Education in Britain Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards related to education in Britain.

Local Education Authorities (LEAs)

Entities with local responsibility in education in Britain.

Regional diversity of education system

The education system varies across Scotland, England & Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Historical evolution

The British education system has undergone significant changes over time.

• ‘Anachronisms’

• Changes by different governments!!

‘Anachronisms’

The British education system contains elements that seem outdated or out of place.

Education and class

There is a close connection between private/independent vs. state school sectors and the British political elite.

Private education

Generally considered better due to smaller classes and better equipment.

Education and Brexit

Brexit debates showed problems in education caused by population growth and spending cuts.

Many families couldn’t get school places they wanted.

School policy changes often with politics, and there are many different types of schools, making the system confusing.

Middle Ages Education

During the Middle Ages, education was primarily associated with the church and monasteries.

1534ff. Reformation impact on Education

The Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII led to a great loss for education and learning.

Endowed(Наділений) schools

Schools established by rich individuals, known as public schools/grammar schools, frequented by sons of the rich.

Early modern period schools

Secular(Світський) schools and church schools (Church of England) were founded.

• Charity schools and dame schools

The Industrial Revolution impact on education

led to a decline in literacy.

Sunday Schools

• Provided religious instruction with some literacy.

• Class and ‘ideology’

19th c.:

: Church of England gradually loses monopoly

1833 government grants for education

The year when the first government grants for education were given.

1870 Forster Act / Education Act

Established and financed the elementary school system.

1880s Education Provision

Free and compulsory primary education available in most of Britain (ages 5 to 10).

1902 Balfour Act

Established secondary and technical schools.

1918 Fisher Act

Set the school leaving age to 14.

1944 Butler Act

Made state schooling free and compulsory up to age 15, divided into three stages.

• Primary schools (5-12 years)

• Secondary schools (12-15 years)

• Post-school training

Local Education Authorities (LEAs) introduced; decide on system

Local Education Authorities (LEAs) (Butler Act)

Introduced to decide on the education system.

Grammar and secondary modern schools

Secondary schools divided into these two types in most areas.

• grammar schools often old foundations; more academic children;

• secondary modern schools: more practical

The eleven-plus exam

Exam used to determine placement in grammar or secondary modern schools.

Since 1960s: Labour governments policy on schools

Replaced the grammar and secondary modern school system with comprehensive schools.

State school sector percentage

Enrolls 94% of children in Britain.

free and compulsory from 5 to 16 / 18 (!)

Tri-part division in state school sector (today)

Pre-school/nursery(3-4)

primary schools(5-11)

secondary schools(11-16/18)

87% of state schools are comprehensive (non-selective).

Streaming or setting(state school sector)

Division of pupils into ‘sets’ according to ability and interest in subjects.

Independent school sector

Fee-paying sector with great variety in types of schools.

Tri-part division in independent school sector

Pre-preparatory school (4-8)

preparatory school/ prep school (8-13)

public schools(13-18) or other independent schools (11/13-18)

Public Schools

Privately-funded schools of the elite, also known as old endowed(наділений) schools.

Public-school ethos

Prefect system, division into houses, sports, games ethics, and empire-building.

Prefect System

A system of student leadership commonly found in British boarding schools.

School day hours typical

Typically runs from 8 or 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m.

School year term structure

Consists of 3 terms: autumn, spring, summer.

School-leaving age

Students must stay in education or training until the age of 18.

National curriculum

Created to standardize knowledge and keep it up to date (Education Act of 1988).

Key Stages in Curriculum

5 Key Stages in Curriculum with SAT-test (ages 7, 11, 14, 16 and 18 [18: non-compulsory])

Exams

• GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education)

• AS-levels (Advanced Subsidiary)

• A2-levels

GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education)

Exams taken at age 16, usually including English, maths, and a foreign language.

AS-levels (Advanced Subsidiary)

Taken after the first year of sixth form, usually 4 subjects plus key skills test; age: 17.

A2-levels

Taken usually 3 subjects; age: 18.

Faith schools

Schools with a religious affiliation(приналежність), making up ca. 1/3 of schools.

Under Labour (Blair Government)

City Technology Colleges were created to improve science and tech education. Faith schools also received more support. Some failing schools were turned into academies to try and raise standards.

Academies

Schools out of LEA control, controlled by Ofsted.

Maintained vs non-maintained schools

Division established, with maintained schools still under LEA control.

The Tory-Liberal Government

Schools moved out of LEA control, funded by sponsors, and had more freedom. They may be more selective. This split schools into LEA-run and independent types.

T-Levels

New qualifications introduced from 2022-3.

Specialities of the English School System

Often single-sex schools, school assemblies, school uniforms, and schools' ratings.

Higher Education

Approximately 50% of young adults in the UK attend higher education.

Universities and institutions of higher education

There are 89 universities and 60 institutes of higher education in the UK.

Oxford and Cambridge + scittish (1st type)

Traditional English universities founded in the 13th century.

Scottish universities

Traditional Scottish universities: St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh

‘redbrick’ / civic universities (2nd type)

Created between 1850 and 1930 originally technical bias, catered for local people

Campus universities(3rd type)

Founded between WWII and 1960s, often rural areas tend to emphasize ‘new subjects’ e.g. York, Sussex and East Anglia,

‘new universities’ (4th type)

Former polytechnics, given university status

e.g. Oxford Brookes University

Bachelor

Usually three years marks: first; 2:1 (upper second); 2:2 (lower second), third, pass Honours

Oxford University Oldest

Oldest university in the English-speaking world

Oxford has 38 colleges, with the oldest being University College, Balliol, and Merton (founded in the 13th century). It has over 20,000 students. About 98.2% of A-level students who get in have at least three A grades. On average, there are five applicants for each place.