The British Educational System

All state schools in Britain are free, and schools provide their pupils with books and

equipment for their studies.

Education is compulsory from 5 to 16 years. Parents can choose to send their children

to a nursery school or a pre-school play group to prepare them for the start of compulsory

education. Children start primary school at 5 and continue until they are 11. At primary

school children become acquainted with Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and develop their

creative abilities, they are taught to sing, dance, play, draw. Primary children do all their work

with the same class teacher, except for physical education and music, which are often taught

by specialists.

Most children are taught together, boys and girls in the same class.

At 11 most pupils go to secondary schools called comprehensives with accept a wide

range of children from all backgrounds and religious and ethnic groups. Ninety per cent of

secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales are co-educational.…