Educational system of the great britain. Grammar. Past tenses

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Lesson 3. TEXT. 
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF THE GREAT BRITAIN. 
GRAMMAR. PAST TENSES 
The System of Education in Great Britain 
1. Read, translate and try to retell the text 
Education in England is usually comprised of two stages, primary and secondary 
education. In most countries primary schools are subdivided into infant schools (ages 5-7) and 
junior schools (ages 7-11/12). In infant schools, children are encouraged to read, write, count 
and develop their creative abilities. Subject teaching is rare. The junior stage extends 
over 4 years. Children are taught arithmetic, reading, composition, history, geography, 
nature study and other subjects.
There was a time when children attended schools for special purposes and were 
separated according to their ability. The necessity to organize a school that would accept all the 
children from a particular area without consideration of their inborn ability became apparent in 
England. The first school of this kind, the so-called comprehensive school, appeared after World 
War II. These schools provide all the courses that were formerly given in grammar, technical and 
modern schools. These courses include all the academic subjects as well as practical subjects 
like cooking, needlework, gardening, shorthand, typing, woodworking and metalworking. 
The main educational advantages of the current comprehensive schools are: 
They are open to all children of all children of all types of ability from a particular area; 
1) The future of a child is not decided by the results of tests an early age. 2) A much wider 
range of subjects is available to every pupil; 
3) If necessary, a pupil can change from one course of study to another without moving to a new 
school. 
Nowadays pupils can choose their own curriculum and take either a natural science course 
(math, physics, chemistry, biology) or an arts and humanities course (history, geography, Latin, 
foreign languages, arts, music). 
Before leaving secondary school between the ages of 16 and 18, schoolchildren take one two 
sets of exams. In England all examinations are written. Pupils can get five grades –A, B, C, D, E, 
or 1,2,3,4,5. Grade 1 is the highest grade. After examinations pupils get a General 
Certificate of Secondary education. 
After finishing secondary school and passing advanced level (A level) at age 18 or 19, young 
people may continue their education at universities and colleges. There are a great number of 
universities and colleges in Great Britain. The oldest university towns are Cambridge and 
Oxford. Together they are called Oxbridge. They have been famous for 700 years. It is a 
great honor to study at these universities. Now there are more than 66 colleges in Cambridge and 
Oxford. Five of them are women’s colleges. The rest are coeducational, which means they are for 
both men and women. The first women’s college appeared in 1869. The ancient buildings, 
museums, libraries, chapels and colleges are in the centers of these towns. The population 
consists mostly of teachers and students. All students have to live in the colleges during their 
course of study. 

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In the past student’s life was very strict. They were not allowed to play games, to sing, to hunt, 
to fish or even to dance. They were special dark clothes and special square academic caps called 
mortarboards. Student’s life is no longer controlled by such strict rules, but on special 
occasions, they still wear the dark robes and mortarboards. 
After graduating, students receive bachelor’s degree. 
The educational system of 
Great Britain 

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 “True or false” 
Write “T” for true or “F” for False. 
Correct the false sentences. 
1.
The system of education in G.B. includes only preschool education. ____ (F) 
2.
All English children go to school when they are 5. ___ (T) 
3.
The primary education in G.B. includes Infant schools and Junior school. ____ (T) 
4.
Secondary education continuous from the age of 15. ____ (F) 
5.
The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge are situated in America. ____ (F) 
6.
The structure of higher education in G.B. is very complex. ____ (T) 
Answer the questions 
1) What are the main divisions of the British education system?
2) When were comprehensive schools formed? Why? 
3) What subjects are taught at the junior stage of primary education?
4) What subjects are taught at the secondary level? 
5) What are the most famous universities in Great Britain? 
6 )
How old are they? What are they made up of? 
Past Simple - is used for actions and states that happen in the past. 
In past simple "to be" is devided to types: was and were.