Importance of the British Education System

 

The United Kingdom or Britain as it is known lays huge emphasis on education and provides mandatory education to students aged from 5 to 16 years old. The strong emphasis is decipherable from the 99% literacy rate, with 88% of the population having a secondary education diploma.

As per Section 7 of the 1996 Education Act of the UK, all parents are liable to provide education to their children whether they send them to school or opt for homeschooling for them.

Stages of Education in the United Kingdom

The British Education System is divided into four main parts:

i.      Primary Education

ii.     Secondary Education

iii.    Further Education

iv.   Higher Education

These four main parts can be understood better as key stages too.

·         Key Stage 1: ages 5 to 7

·         Key Stage 2: ages 7 to 11

·         Key Stage 3: ages 11 to 14

·         Key Stage 4: ages 14 to 16

While students undergo rigorous assessments at every stage, one important stage arrives at the age of 16 when students are drawn before their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) education.

After completing their GCSEs, they can choose to proceed with further education, which then leads them to higher education.

1.    Primary Education

Beginning at the age of 5, Primary Education continues till the age of 11 and comprises of Key Stages 1 & 2.

2.    Secondary Education

Starting from the age of 11, Secondary Educations trend to continue till the age of 16 where it covers Key Stages 3 & 4. From these stages, the students prepare for giving the GCSEs. Education is mandatory till this point.

3.    Further Education

After giving the GCSE exams, students have the choice to study either A levels, BTEC, GNVQ or any education that they find convenient. This phase is known as Further Education and is necessary if the a student wishes to go to college and pursue higher education.

4.    Higher Education

From undergraduate programs and onwards, these phases constitute Higher Education, whereby the students specialize in their desired field and study to enter professional life. They can go for graduate-level degrees to elevate their status in their professional fields too.

Other Points to Know about UK’s Education System

i.              Education in the United Kingdom is almost free, at least till secondary education, which makes it convenient to attain the basic level qualifications till the age of 16.

 

ii.             A strong emphasis is laid on extracurricular activities, in addition to academic education. This is so that students learn the physical and social elements that help them in developing other types of soft skills and street smarts.

 

iii.            For those who cannot afford it, many universities offer scholarships to deserving candidates. The criteria differ from university to university.

 

iv.           School tutoring is deeply focused upon in the Britain as it helps in the students learning their subject matter much better. Many students who are unable to grasp their subject concepts are usually the ones in universities who scout for some best dissertation writing services or the other.

 

v.            The government has an integral role in the maintenance of education in the UK. They are entrusted with the responsibility of allocating sufficient budget for providing state-of-the-art facilities such as qualified teachers, technological tools and equipment, properly maintained premises and so on.

 

vi.           In addition to the regular educational programs, UK has many more programs and options to offer, such as:

 

1.    International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)

2.    International Baccalaureate (IB)

3.    University foundation courses

4.    Tutorial colleges

5.    State boarding schools

6.    FE colleges

7.    Pathway courses