Educations in the UK and US 英美国家教育的异同

Educations in the UK and US

Education plays an very important role in every country. Nowadays, expenditures

on education are increasing rapidly.

It suggests to some degree that to other nations

education seems more and more necessary. I will tell educations in both UK and US.

The British Education System

In

the

first

beginning,

I

have

a

question

to

ask

：

Can

education

change

British

people

’

s social classes. My answer is probably no and I

’

d like to introduce the British

education system to you.

The purpose of the British education system is not only to provide children with

literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society

but also to socialize children.

Historically, education was voluntary and many of the schools that existed were

set up by churches. The influence of the church on schooling is still strong: religious

education was the only subject which the state insisted all schools teach their pupils

(other

subjects

were

left

up

to

schools

to

decide

upon).

Daily

prayers

and

singing

hymns is still a regular part of school life.

Great changes in British educational system after the Industrial Revolution.

(1)

government

involvement

-in

taking

responsibilities

for

the

education

of

children. In 1870, a law was passed to call for government

–

funded education.

(2) By 1880, attendance at school for children between 5 and 10 was compulsory.

And

by

the

end

of

the

1st

world

War

the

school

leaving

age

was

raised

to

14

to

dissuade children from leaving school to support their families.

(3) A new educational system emphasizing equality was constructed after the 2nd

World war with the assistance of church and trade unions.

(4)

Education

Act

in

1944,

made

entry

to

secondary

schools

and

universities

meritocratic to make sure more children had access to a good education. All children

were given the right to a free secondary education.

(5)

The

less

elitist

school

system

failed

because

entrance

to

school

was

based

upon

exam

performance.

In

the

1960s,

comprehensive

schools

were

introduced

all

over the country, which ended the division between grammar schools and vocational

schools.

Entrance

exams

were

abolished

and

schools

were

no

longer

allowed

to

let

children compete for places.

(6)

In

1976,

the

Labor

Party

started

Great

Education

Debate

and

was

concerned

about

the

inadequate

skills

of

the

labor

force.

In

1989,

the

Conservative

Party led by Margaret Thatcher thought job training was important and introduced a

National

Curriculum

and

unified

subjects.

Students

have

to

pass

national

tests

and

schools

are

marked

according

to

the

success

of

their

pupils

in

reaching

national

targets. The National Curriculum has reinforced competitions between schools. Good

schools attract good pupils and therefore attract more funding; which means they can

hire better teachers, buy more books and equipment and produce more good students.