Education in Great Britain. Бояринцева Е.И - 6 стр.

students at Oxbridge wearing a cap and gown – it’s a custom from the        TASKS
time when students were clergymen.
       Academic life in universities is exciting and very busy. Students          1. For you to have an idea what the National Curriculum in
attend lectures given by professors and lecturers, have seminars and        Britain looks like, here is a part of a brochure prepared to inform
work on their own in universities’ libraries and laboratories.              parents about it
       Higher education is largely financed by public funds although                                                      It is unlikely that your
students who have begun their studies since September 1998 are ex-                                                        child will attain the
pected to make a contribution of up to £1,000 towards their tuition                                                       same level in all areas
fees. This contribution is means-tested, so that tuition is free for stu-                                                 of study and the Na-
dents from lower income families.                                                                                         tional Curriculum has
       The maintenance grant has been replaced by a maintenance                                                           been devised so that
loan. The loan is partly means-tested, so that only students from lower                                                   pupils can forge ahead
income families are entitled to the full loan.                                                                            in their strong areas of
                                                                                                                          study and get help with
                                                                                                                          their weaker ones.
                                                                                             How it works                 Here is an example
                                                                             The National Curriculum subjects are: from the programme of
                                                                             mathematics, science, English, technology, study in English.
                                                                             history, geography, a modern foreign lan-
                                                                             guage, art, music and physical education. Between the ages of 14
                                                                             Religious education is also compulsory.      and 16 pupils will:
                                                                             All pupils will study all subjects.          • achieve a readable,
                                                                             Key stages                                   pleasing writing style
                                                                             Your child's progression through educa- • write effectively about
                                                                             tion will have four key stages and as- demanding topics
                                                                             sessment will take place at the end of • learn to speak persua-
                                                                             each.                                        sively and clearly, and
                                                                                                                          to use language appro-
                                                                             Generally, each subject has ten levels and priate to the situation,
                                                                             your child will progress through one level topic or purpose
                                                                             at a time. The top level is 10 – but not all • read a wide variety of
                                                                             pupils will reach this level.                fiction, poetry and
                                                                             An average 16-year-old will attain level drama, including some
                                                                             6 or 7                                       pre-20th century works
                                                                                                                          • interpret, evaluate and
                                                                                                                          compare texts


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