INTRODUCTION
Every
country has a scale of values and every nation has things it values very high
and things it does not volue. The Scottish people believe in education above
all and they think highly of educated and clever people.
Lotely the
education in our country has become an essentual problem.There had been many
discussions,what kind of education to provide to our children. We all want our
pupils to be able to live in the modern
sociaty and to fulfill the demands of the emploiments market all around the
world.I choose to make a reseach on education system in Scotland, because this
country has older traditions of education than Latvia. May aim is to find out how this system works
and why scottish nation is so fond of clever people.
In this
annual paper I will descrike the educational system in Scotland of nowdays, to
compare it with the educational system of England and to paint out as far as
possible differences between the educational system in Latvia and inScotland.
While
describiny the educational system of Scotland I would like to show thir way of
schooling that makes children eqal members of the modern sociaty; to show what
opportunities for education a child has in Scotland. And than to show the
system of governing bodies, which provide and organize the education in
Scotland; to describe the mamagement in Scottish schools, colleges and
universities.
After
describing the educational system in Scotland I woud like to compare the
education systems and some other differences in education between Scotland and
England. Although they are parts of the United Kingdom, the schooling of the
children differs to some extent in those areas.
The third
task I set is to make an attempt to compare Latvian and Scottish education
systems. They are rather different and that’s why it is not easy to compare
them, but it could give a visual aid to see what exactly differs and what could
be chandet if possible to make our education system more effective. And also to
show the things that in our education could stay as they are.
I chose this
annual paper, because I wanted to find out what do scottish people do to give
their children good education and to point out what I as a would-be teacher
could change in my point of view about the education providing system.
SCHOOL – SYSTEM.
The school system in every
country differs according to the history, tradicions of the country and
people’s attitude towards clever and educated personalities. Scotland is a part
of the United Kingdom and is ruled by the same Queen and Parliament, but its
school and educational system differs in some points from that of other parts
of the United Kigdom. In this chapter I’ll try to describe the school system in
Scotland.
PRIMARY EDUCATION.
The compulsory education
begins at the age of 5. But before it parents can choose to send their child to
a nursery school. This is pre-primary
school where a year before the starting of the corpulsory education
children can get prepared for school life. Nursary school usually don’t exist as
separate educational establishment, but each pre-primory school is attached to
the primary school and prepares children for studies in this particular primary
school.
Since the child gets 5 years
old she/he begins her/his compulsory education in primary school where the
child studies until she/he gets 12 years old. Primary schools consist of two
parts Infant-school and Junior school. Infant-school is for children from 5 to
7 years old and Junior schools are from 8 to12 years old children.
Children attend school
five-days a week and have Saturday and Sunday free. Lessons usually start at
nine o’clock and finishe about three
o’clock afternoon. Pupils also have an hour- and- a- quarter long lunch break.
Infant-school means that the
first two years of education children are expected to learn to read, to write
and to do simple sums. Pupils also learn basic practical and social skills and
try to find out as much as they can about the world through stories, drama,
music, crafts and through physical exercises.
There are about 20-25
children in a class, but sometimes even more. One class has usually one and the
same teacher for all activities. And children are more strongly encouraged to
do and make things themselves.
After two years schooling
children are assumed to have ability to read and write because the school work
in Junior schools is bassed on reading and writing. The class teacher is still
a central figure for children, but at the same time incveasing there is
emphasis on subject with subject teachers (for example a teacher for
mathematics, crafts, foreign language). Usually at this age children are not
dividend into different levels of ability, however within eadns clas there may
be several different groups.
Clasrooms are often informal
in arragement. Children work at tables, but they may also move around fairly
freely if the need if while studying practical topic. Children usually don’t
have home works. But at the age of seven and twelve children have to take
national tests in reading, writing aand science.
Methods of teaching vary.
There are formal lessons with the teacher at the front of the classroom and
activities in which children work in small groups round a table with the
teacher supervising. A mixture of both methods is probably the best and actually
there is a balance between two methods, but wary person has his/her own opinion
and people tend to divide into apposing camps.
SECONDARY EDUCATION.
