Primary schools in great britain
At five, the age at which education becomes compulsory, children in England and Wales go to infant schools until they are seven and then on to junior schools until the age of about eleven (also in Northern Ireland, twelve in Scotland).
In the meantime, under the Education Act 1964, local education authorities and voluntary bodies in England and Wales may organize new schools so that the age of transfer is not necessary at eleven. Primary schools in Scotland take all children between the ages of five and twelve.
In Scotland primary pupils must be taught reading, writing, arithmetic, English, music, art and handwork, nature study, physical training and, at the appropriate stage, history, geography and written composition; girls must learn needlework. Religious instruction is also given. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the curriculum is similar in scope with the addition, in Wales, of the teaching of Welsh. (children also speak Welsh at home normally receive the early stages of their primary education in Welsh and are taught English as a second language.) many interesting developments are taking place in the teaching of mathematics and foreign languages as well as in physical education, drama and art.
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS
Read the following words aloud.
[a:] – large, staff, after, pass, master [o:] – for, form, sport, small, also
[Λ] – just, under, subject, none, another
Transcribe and read the following:
Curriculum, atmosphere, academic, instance, disciplinary, prepare, controlled, examination, responsibility, methods, supervision, housemaster, certificate, education, compulsory, streaming, gateway, advanced, create, reside, available, syllabus.
Read and translate the following words:
Fee-paying, disciplinary, secondary, compulsory, public, academic, artificial, delegation, competition, decision, division, examination, supervision, responsibility.
Read and translate the following sentences. Mind the prepositions:
1) The grammar school tries to copy the public school in its curriculum. 2. The ordinary level papers of the GCE are taken by students at the age of 16 and the advanced and scholarship levels are usually reached two or three years later. 3. These are examinations set and marked by university examining boards. 4. The children in grammar, public and some modern schools are divided into houses. 5. The Headmaster is responsible for his group of students. 6. In most primary and secondary modern and grammar schools there is streaming. 7. Streaming is based on the number of subjects the group will take: the A stream may take exams in seven subjects and the C stream may not take exams at all. 8. The contents of syllabuses is varied in different types of English schools.
Read and answer the following questions:
1. Does the grammar school try to copy the public school in its curriculum and disciplinary methods or in its general atmosphere it tries to create? 2. Does the grammar school or the public school divide the children into houses? 3. Do most grammar schools prepare their pupils for the GCE at sixteen of fifteen? 4. Must a pupil take one or ten exams? 5. Is streaming based on the number of subjects the group will take or on something else? 6. Do pupils leave after getting GCE or remain at school for another two years?
GRAMMAR SCHOOLS
The secondary grammar school bases itself on the older fee-paying schools. The grammar school tries to copy the public school in its curriculum, its disciplinary methods and in the general atmosphere it tries to create; masters wear their academic gowns, for instance.
The grammar schools (and some secondary moderns) usually divide the children into houses, just as in the public schools, but these houses in grammar schools are highly artificial groupings, formed to facilitate sports competitions and the delegation of disciplinary responsibility. A house is a social unit of the pupils. In each house there are pupils of all ages. The pupils meet together with the teachers who are connected with that house. The most obvious demonstration of a house system and the house feeling is the school sport day, though there may be all kinds of other house rivalries, in team games, play competitions and so on. The pupils of a house are under the supervision of a housemaster.
Most grammar schools prepare their pupils for the General Certificate of Education (GCE) at sixteen, an examination, devised and controlled by the universities. The examination determines the curricula and syllabuses to a large extent. Examinations are available in a large range of subjects and none are compulsory unless the Head makes them so. This applies also to the number of subjects any pupil may take. They may sit for the examination in one subject or ten! They number of passes they obtain is shown on the certificate. It is usually the Head and his staff who decide these questions, and streaming (yes, it usually continues at the secondary stage, even in the grammar schools) is based first on the number of subjects the group will take; e.g. the A stream may all be taking seven subjects and the bottom C or lower stream may not be taking the examination at all. Most pupils leave after getting their GCE and many go into offices. Many pupils with good results go on to become teachers. A much smaller number of pupils remain at school for another two years till eighteen and sit for the GCE at Advanced level (usual maximum three or four subjects). This is the real gateway to the university.
Agree or disagree
1.The secondary grammar school bases itself on the older fee-paying schools. 2. The curriculum and the disciplinary methods of the grammar school are quite different from those of the public school. 3. The grammar schools usually divide the children into houses, just as in the public schools. 4. Most grammar schools do not prepare their pupils for the General Certificate of Education. 5. Examinations are available in a large range of subjects. 6. The examinations are not compulsory unless the Head makes them so. 7. All the pupils may sit for the examinations only in five subjects. 8. Most pupils remain at school another two years.