This lecture covers the education system in the UK (mainly England & Wales) The various steps of education from primary schools to universities as well as the related social and political issues are explained.

1. THE BRITISH
EDUCATION SYSTEM
An Overview

2. So British!
 “Public Schools” in GB are not public but
privately owned and run (upper class children
are educated in Public Schools)
 While education is compulsory until
18, schooling is only compulsory to 16
 MMost schools in
England require
children to wear a
school uniform.

3. Why uniforms?
 A sense of pride and discipline
 Creates identity for a school
 Everyone is equal.
 No expensive clothes for children
 Stop worrying about what to wear each day

4. Purpose of Education
 Teach basics – reading, writing, math
 National tests at ages 7 and 11 in English, Maths
and Science.
 Socialize: children taught rules and values
needed to become good citizens
 State heavily involved –when, where, how
and what children taught
 GCSE Exams mark the end of compulsory
schooling.

5. Education organization
Primary & secondary
 Stages of Education:
 Primary education age (5-11)
 Secondary Education (11-16-18)
 Higher Education (18+)
 Education overseen by the United
Kingdom's Department for Education
 Local government authorities are responsible
for implementing policy for public
education and state schools at a local level.

7. Secondary Schools
State Schools
 Brightest students get a grant to go to
Grammar Schools.
 Others go to Comprehensive Schools until
16
 Schools ran by Local Education
Authorities
 Since the 1988 Education Act, schools
can opt out and thus become autonomous
in budget.

8. Problems with the state system

9. Problems with the state system
 Schools opting out can resort to whatever
measure to decrease costs (Lowering maintenance
costs, larger classes, underpaid and overworked teachers…)
 Inner city schools: concentration of the least
privileged population -> 40% of pupils hardly
speak English -> greater risk of failure ->
more dropouts.
 National Curriculum, but System promotes
regional differences and disparities, (regional
accents)

10. Secondary Schools
Independent Schools
 Wealthier parents send their children to
fee-paying independent schools, where
children are put on the road to wealth,
success & influence.
 Grammar schools: 7 Boarding ( like Eton,
Harrow, Rugby, Winchester,…) + 2 day
schools
 A significant number of influential people in

11. Famous Etonians
•Out of 53 Prime Ministers 19
went to Eton
•Only 10 had « normal »
secondary education

12. Higher Education
 As with secondary education, most
universities in the UK are dominated by
top universities: Oxford and Cambridge.
 Role of Oxbridge in perpetuating the
Establishment
 The most influential people in the UK tend
to graduate from these universities.
 Their history and reputation tends to
attract the smartest scholars

13. Famous Oxonians
 HM King Abdullah II of Jordan

14. Famous Oxonians
 Hugh Grant, Actor

15. Famous Oxonians
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, former
President and Prime Minister of
Pakistan

16. Famous Oxonians
Bill Clinton, Former
President of the USA

17. Famous Oxonians
Margareth Thatcher,
Former Prime Minister
UK
Out of 53 Prime Ministers 26 graduated from Oxford and 14 from Cambridge

18. University
 Prestige of Humanities: Studying “useless”
subjects is a sign of class
 The system can contribute to enhance
social differences.
 With public schools, Oxford and
Cambridge are the places where many of
the decision makers are produced

19. University
Funding
 Education is funded by government
grants.
 Pupils apply directly to university or
college
 When accepted, they apply for a
maintenance grant
 Maintenance grants cover living expenses
and their tuition fees.

20. Rising cost of higher education

21. Tuition fees
 Consecutive reforms to rise tuition fees
 1996: 1,000 £
 2015:9,000£
 Rising student debt
 Threat to diversity
 Protests in London
Nov. 5, 2015

22. Nov
2016
 measures to
rank
universities
according to
 graduate
employment
rates and
 student
satisfaction,

23. Education and Social Classes
 Education system in Britain decentralized
 It is oriented towards the perpetuation of
the existing social order
 Prevents the disappearance of the most
useful means of social discrimination:
The accent.

24. Social Mobility and education
 Margaret Thatcher.
 Discovered Power at Oxford,
 but once Prime Minister, forced
universities to turn towards private funding
 As Education Minister, known as the milk
snatcher
 As Prime Minister, took elocution lessons
so that her accent would not betray her
humble origins.

25. Unequal chances
 before the age of 3, few child minding
facilities
 Often mothers sacrifice their career
 Wealthier families pay nannies
 From the outset children do not enjoy
equal chances

26. Controversial questions in
education
• What sort of English should students
learn?
• Should students be forced to speak in a
standardized way rather than regional
accents
Other controversial questions:
 Educational policy can determine if class
inequality can be erased or continued
 The poorest would have less chances of
accessing higher education and Oxbridge