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THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF GREAT BRITAIN
To’raqulova Pokiza
Termiz Iqtisodiyot va Servis universiteti Filologiya va tillarni o’qitish ingliz tili
Yo’nalishi 4-23-guruh talabasi.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15277112
In this article, we explain the structure of education in the UK at all levels — from
kindergarten to doctorate studies. Read about
higher education
and
admission to British
universities
in separate articles.
The educational system in the UK
is considered to be among the best in the world. The
U.S. News Report placed it in second place after the USA in its rating. Many decisions —
especially concerning curriculum design and grading systems — are made by schools and
universities at the local level. Thanks to this, studies are suitable for students with completely
different needs.
Features of education in the UK
Comprehensive education.
Already in the first grade, children study 10 compulsory
subjects. Many schools also introduce additional classes. The range of disciplines covers all
spheres of human life: natural and human sciences, art, technology, and sports. This broadens the
horizons of the students and allows them to discover a variety of talents.
Early
A few years before entering a university, it is advisable for students to already decide
on the
specialization.
By high school, the number of subjects, on the contrary, is reduced. direction
in which they plan to study. During the last two years of study — in grades 12 and 13 — students
choose 3-5 subjects and focus solely on them.
Encouragement of independence.
The educational system in the UK is aimed at
developing the skills of critical thinking, initiative, and independent search for information at all
levels. Even in primary school, students write essays and create their own research projects.
Good conditions for teachers.
English teachers earn a higher wage than teachers in other
developed countries, such as France, Italy and Sweden. In addition, they are sponsored by state
grants and scholarships. This makes the teaching profession truly prestigious, attracting the most
talented teachers to schools and universities.
Long term education.
In Britain, compulsory secondary education lasts from grades 1 to
11 or from 5 to 16 years of age. In fact, most children study even longer: from 3 to 18 years of age,
then moving on to university.
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Conditions for foreigners.
While education at public English schools is free, it is available
only to citizens of the country. Children of foreigners enter private institutions, where the cost of
education is 15,000-30,000 USD per year. At universities, the situation is the same: foreigners
have to pay several times more than local residents. For example, at Oxford , the tuition is at least
35,465 USD per year (instead of 11,784 USD).
Equality in access to education.
The UK government is trying to ensure access to
education for all people, regardless of their social status. To do this, free public school attract the
best teachers, and universities pay scholarships to students from families in need
Preschool education in the UK
Usually, preschool education (known as Early Years) begins at the age of 2-3 years and
ends at 5 years old. This stage is optional, but most parents prefer to send their children to
kindergartens, which in England are called preschools
or playschools
.
The state finances preschool
education in the form of vouchers, with which parents can fully pay for their child's education in
a public institution or cover part of the costs at a private kindergarten.
The main goal of preschools is to help kids learn to communicate and understand other
people. There, they receive basic knowledge about society and the world around them, as well as
develop literacy and mathematical abilities. Under the guidance of teachers, children play, draw,
sculpt from clay, learn songs, and do exercises. Classes occur 15 hours per week, and the study
load per year is 570 hours.
School education in the UK
Primary education
School education in the UK is divided into primary education and secondary education.
These stages are further divided into key steps. For primary education,
these are:
•
Key stage 1
— ages 5 to 7, grades 1-2
•
Key stage 2
— ages 7 to 11, grades 3-6
In primary school, children learn English, mathematics, science, art and design, geography,
history, music, and physical education. Students begin learning a foreign language in third grade.
The school day lasts from 8:30 to 15:30 with a lunch break and additional15 minute breaks.
The grading system in English primary schools is based on the expectation of how a child
should develop at his age (expected standard). In total, four levels are distinguished:
•
The student works at the expected level.
•
The student strives for the expected level.
•
The student performs below the expected level.
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•
The student performs above the expected level.
Each school sets its own specific criteria for evaluation. This makes the system more
flexible.
At the end of their second and sixth years, students take standardized SATs. After second
grade, children take tests in reading and mathematics, and after sixth — in reading, mathematics,
grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Secondary education
After graduating from primary school, students move on to secondary education. They are
automatically transferred to state institutions, and for admission to private institutions, they have
to pass specialized Common Entrance exams.
Education in secondary school is divided into two stages:
•
Key stage 3
— ages 11 to 14, grades 7-9
•
Key stage 4
— ages 14 to 16, grades 10-11
At Key stage 3, several new subjects are added to the basic subjects: the basics of social
responsibility (citizenship), sex education, and career guidance. The whole program is divided into
three main blocks:
•
Compulsory subjects
(core curriculum) — mathematics, English, biology, chemistry,
and physics.
•
Optional subjects
(optional curriculum)
— geography, humanities, art and design,
dance, music, theater, and technology-related subjects.
•
Extended program
(extension curriculum) — these are additional subjects that are
unique to each school. They often involve the creation of an individual or group interdisciplinary
project.
High school education is divided into trimesters. At the end of each trimester, credit weeks
are held, where students are assessed for how well they have learned the material. Knowledge is
evaluated on a nine-point scale.
At the age of 14, students begin to prepare for the final exam — General Certificate of
Secondary Education (GCSE). It tests all of the subjects studied by the student and officially
confirms graduation from high school.
This concludes compulsory secondary education. Those who wish to pursue university
studies continue their high school education through the Sixth Form program.
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References:
1.
”Education Expenditures by Country“. National Centre for Education Statistic .11May
2018
2.
“United Kingdom Literacy Rate 1990-2022” Macro Trends. Retrived 25 May 2022.
3.
“International Educational Attainment “ Retrived 27August 2019.
