British Educational SystemI. Primary and secondary educ

British Educational System
    Today I’ll talk about the British educational system, including the primary and secondary education and the higher education in Britain. Meanwhile, I’ll try to make a comparison between the US and the UK higher education.
    First,I’ll briefly introduce the primary and secondary education in Britain. In England and Wales,(1)students study in primary school from age five until eleven. They attend secondary school until age sixteen. Before graduating, students usually take seven comprehensive exams, called the General Certificate of Secondary Education(GCSE)exams. After passing the GCSE exams, students choose to study two to four subjects intensely for the GCE Advanced Level exams, called " A levels". At eighteen,they enter higher education to focus on a particular subject,called a "course".
    Now let’s move on to the higher education in Britain. First, I’ll talk about the general practices in England and Wales,and then the general practices in Scotland.
    In England and Wales, prospective university students apply for places through the Universities Central Council on Admissions(UCCA). Students do not apply directly to the universities themselves.(2)Successful candidates are admitted directly into a specific degree " course". A degree course normally takes three or four years to complete. At most universities students study only one major subject. Each course is structured with a fixed program of classes for the entire three years. Increasingly,(3)universities in the United Kingdom are offering classes on a modular basis, which allows students to broaden their studies creating a more interdisciplinary program. This modularization, however,has not replaced the traditional British degree course with the American concept of credit accumulation. In addition, there is generally a sharp distinction between the arts and sciences and there is seldom any cross-over between the two.
     (4)At a British university, more emphasis is placed on independent, self-directed study than in the United States. Required texts and definite reading assignments are less common. More typically, an extensive reading list covering all topics to be discussed is distributed at the start of the course to be used for independent research. British students typically consult a large number of sources from the library rather than intensively studying a few books purchased by everyone taking a course. In addition, students are required to write more essays and take fewer objective tests than at US institutions.(5)Classes often take the following forms: lectures, which are sometimes completely optional: tutorials, in which a small number of students meet with the lecturer: and seminars, larger discussion classes often based upon seminar essays. Unlike the US system of regular testing in a course, British students sit for final examinations that cover the full year’s work and determine the grades for the class. With the growth of modularization, however, there has also been an increase in the number and variety of modules offered on a semester basis.
     (6)In Scotland, there are a variety of tertiary level options available for students, the most important of which are the colleges of further education, the central institutions, teachers colleges and the universities. The colleges of further education provide vocational and technical education, and enroll more students than all other tertiary institutions combined. Central institutions provide courses leading to the Higher National Diploma(HND), bachelor’s degrees and some specialized master’s degrees. These institutions do not have the authority to directly validate degrees and tend to offer a narrower range of subjects than the universities.(7)Many have close ties to local businesses, offering cooperative work experiences that provide students a period of practical training.
    Scottish universities are quite distinct from their British counterparts.(8)In fact,they more closely resemble European or American universities. The standard Scottish university degree is a four-year Honors degree(BA Hons). Students are rarely admitted directly to a degree "course". Usually they are admitted to a faculty or simply admitted to the university as a whole. Scottish university students begin with a broad-based program during the first year and choose a specialization after the second or even the third year. Students may also elect to complete a three-year Ordinary degree. This is a broad-based degree that(unlike in England)does not represent a "failed" Honors degree.
    Next, let’s compare the US and the UK higher education from two aspects, namely, grading and course levels.
    First,about the grading. In the UK,assessment methods vary by institution and tend to reflect the UK teaching method and style.(9)Written examinations, which are held at the end of a year or, in some cases,in the final undergraduate year only are the most common form of study assessment. There is no official method of equating British and American educational qualifications. The educational systems are very different and attempts to compare them must be done on a strictly provisional basis. Many US institutions have already developed systems of assessing their study abroad students or equating British grades to US grades.
    Professors at UK institutions grade more strictly than their counterparts in the United States. As a result, American students studying in the UK often perceive that they have performed poorly in their classes,when they have not. Grades are given as percentages rather than letter grades. Forty percent is the minimum passing grade and high percentages are rarely awarded. A grade of seventy percent or higher is considered "with distinction". In general,percentages increase from forty rather than decrease from 100 percent,as they do in the United States.
    Second,about the course levels. A typical British course load will vary from 3 to 6 modules or classes per term. Most students take 4 to 5 modules per term. The number of hours in class per week will vary by institution.(10)Students should note that general education or basic courses are not as common at UK universities because they have already been covered at the GCSE level. Many faculties assume that a student has a basic understanding of the concepts that will be addressed in the course. For this reason, it is common for third-year American students to take first-year and second-year courses at a UK university.
    With this,we’re coming to the end of today’s lecture. Next time,we’ll talk about university degrees.