Education in the UK

Résumé du document

The complicated nature of the current education system has its rules in school history.

Until the end of the XIXth century, most children went to school intended church schools or private school established by rich benefactors. But such schools were largely confined to the sons of rich aristocratic and influential. On the whole, education remained the privilege of children with families wealthy enough to pay the fees and didn't need the wages of the children to survive. The majority of children received no adequate education. State involvements in education was late and the first attempt to establish a national system of state-funded elementary school came only in 1870 for England and Wales in 1872 to Scotland and only in 1923 to Northern Island.

The 1870 Elementary Education Act (Forster Act) created school boards (conseils d'éducation) in England and Wales which provided schools in the area. States Elementary schools now supply non-denominational (non professional) training and existing religious voluntary schools served denominational needs. The schools remained fee paying. In 1880, primary education became free and compulsory up to the age of 10. (12 in 1899). In 1902, the Balfour Act made local governments responsible for state education by creating Local Education Authorities (LEA).The act also gave funding to voluntary schools. Adequate secondary education remained largely the field of the independent sector. State secondary school education in the early XXth was only marginally extended to children whose parents couldn't afford school fees. Scholarships for clever poor children and some schools were created but this state help didn't greatly expand secondary education. In 1920, only 9. 2% of 13 years old children in England and Wales entered secondary schools on a non-fee-paying basis. The school system in the early XXth century was inadequate for the demands of the society. Working class and lower middle-class children lacked extensive education. Until 1944, successive governments avoided any further significant involvement.

Extraits

[...] As a result, Trade Union membership began to increase after the war to reach of the labour force in 1951. The 1960's and 1970's were a golden age of the Trade Unions which greatly increased their political power and their membership to of the workforce in 1974. Both the Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson and the Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath suffered from the strength of a Trade Union movement. In 1979, The Labour government of James Callaghan wanted to control wages in the public sector were it was the employer. Workers went on strike to oppose the measure. [...]

[...] The working class no more represents a majority of the population while the middle class becomes increasingly numerous and varied. Politicians have to adapt to these changes. A new electoral force emerged in the 1970's a middle ground. Both major parties need that electorate to win an election, so that they try to blur class distinctions and to be the party of the nation. They try to reconcile all parts of society because they need their votes to be elected. [...]

[...] The aim is to create a standardized curriculum centrally devised key stages to education where established: 5 to to to to 16 Pupils are assets by national curriculum tests at the end of each key stage. Independent schools aren't obliged to follow the national curriculum but most have adopted it. The national curriculum is tied to a system of examinations at the secondary level. First, the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is usually taken by 16 years old in a wild range of subjects chosen by pupils most of them attempt between 8 and 10 subjects. (notes between A to G). [...]

[...] Half of black Caribbean and black African women worked in the public administration, education and health sector. Those most likely to be employed in professional occupation (prof. libérales) were from Indian,Chinese and White Irish group (between 16% and 18%). White British people have relatively low rates of people working in professional occupation The groups with the lowest proportion of professionals were the Black group, the Bangladeshis and the Pakistanis each with less than 10%. Figures are similar for managers and senior officials (cadres sup). [...]

[...] IV/The religious population Distribution among the different religious groups For the first time the 2001 Census asked involuntary question about religion over of the respondents chose to answer the question on religion. Christianity is the main religion in Britain 41 million Christians making the 3/4 of the population. People with knowledge and formed the second largest group comprising 15% of the population. About of the population belongs to a non- Christian religion of the total population and 52 per cent of the non-Christian religions population are Muslims. Hindus were the second largest non-Christian religious group. [...]