Types of independent schools

Independent schools in England and Wales must be registered with the Department of Education and Science to show that they conform to certain minimum standards. The largest and most important of the independent schools in Britain are known as public schools, although not all schools classed as public schools are independent (those which are not are mostly direct grant schools) and public schools form only a minority of all independent schools. These schools shouldn’t be confused with the state-supported public schools in Scotland. The public schools today is characterized by a high staffing ratio and high proportion of pupils doing advanced work and is often, although not necessarily, a boarding school. The usual age of entry to the independent public schools for boys is 13 and the leaving age about 18. There are some girls’ public schools modeled to a certain extent on the public schools for boys.

Independent schools also include preparatory schools, many of them, boarding-schools, for boys aged from 8 to 13 years, most of whom are intending to enter public schools; a few similar schools for girls; and a wide range of other day and boarding-schools covering every age group and grade of education and many types of educational method. Some of these schools are owned and managed, often under a trust deed, by independent non-profit-making bodies. Others are privately owned by proprietor for whom the running of the school provides a living.

THE US SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

Ex.1 Look at the picture representing the US system of education, make up a short article about it using the given verbs and structures:

Ex.2 Match the terms given in the scheme with the definitions

……… = generally research-intensive universities with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

……… = a school that provides adolescents with part or all of their secondary education. It may come after primary school or middle school and be followed by higher education or vocational training.

……… = a preschool educational approach traditionally based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school.

……… = a two-year post-secondary school whose main purpose is to provide academic, vocational and professional education.

……… = a school for students at the ages of 4–13 to receive primary education.

Ex. 3 You are going to read a series of articles about the US system of education. Before reading translate the given headings. One heading is extra. Read first and guess which one is extra, then read and match the headings to a suitable paragraph.