B. Fill in the gaps. Use the chart above to help you.
Children do not have to go to school until they reach the age of (1) ... Primary education takes place in (2) ... schools (pupils aged from 5 to 7 years) and (3) ... schools (from 8 to 11 years). So, all children go to a primary school until the age of (4) ... . They then take an examination called the " 11 -plus" if they want to go to a grammar school, where they receive a more academic education. Those who fail the exam go to a secondary modern school, where they receive an education which is less academic, and more intended to train them for a job when they leave at the age of (5) ... .
Some parents choose to pay for private education in spite of the existence of free state education. Private schools are called by different names: the (6) ... (often called "prep") schools are for pupils aged up to 13, and the (7) ... schools are for 13 to 18 year-olds.
These schools are very expensive and they are attended by about 5 % of the school population.
Since the 1944 Education Act of Parliament, free secondary education has been available to all children. Indeed, children must go to school until the age of (8) ... . The public examinations taken by Britishschoolchildren are GCSEs (the General Certificates of Secondary Education). Some children take three or four; others take as many as 10 or 11. Pupils who have passed their GCSE may remain at school for another two years and take their "A" (Advanced) level exams. All grammar and most comprehensive schools have a sixth form, where pupils study for their "A" levels. Any student who wants to go to university needs to pass at least two or three "A" levels.
С Match British types of schools with their definitions:
| comprehensive school | secondary modern school |
| middle school | preparatory school |
| grammar school | public school |
a) a type of school for children who did not pass the examination for grammar schools;
b) a private school for children between the ages of 7 or 8 and llor 13;
c) a school for children between the ages of 8 and 12, after they leave infant school;
d) a private institution for young people between the ages of 13 and 18 whose parents pay for their education. The students often live at the school during the school year;
e) a school for students of different levels of ability between the ages of 11 and 18;
f) a school for children between the ages of 11 and 18 who have passed a special examination to be allowed to go there.
D. Here are two young British people with different educational experience. Fill in the gaps with one of the following words to complete the story of their lives at school.
11-plus middle sixteen sixth secondary modern
five A-level GCSEs (2) primary (2)
Maggie:My name's Maggie Turnbull, and I'm seventeen. 1 first went to (1) ... school when I was (2) ... years old. I left the school at the age of nine, and went on to a (3) ... school, and then to a comprehensive. I took ten (4) ... and now I'm in the (5) ... form studying maths, chemistry and physics for my (6) ... exams.
Philip:I'm Philip Powell. I'm seventeen, and I work in a factory. After (7) ... school I failed my (8) ... exam, and went to a (9) ... school. 1 passed four (10) ... and left school when I was (11) ... .
E. Answer the questions about the education system in Britain.
1. What two stages of primary education are there in Britain? 2. What are the "11-plus"? How important is it for children? 3. Why do so few pupils attend private schools? 4. What levels of the private system are there? 5. What is the GCSE? How important is it?
Reading
A. Read the text and say if the sentences are true or false. Give your arguments.
1. The term "further education" embraces both university and non-university education. 2. At the age of 16 young people can either stay on at school or continue their education at college. 3. If young people seeking to obtain further education want to take advanced courses, they must stay on at school until the age of 18. 4. Further education institutions include the polytechnics, various colleges and schools.
5. A lot of further education establishments charge their students fees.
6. Institutions of further education function independently of local
industry and commerce. 7. Regional Advisory Councils coordinate the
work of further education institutions.
Further Education in the UK
The following stage in the British educational system is further education. The term 'further education' can be used in a general sense to cover all post-school education, and it usually refers to post-school, non-university education.
Much of the further education is broadly vocational in purpose. Young people have several options at 16. They can stay on at school until the age of 18 to seek to obtain the necessary qualifications for entry to higher education or certain careers or professions. A second option is to leave school but to continue full-time education in a further
education college, seeking either general qualifications, or more vocationally oriented ones. Further education extends from lower-level technical and commercial courses, through specialized courses of various kinds to advanced courses, preparing a variety of professions for industry, commerce and administration.
There is a wide range of further education institutions: the polytechnics and other colleges and schools having various titles — colleges of further education, colleges of technology, colleges of commerce (shorthand, typing, book-keeping), colleges of art, agricultural colleges, drama schools, art schools, ballet schools, schools of librarianship, etc. A large proportion of further education establishments (out of about 750) are independent or private, i.e. fee-charging.
Institutions of further education have links with local industry and commerce on which they strongly depend. Further education service is coordinated in different areas by Regional Advisory Councils, set up by the local education authorities in each region. The members of these Councils represent the LEAs (Local Education Authorities), colleges, universities, industry and commerce.
B. Pronunciation. Circle the word in each line which has a diffe
rent vowel sound. Listen to the teacher and check your answers.
1) stage range various obtain
2) purpose course further certain
3) career fee leave seek
4) commerce option technology proportion
C. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:
further education; in a general sense; to cover all post-school education; to be vocational in purpose; to stay on at school; to obtain the necessary qualifications; full-time education; lower-level courses; advanced courses; a wide range; fee-charging educational establishments.
D. Answer the questions.
1. What meaning does the term "further education" have? 2. What options do young people have at the age of sixteen? 3. Do further education courses differ in their educational level? 4. What further education institutions are there? 5. What do institutions of further education depend on? 6. What do you know about Regional Advisory Councils?
Reading