. If you understand the importance of the relationship between education and social class, you can understand a great deal about British culture and society.

The enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over how \"equal\" educational opportunity should be. Sociologists have found that 51 per cent of British people are working class and 49 per cent are middle class. While the split is about half and half, the opportunities for working class and middle class people can be very different. In Britain, the accent you speak with, the clothes you wear, and the schools you attend are all markers that identify your social class.

The school (or college) tie is a clear marker of social class. Even on informal occasions you will sometimes see men wearing their school ties as belts to hold up their trousers—proudly displaying their attendance at a certain school. To have attended the \"right\" schools—particularly the famous boys' public schools like Eton and Winchester—and the \"right\" universities--Oxford and Cambridge (these two rival universities have been nicknamed

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Eton

Eton Principal John Lewis

Winchester College

Oxford University

Cambridge Gate of

Honour

\"Oxbridge\")—is still the single best way to guarantee a successful career. In 1994, 46% of Conservative Party Members of Parliament were graduates of Oxbridge, as were three-quarters of the Government executive. Most senior civil servants are also Oxbridge graduates. When people in Britain talk about \"the old boys network\elite group of men who went to school and university together. Not only do they dominate government, but they are also very influential in banking, the media, the arts and education. In Britain, where you are educated is still very important to your future.

History

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Fans of great British novels will already know something about how education in Britain used to be in the past, and how even then class differences could be seen in the way people were schooled. Jane Austen's Emma is about the relationship between a rich young woman who has been taught the womanly subjects of the time—reading poetry, playing the piano, sketching, and speaking a little bit of French—and a lower class woman she befriends and decides to \"educate\" in order to make her more marriageable.

Charlotte and Anne Bronte's novels frequently have governesses as their

Thomas Hardy

heroines, while Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscur is about a poor man who dreams of attending Oxford University (called Christminster in the novel).

Nowadays, the British education system is run by the state, which provides funding, oversees standards, and tries to make sure that all British children receive a quality education. One of the largest, most important government departments is the Ministry of Education.

In 19—90 state expenditure on education was 24 billion pounds, or about 4.6% of the UK's Gross Domestic Product. But the state was not always involved in educating British children. Historically, education was voluntary and many of the schools that existed were set up by churches. The influence of the Church on schooling is still strong: until very recently, religious education was the only subject which the state insisted all schools teach their pupils (other subjects were left up to schools to decide upon). Daily prayers and singing hymns is still a regular part of school life. In keeping with changes to British society, however, Christianity is no longer the only religion officially recognised. In some cities, the state funds schools which have the Islamic religion rather than the Christian religion as their creed.

Before 1870, only 40 per cent of children under 10 went to school regularly. The main receivers of a more advanced education were the sons of the wealthy. One of the changes to British society brought by the Industrial Revolution was the government's decision to become increasingly involved in taking responsibility for the education of children. In 1870 the government passed a law which called for government-funded education. By 1880, attendance at school for children between 5 and 10 was compulsory rather than voluntary; and by the end of the First World War, the school leaving age was raised to 14 in order to dissuade children from leaving school in order to work to support their families.

Other major changes to the British education system were caused by World War II. When the Germans began dropping bombs on British cities, 750 000 school children were \"evacuated\" to live in the countryside where it was hoped they would be safer. Schools were closed or used for war purposes and education continued in the countryside on an ad hoc basis. As a result of this disruption of the old system, the government, with the assistance of the Church (a conservative force) and newly powerful

Jane Austen

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trade unions (a more socialist influence) began planning to reconstruct the education system. This time, the new system would emphasise equality.

The result was the 1944 Education Act which made entry to secondary (middle) schools and universities \"meritocratic\"精英领导阶级(或阶层)的一员,精英管理班子的一员. Children would be admitted to schools not because they were of a certain social class or because their parents possessed a certain amount of money, but because of the abilities they displayed. All children were given the right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education.

