Eucation in the

UK
Camila Avalos
 Basic features of the
British educational system
Full-time education is compulsory up
01 to the middle teenage years.

The academic year begins at the end

02 of the summer.

Compulsory education is free to charge (state

03 education), but parents may spend money on
education if they want to.
 Historical background
1
British governments attached
little importance to education until
the end of the 19th century.
2
However, educational institutions
existed in Britain long before the These ‘old’ educational
government decided to take an institutions were
interest. incorporated into the
overall system, except for
3 the ‘Public schools’.
The public schools were used to
educate the sons of the upper and
upper-middle classes. The
schools created during the 20th
century tended to copy the model
of the public schools.
 Modern times
Debates around education
1
Quality: There’s a feeling
that British schoolchildren 3
don’t get taught properly Freedom of choice: It means
and don’t learn enough. being able to decide which
school a child goes to, but it
also implies a limit to what
2
Social justice: The British are central governmenment can
forever worrying about equal impose generally.
oportunities in education.
That is why the
‘comprehensive schools’
were created.
 Modern times
School life
All Britain children are guaranteed a
free nursery education for up to two
years before reaching compulsory
school age.
A typical school day starts at 9am.
and finishes between 3pm. and 4pm.
(or a bit later for older students).
It is a full five-day week.
Holiday periods are short.
At the end of their compulsory
schooling, school children take
public exams.
 Modern times
Education beyond sixteen
People are free to leave the school if they
want to at the age of 16, though this is not
common.
The independedence of Britain’s educational
institutions is really clear when it comes to
Universities.
Universities make their own choices of who
to accept for their courses. The number of
people who can be accepted is limited.
Most of the students complete their studies
(and in a very short time).
Despite the existence of a student loan
scheme, education is expensive, and half of
the country’s students have to take term-
time jobs.
 End of the
presentation