Education

Educative Institutions

• The nursery takes care of children aged three to five years.
• Primary/Junior schools take care of children from about four/five to eleven years old. They receive primary and elementary education.
• Secondary schools take care of kids between 12 and 16 years old. Kids are required by law to attend a secondary school in the UK. After this, they can find a job or follow further education.
• Training centres for adults: There are some education centres for adults. These are training centres. Adults prefer these places to find a job or a better career.
• Colleges are places in which students extend their education, they prepare for examinations needed to attend Universities in Six form colleges or can prepare kids for certain work in Vocational Colleges.
• Universities: Students can go to university after they finish at age 18 if they want an academic degree. Universities provide higher education divided into two programmes: undergraduate and postgraduate.

Education Cycle

• Education is free for all children from 5 to 16.
• The school year usually starts at the beginning of September and ends with the end of June. It is divided into three terms with breaks in between.
• In England, Scotland and Wales, children education is divided into four stages: primary education, secondary education, further education and higher education. Education in Northern Ireland resembles the English, Welsh and Scottish systems but it has some differences in terms of curriculum.
  • Primary education begins at the age of 4 or 5 and continues until the age of 11. It is mandatory in the United Kingdom to attend primary school.
  • Secondary education begins at the age of 11 and continues until the age of 16. It is mandatory to attend secondary school. Students can stay at school, go to college, or take up an apprenticeship or a part-time training course. It ends with a General Certificate of Secondary Education examination.
  • Further education begins after finishing secondary education after the student decides to extend into further education. If a student chose to go later for University, he or she goes to Six form colleges in which she or he is prepared for the A-Level exams.
  • Higher education takes places at universities and Further Education colleges and normally includes undergraduate and postgraduate study.
• A-Levels are the traditional qualifications offered by schools and colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (specific schools in Scotland also offer A-Levels). They’re highly valued by universities and employers and focus on academic subjects, although some are work-related.
• Universities can be attended by students from the age of 18 onward. People go to university when they wish to obtain an academic degree. It is called higher education, and it is divided into two programmes. These are undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
• Professional training is a training that teaches skills needed in a certain profession.

Representative Universities

• The University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research university located in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, it is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s fourth-oldest surviving university.
• The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university located in England. While having no known date of foundation, there is evidence of teaching from as far back as 1096. This makes it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second-oldest surviving university.
• The University of Edinburgh is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s ancient universities. It was founded in 1582.
• The University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s four ancient universities. It was founded in 1451. Along with the University of Edinburgh, the University was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century.
• The University of St Andrews is a public research university in Scotland. It is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. St Andrews was founded between 1410 and 1413.
• Cardiff University is a public research university located in Wales. Founded in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, it became one of the founding colleges of the University of Wales in 1893. In 1997, it received its degree-awarding powers.
• Queen’s University Belfast is a public research university in Northern Ireland. The university was chartered in 1845 and opened in 1849 as “Queen’s College, Belfast”, but has roots going back to 1810 and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution.

Exercises

External link to Education exercises (492).