This first attempt to try to create a less elitist school system failed. In spite of the government's high hopes, working class children still left school at a younger age and with fewer qualifications than middle class children. Because entrance to schools was based upon exam performance, the children of the middle classes performed better. They had more free time, more access to help if they were having trouble (their parents could hire tutors, for example) and valued education more than their working class peers who were often under pressure to quit school and find jobs in order to help their families.

Central governments, working with teachers and local government officials continued to experiment with policies to try to raise the quality of education of all pupils, not just the middle classes. In the 1960s, comprehensive schools were introduced all over the country, which ended

Schooll Kids

country, which ended the division between grammar schools—where the most academically capable pupils were sent to be prepared for university—and vocational schools where less successful pupils were sent to learn trades. Entrance exams were abolished and schools were no longer allowed to let children \"compete\" for places.

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In 1976 British education was the focus of a new controversy when the Labour Party started \"the Great Education Debate\" about national standards and styles of teaching. The Labour Government was concerned about the inadequate skill level of the labour force and a new initiative to prepare children for employment was launched. Just three years later, with the victory of the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher,

Margaret Thatcher

education again became a big political issue. While the new government thought that job training was very important, it felt

schools were not paying enough attention in teaching pupils the traditional \"three Rs.\" Therefore, in 19 the government introduced a National Curriculum. Now all children throughout the country must study the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, religious education, history, geography, technology, music, art, physical education, and a modern foreign language. They must also pass national tests and schools are ranked according to the success of their pupils in reaching national targets.

This is a very big change: previously, the central government only set broad education policy guidelines and provided funds. Practical decision-making was carried out by Local Education Authorities (LEAs), located at regional or city levels, which based their policies on local conditions. Teachers also had a lot of individual power to decide on what to do in the classroom. Now all teachers are told what to teach and their schools are now ranked according to how well they perform this task. Thus the National Curriculum has reintroduced competition between schools. Good schools attract good pupils and therefore attract more funding. More funding means they can hire better teachers, buy more books and equipment and therefore produce even better pupils.

The Present Education System

Education in the UK is compulsory. Children are legally obliged to attend school from the ages of 5 (4 in Northern Ireland) to 16. In 1992 there were 9.5 million full-time school/college students.

Parents can choose between sending their children to state schools or to private schools. State schools are funded by local and central government. About 93% of pupils receive free education from the public sector. The government also sometimes assists schools established by religious groups.

Since 1993, parents have the right to express a preference for a particular state school for their children. A system of \"league tables\"—comparative tables which rank schools according to public examination results, truancy rates, destinations of school leavers, and so on—are published in order to help parents make choices. While children usually attend the school they live closest to, now ambitious parents sometimes move to a different neighbourhood in order to be close to a well-performing

A Library in UK

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school. Needless to say, good schools tend to be in middle class neighbourhoods and it is the wealthier middle classes who can most easily afford to move if they think it is necessary.

In the private sector there are independent schools which are commonly, but confusingly, called public schools. (They are called public schools because they were originally seen as \"public\" alternatives to having private tutors in aristocratic households.) Independent schools receive their funding through the private sector and through tuition rates, with some government assistance. Independent schools are not part of the national education system, but the quality of instruction and standards are maintained through visits from Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools. Parents choose to pay fees in order to send their children to these schools because the quality of education is such that their children have a better chance of getting into good universities and/or getting better jobs when they leave school.

Up to age 5, children may have some pre-primary schooling in nursery schools, daycare, or play groups. The government has no obligation to provide such facilities and so many are private enterprise arrangements. However, the state realises such provision is important, especially now that many mothers work, and so they provide some financial support.

Between the ages of 5 to 11, pupils mainly attend state sector primary schools. These schools are called co-educational or mixed schools because they admit both boys and girls.

From the age of 11 up to around the age of 19, students attend secondary schools. More than 80% of pupils in secondary schools in England and Wales attend mixed schools; 60% in Northern Ireland; Scotland, nearly all.

