ication taken by secondary pupils at around the age of 16 is the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). If the results are good pupils can stay on and prepare other two years for A-examination.General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced (A) level is normally taken after other two years of study in two or three subjects. GCE A level is currently the main standard for entrance to higher education and many forms of professional training. This examination is marked by a board, which is connected with universities. Three good A levels mean that the student has a chance to go to university or some other form of higher education. The Government would like to see more schools offer vocational qualifications; therefore it has introduced a new type of vocational qualification - the General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) which will provide pupils an alternative to the more traditional GCEs and A levels.Scottish system is slightly different.
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Children with special educational needs are educated in ordinary schools, wherever possible. Other children attend day and boarding special schools.children of minority ethnic communities share the same schools as the British children. If they do not speak English well enough, they are given help to improve their English to be able to enter normal schools.and colleges provide careers education and guidance through careers co-ordinators. br/>
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
About seven per cent of children attend independent or private schools not funded by the state. These schools charge high tuition fees of about 4,000 a term for senior boarding pupils, but many offer scholarships. Independent schools range from small kindergartens to large day and boarding schools and from new experimental schools to ancient foundations. Around 550 independent schools for pupils aged 11 to 19 are commonly known as "public" schools, although they receive no state funding. Most independent schools for younger pupils are mixed, but the majority of private secondary schools are single-sex. Most schools require school uniforms.schools accept pupils at the age of about 13 and Preparatory schools (called "prep" schools) prepare children for entry to the public schools.of some of the most outstanding public schools together with the date of their foundation are: Eton (close to Windsor, 1440), Harrow (London, 1571), Winchester (1382), Rugby (1567), Shrewsbury (1552), Westminster (London, 1560), St. Paul's (London, 1509, day-school). These schools are very old but there are others which are even older: St. Peter's (York, 627) and St. Alban's (Hertfordshire, 948). Public schools are boarding schools and they have about 500 pupils but Eton is much larger. Some public schools are called "Colleges" (Eton College, Winchester College). Many independent schools follow the Natio...
