UK_5_British_Educational_System

Lecture5TheBritishEducationalSystem2SchoolTodayPre-primarySchoolsPrimarySchoolsSecondarySchoolsUniversity/College3Pre-PrimarySchoolsPre-schooleducationisavailable(oftenonafee-payingbasis)forchildrenaged2to4/5throughplaygroupsandnurseryschools(manyareprivate).Theemphasisisongroupwork,creativeactivity&guidedplay.41.StateSchools(公立学校):11-yearCompulsoryEducation(5-16)StatePrimarySchool→ComprehensiveSchool(84%),GrammarSchool(3%)orSecondaryModernSchool(7%)2.PublicSchools/IndependentSchools(公学/独立学校):PrepSchool→Public(Independent)School(7%)TwoSystemsofprimaryandsecondaryeducationinBritain:56Question:Whatarethemaindifferencesbetweenthetwo?SchoolFunding:Statefundingfromcentralgovernment;SupplementedbylocalfinanceTuitionfees;Endowments(捐赠)ordonationsfromsociety(esp.alumnitotheiralmamaters)Attendance:93%vs.7%TeachingStaffandFacilities:Publicschoolshavebetterteachingstaff&facilities.Graduates:Studentsfromthepublicschoolsaremorepromising,e.g.EtonCollegehaseducated20PrimeMinisters,6ChancellorsofExchequers,etc.7PrimaryPhaseCompulsoryeducationbeginsat5inEngland,Wales&Scotland&4inNorthernIreland.Pupilsmainlyattendstatesectorprimaryschools(co-educationalormixedschools).InfantsSchools=FirstSchools(for2yearsfrom5)JuniorSchools(for4yearsto11)There’slittleornospecialistsubjectteaching&greatemphasisisonliteracy&numeracyinearlyyears.PrepSchools(预备学校)(from7/8to13)(separate;fees;entranceexam)8SecondarySchoolsStateSchools(93%)1.ComprehensiveSchools(综合中学)(84%)(Noentranceexam,generaleducation)2.GrammarSchools(文法中学)(“the11plus”examination选拔优秀小学生毕业考试,preparingstudentsforhighereducation)(3%)3.SecondaryModernSchools(现代中学)(7%)PublicSchools=IndependentSchools(7%)9TheNationalCurriculumEnglishDesign&TechnologyGeographyMathematicsInformationTechnologyMusicScienceArtPhysicalEducationHistoryModernForeignLanguage10ExamsCompulsoryeducationendsatage16.At16,studentstakeGCSE(GeneralCertificateofSecondaryEducation中学毕业证书)examinationsorGCE(GeneralCertificateofEducation一般教育证书)examinations.Thentheycanleaveschoolandtakeajobortocontinuefull-timeeducationinwhatiscalledthe“sixthform”,whichlastsfortwoyears.Otherpupilswhodecidenottogotouniversitymaychoosetotakevocationaltraining&gettheGNVQ(GeneralNationalVocationalQualification国家专业资格证书,5levels),whichprovidesabroadvocationaleducation.11KeyStages12Somemoreambitious&hardworkingstudentswilltakeGCEO-level(一般水平普通教育证书)exams.Iftheypass,theymaytransfertoaSixthFormschool(六年级学校)ortertiarycollege(三级学校)tolearnA-levelclassesfor2years.At18,theytakeGCEA-levelexaminations(AdvancedGeneralCertificateofEducation高级水平普通教育证书＝大学入学考试),usuallyinnotmorethan3subjects.It’snecessarytohaveA-levelsinordertogotoauniversityorotherinstitutionsofhighereducation.13WidelyHeldBeliefsFirstly,“thebestwaytoensuregoodresultsistovest(赋予)responsibilityforajobinanindividualbody&thenallowittogoinitsownway,intervening(干预)onlyifit’smanifestly(显而易见地)notperformingitsjobproperly.”Secondly,“aschoolisnotonlyaplaceforlearningbutalsoasociety,freetoplan&conductitscorporatelifeasseemsbesttoit,providedthatitkeepsthislifewithintheacceptedframeworklaiddownbysocialconvention&thenationalpolicyforeducation.”Questionforyou:Howdoyouinterpretthebeliefsabove?14Individualschoolsenjoygreatfreedom&space!Althoughtheultimateresponsibilityfortheeducationalsystemlieswiththeparliament,itdoesn’tlaydownwhatsubjectsshallbetaught;nordoesitgiveanydirectionsaboutteachingmethods,orprescribe(规定、指定、开处方)anytextbooks.TheQueenoncesaid,“AheadmasteroncetoldmethatinhisopinionthefreedomwhichteachershaveisthemostvaluablethinginBritisheducation”.15ToqualifyasateacherinBritain,onecantakea4-yearBachelorofEducation(BE)degreeorfollowanydegreewithaone-yearPGCE(PostgraduateCertificateinEducation).Ineithercase2/3oftrainingwilltakeplaceinschoolclassrooms.16CaseStudyComparedwiththatinChinesecounterparts,thecurriculumintheUKprimaryorsecondaryschoolsismuchsimpler.(esp.mathematics&reading)WHY?IstheirIntelligenceQuotientlow?AccordingtoaschoolmasterinBristol:1.Thecompulsoryeducationaimstocultivateeligible(合格的)citizensratherthanelites;2.Curiosity&self-confidencematteralotmorethantheknowledgeitself.3.Shapingcharacters&individualityisemphasized.Teamspirit&leadershipcanbedevelopedthroughgames.17PublicSchoolsIntheUKprivateschoolsareconfusinglycalledpublicschools!Onlyenrollpupilsfromprepschools.Hightuitionfees+largequantityofsocialendowments=affordingsmallerclasses+betterfaculty(withnicesalaries)Mainlysingle-sexratherthanco-edschools.Boardingschools.Question:Whoareattendingsuchschools?18Thestudentsarelargelyfromaristocratic(贵族)&upperclassfamilies.Despitethehighfeestheyaccountforaround7%ofthetotalschoolpopulation.BUTopponentsvoicedoubts:It’ssociallydivisive&breedselitism;theyareofferingmorepromisingopportunitiesto7%ofBritishchildren,butit’sunfairfortheremaining93%!19TheMostWell-knownPublicSchools:EtonCollege(伊顿公学)(1440byKingHenryVI)HarrowSchool(哈罗公学)(1571)(producedByron,Churchill)(forBoysonly)WinchesterCollege(温切斯特公学)(1394)RugbySchool(拉格贝公学)(1567)(Rugbywasfirstplayedhere.)