About 90% of secondary schools are comprehensive schools which admit children without reference to their academic abilities. Such schools provide a general education. Pupils can study everything from academic subjects like literature and sciences, to more practical subjects like cooking and carpentry.

Foreign languages are taught as an integral part of the National Curriculum, reflecting the importance of Britain's relationship with Europe.

Those children who do not attend comprehensive schools attend grammar schools instead. Grammar schools select children, usually at the age of 11, through an examination called \"the 11-plus\". Those who show academic potential are admitted to the grammar schools where the emphasis is on advanced academic work rather than the more general curriculum of the comprehensive schools. In Northern Ireland the grammar school/non-grammar school division is still common, but throughout the rest of Great Britain grammar schools are becoming increasingly rare.

After 5 years of secondary education, (at about age 16) English, Northern Irish and Welsh students sit their GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary Education). GCSEs are the main means of assessing pupils' progress in their final 2 years of compulsory education. Based on these results, pupils then decide what avenue of education they would like to follow. They have a number of choices. At the age of 16, they can decide to quit school and find a job; or they can prepare to sit exams for university entrance; or they can concentrate on vocational training. Every 16 & 17 year old is guaranteed a place in full-time education or training.

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Pupils who hope to attend university carry on their academic study in the sixth form for a further two years and then sit A-levels exams (General Certificate of Education-Advanced). Most pupils try to achieve 3 or 4 A-levels in the subjects they are most proficient at. Since admittance to universities depends largely on A-level results, the two years spent in the Sixth Form are very important and often very stressful for British pupils. Among first year university students getting to know each other, the most common question after \"What's your name?\" and \"Where are you from?\" is \"What A-levels did you take.\"

Other pupils who decide not to go to university may choose to take vocational training. The vocational equivalent of A-levels are GNVQs (General National Vocational Qualifications), which provide a broadly based preparation for work or for taking further vocational.

Higher Education

British universities are public bodies which receive funds from central government. This differs from the United States which, in addition to public universities, also has privately funded universities which are often very wealthy. In the UK, the amount of funding each university receives is based on its size, the number of students it teaches, and the research it conducts. So far, the UK has only one privately funded university, the University of Buckingham.

University of Buckingham

Higher education has a long history in the UK. Oxford and Cambridge date from the 12th and 13th centuries, while the Scottish universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen from the 14th and 15th centuries. The rest

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University of St

Andrews

University of Edinburgh

were founded in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 1960s there was a large expansion in the numbers of universities and many new universities were built. In 1992 the number grew again when polytechnics and other higher education establishments were given the right to become universities. By 1994, Britain had 83 universities.

University of Aberdeen

University campuses are full of people of different ages and nationalities studying many different things. In 1990/1 there were 353 000 full-time students, 87 000 who came from overseas. While

most of the students are studying for their first degrees, about 000 were working on postgraduate qualifications. There are about 30 000 full time university teachers paid wholly from university funds. The government tries to encourage the best overseas students to study in Britain by offering scholarships. In 1991, nearly 25 000 overseas students received some kind of help.

Universities, reflecting the trend throughout the education system, have traditionally been rather elitist. Most students were from the middle classes, attended good schools, performed well in their A-levels and received a fully-funded place in a university. In recent years, great efforts have been made to increase the numbers of and kinds of people that pursue higher education. For example, whereas in 1980, 1 in 8 pupils went on to university, by 1990 it was 1 in 5, and by 2000 will be 1 in 3. Access for mature students and students without traditional A-level qualifications is widening.

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The Open University offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can register without having any formal educational qualifications. They follow university courses through textbooks, tv and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centres. Tens of thousands of Britons, from housewives to coal miners, from teachers to ballet dancers \"attend\" the

Open University

Open University each year. It was the Open University which provided the inspiration for the founding of China's TV and Radio University. First degree courses are mainly full time and last three years, except in Scotland where they

take four years. Degree titles vary, but usually one receives a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc), for a second degree Master of Arts (MA) or Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). In the older Scottish universities, Master is used for a first degree in Arts subjects, and in Oxford and Cambridge the BA converts to an MA several years later, upon payment of a fee.

