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A 1
Education Look it up! n. education/,edjʊ’keɪʃən/
n. exam /ɪg’zæm/
adv. practically /’præktɪklɪ/ adj. compulsory /kəm’pʌlsəri/
adj. state /steɪt/ n. law /lɔ:/
v. to address /ə’dres/
n. equipment/ɪ’kwɪpmənt/
n. primary school /’praɪməri sku:l/ n. secondary school /’sekəndəri sku:l/
2 |TRACK 1| Listen and read.
Schools in Britain
In Britain children start primary school at the age of 5 and finish it at the age of 11. Then they move into secondary education which lasts for five years. At the end of secondary school, at the age of 16, pupils take the GCSE exam. GCSE stands for the General Certificate of Secondary Education. Until 2015 education was no longer compulsory after this exam. Only the students who wanted to get higher education stayed in school for two more years. However, there was a new law in 2015. According to it, education is now compulsory until 18. At the age of 18 students take
another important exam (A level) before going to university. The school year runs from September to July. There are three terms and three mid-terms in each of these terms. Practically speaking, there are six terms in British schools. Pupils in Britain have to wear school uniforms. Every school has its own school logo. Pupils address their teachers by their surname, using Mr, Mrs or Miss. There are private and state schools. In a state school parents don’t pay for their children’s education and books. However, they have to pay for their uniforms and school equipment.
3 Check. 1. At what age do English children start school? 2. How long does primary/secondary education last? (See the chart.) 3. How many terms/mid-terms are there? 4. What kind of exam do children have to take at the age of 16? 5. What does GCSE stand for? 6. How do children address their teachers? 7. What do children in Britain have to wear to school? 8. What types of schools are there in Britain?
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Project Time
Draw a chart presenting primary and secondary education in Serbia. Compare it with the British chart.