Words & Expressions

abolish access ad hoc aristocratic arithmetic cane compulsory controversial corporal corporal punishment creed curriculum dissuade elite erase evacuate executive expenditure facilities guarantee

vt. n. a. adj. n. vt. adj. adj. adj. 取消；废除 途径 特别的；专门的 贵族的 算术 手杖；苔杖 义务的；必修的 有争议的 肉体的 体罚 宗教信仰 课程 劝阻；劝戒 社会精英 消除 腾空；腾出 行政人员 经费；开销 设备；设施 保证；担保 10

n. n. vt. n. vt. vt. n. n. n. vt. hymn initiative integral Islamic launch 开始 literacy 识字；有学问 on an ad hoc basis 临时权宜地 participate vi. 参加；参与 peer n. 同事；伙伴 polytechnics n. 工艺学校 prayer n. 祷告者；恳求者 adj. 熟练的；精通的 proficient register vt. 登记 religion n. 宗教；信仰 n. 社会学家 sociologist n. 逃学；旷课 truancy n. n. adj. adj. vi. n. 圣歌；赞歌 第一步；着手 完全的；缺一不可的 教的

Exercise Ⅰ

I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false:

1. The purpose of British education is not only to provide children with literacy and other basic skills but also to socialize children. (T / F) Answer:

2. The state seldom interferes with the decision of when, where, how and what children are taught. (T / F) Answer:

3. The enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over what should be taught in school and universities.

(T / F) Answer:

4. The 1944 Education Act made entry to secondary schools and universities \"meritocratic\". (T / F) Answer:

5. The public schools are part of the national education system and funded by the government. (T / F) Answer:

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6. British universities are public bodies which receive funds from central government. (T / F) Answer:

7. In Oxford and Cambridge the BA converts to an MA several years later, upon payment of a fee. (T / F) Answer:

Exercise Ⅱ

II. Choose the correct answer to each of the following.

1. In Britain, the great majority of parents send their children to___________. (a) private schools

(b) independent schools (c) state schools (d) public schools

Answer:

2. In Britain, children from the age of 5 to 16___________. (a) can legally receive partly free education (b) can legally receive completely free education (c) can not receive free education at all

(d) can not receive free education if their parents are rich Answer:

3. If a student wants to go to university in Britain, he will take the examination called___________.

(a) General Certificate of Education—Advanced (b) General Certificate of Secondary Education (c) the common entrance examination (d) General National Vocational Qualifications Answer:

4. _____________ is a privately funded university in Britain. (a) The University of Cambridge (b) The University of Oxford (c) The University of Edinburgh (d) The University of Buckingham Answer:

5. Which of the following is not true?

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(a) Parents send their children to public schools because they are rich.

(b) Parents send their children to public schools because their children can get better jobs when they leave school.

(c) Parents send their children to public schools because their children can have a better chance of getting into a good university.

(d) Parents send their children to public schools because their children prefer to go to public schools. Answer:

6. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the Open University? (a) It's open to everybody.

(b) It requires no formal educational qualifications. (c) No university degree is awarded.

(d) University courses are followed through TV, radio, correspondence, ect. Answer:

7. In the examination called \"the 11 plus\ (a) grammar schools (b) comprehensive schools (c) public schools (d) technical schools Answer:

8. Which of the following is not included in the National Curriculum?

(a) Children must study the subjects like English, mathematics, science and so on. (b) Children must sit in A-level exams. (c) Children must pass national tests.

(d) Teachers must teach what they are told. Answer:

9. Which of the fo llowing is not true about the British education system? (a) It's run by the state. (b) It's funded by the state. (c) It's supervised by the state. (d) It's dominated by the state. Answer:

10. _________________ would admit children without reference to their academic abilities. (a) Comprehensive schools (b) Secondary schools (c) Independent schools (d) Grammar schools

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Answer:

Exercise Ⅲ

III. Fill in the blanks:

1. The two oldest universities in Britain are and .

2. Two famous public schools in England are and .

3. Children in Britain must receive a full-time education legally from the age of to .

4. Pupils from the age of to mainly attend state-run schools.

5. Students attend schools from the age of 11 up to around the age of .

6. Parents can choose between sending their children to schools or schools.

7. Parents from the wealthier middle class prefer to send their children to schools so as to have better .

8. Comprehensive schools provide a education, teaching students everything from subjects like literature and science to more subjects like cooking and carpentry.

9. Name two of the four Scottish Universities dating from the 14th and 15th centuries: and .

10. In Britain, people can go to the without having any formal educational qualifications .

11. GCSE stands for .

12. GCEA stands for .

13. GNVQs stands for .

Topics for Discussion

1. What are the purposes of the British education system? Please comment on these purposes. What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system? Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations?

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2. How does the British education system reflect social class?

3. What are the major changes that have taken place since World War II? Is British education moving towards more progress or more equality? Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.

4. Why does the author say that universities in Britain have been rather elitist?

5. What is the Open University in Britain? What do you think of this system?

Supplementary Reading

The History of Oxford University

Oxford is a unique and historic institution. As the oldest English-speaking university in the world, it lays claim to eight centuries of continuous existence. There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167, when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris.

In 1188, the historian, Gerald of Wales, gave a public reading to the assembled Oxford dons and in 1190 the arrival of Emo of Friesland, the first known overseas student, initiated the University's tradition of international scholarship. By 1201,

the University was headed by a magister scolarum Oxonie, on whom the title of Chancellor was conferred in 1214, and in 1231 the masters were recognized as a universitas or corporation.

In the 13th century, rioting between town and gown (students and townspeople) hastened the establishment of primitive halls of residence. These were succeeded by the first of Oxford's colleges, which began as medieval \"halls of residence\" or endowed houses under the supervision of a Master. University, Balliol and Merton Colleges, established between 1249 and 12, were the oldest.

Less than a century later, Oxford had achieved eminence above every other seat of learning, and won the praises of popes, kings and sages by virtue of its antiquity, curriculum, doctrine and privileges. In 1355, Edward III paid tribute to the University for its invaluable contribution to learning; he also commented on the services rendered to the state by distinguished Oxford graduates.

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Oxford early on became a centre for lively controversy, with scholars involved in religious and political disputes. John Wyclif, a 14th-century Master of Balliol, campaigned for a bible in the vernacular, against the wishes of the papacy. In 1530, Henry VIII forced the University to accept his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. During the Reformation in the 16th century, the Anglican churchmen Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley were tried for heresy and burnt at the stake in Oxford. The University was Royalist in the Civil War, and Charles I held a counter-Parliament in Convocation House.

In the late 17th century, the Oxford philosopher John Locke, suspected of treason, was forced to flee the country. The 18th century, when Oxford was said to have forsaken port for politics, was also an era of scientific discovery and religious revival. Edmund Halley, Professor of Geometry, predicted the return of the comet that bears his name; John and Charles Wesley's prayer meetings laid the foundations of the Methodist Society.

The University assumed a leading role in the Victorian era, especially in religious controversy. From 1811 onwards The Oxford Movement sought to revitalise the Catholic aspects of the Anglican Church. One of its leaders, John Henry Newman, became a Roman Catholic in 1845 and was later made a Cardinal. In 1860 the new University Museum was the site of a famous debate between Thomas Huxley, the champion of evolution, and Bishop Wilberforce.

From 1878, academic halls were established for women, who became members of the University in 1920. Since 1974, all but one of Oxford's 39 colleges have changed their statutes to admit both men and women. St Hilda's remains the only women's college.

In the years since the war, Oxford has added to its humanistic core a major new research capacity in the natural and applied sciences, including medicine. In so doing, it has enhanced and strengthened its traditional role as a focus for learning and a forum for intellectual debate.

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