At the age of 12 the primary
education ends and children have to move to a
a new school where they start the secondary education which is also
compulsory until he/she gets 16 years
old.
Most of the students go to
comprehensive schools. These schools take children of all abilities and provide
a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a
district within the 12 to 18 years age range. Parents can also chose to sent
their child to a grammar school or to a secondary modern school. In fact only
best students can be sent to the grammar school. These schools offer mainly
academic education for the 12 to 18 or 19 years age group. But secondary modern
schools provide a more general education and up to the age of 16. There are
also indepenent or private schools which
are outside the state sector and are mostly meant for the children from the
upper class because if parents want their children to be educated in private
school they have to pay for it (approximately £4.000 a term).
Classes in secondary school
are a little bit smaller 15-20 students in a clas. Pupils have different
teachers for different subjects. The school day is the same as in primary
school only lesson last until four o’clock afternoon and students have also
homework. Secondary level pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum
consisting of English, mathematics, science, a modern European language, social
studies, tehnalogical activities art, music or drama, religious and moral
education and physical education. In Gaelic – speaking areas Gaelic also is
taught in schools. In Scotland religious instruction is oldigatory and schools
are vequived to practice religious observance. Parents, of caurse, have a right
to withdraw their children from classes of religious instruction and collective
worship.
At the secondary shool
begins so called ‘streaming’ – that is dividing pupils into different groups
according to their abilities. A few local authorities still send clever
children to one school but slaw children to another. However now the vast
majority of secondary schoolsaccept children of all abilities, the decision
have to be made within the schools. Many people tense this streaming system,
but at the same time very few teachers believe that it is possible to educate
children of all abilities together, on the other hand, few teachers want to go
back to rigid streaming where children were kept apart, and those at the bottom
were always at the bottom. The most common solution is to organize children
both classes of mixed ability and groups of simmilan abilities and to organize
timetables in which they are moving between classes and groups.
At the age of 14, after the
second year ofeducation in secondary school pupils have to take national test
in order to check their knowledge. This test is simmilar to those of primary
school national tests.
Starting the third year in secondary school a
pupil have the right to choose the subject he/she wants to study. There are 3
strems available –Arts, Sciences and Modern Stream. Actually these streams are
organized according to the academic records of the student at the time.
Students who choose Arts study arts and humanities and relatively little
science subjects, those who choose Science study more Physics, Chemistry and
Biology and less art subjects Modern Studies mean fewer less specialized
subjects.
Pupils in their last year of
compulsory schooling are enconraged to undertake a period of work experience as
part of their education. During a placement pupils carry out particulan jobs in
much the same way as regular employees.
After the 4th
year of school. At the time when a pupil reaches 16 years she/he has to take
the first serious examination in his life. This examination is taken in 7 or 8
subjects and it is the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) at a Standard
grade. The examination must be taken in “core” subjects (English Mathematics
and Science ) plus three or five other subjects. These are chosen in discussion
with teachers, from a list. But there is no “five choice” because of timetables
and demands for a coherent education. One of the subjects must be practical,
another must be part of “social studies”. Academic pupils will be able to
choose mostly academic subjects. Those, who find school work more difficult can
concentrate on practical and technical subjects. This test is marked nationally
and a student gets marks from 1 (the best) to 7 (the lowest).
Boys and girls also can get
their secondary education in City Technology colleges. CTCs aim is to give
students from all kind of background a
broad secondary education with a strong technological and business slant. Tey
are set up by the Government by the help of
business sponsors who finance a large proportion of initial capital
costs. The full National Curriculum istaught, but with a special emphasis on
technology, science and mathematics. CTCsare established only in mid-nineties.
There are also schools for
children with special educational needs and for children from minority ethnic
communities. Children with special educational needs have all kind of learning
difficulties, including those resulting from physical and mental disabilities.
Firstly the educational and non-educational needs of each individual child are
indentified. Then appropriatespecial educational provision is decided. Parents
have the right to be involved inthes decisions. Whenever it is possible pupils
with special needs are educated in ordinary schools and developmentin
information technology are greatly improoving the quality of educatio of
children with special needs.
There are children who have
prticular educational needs arising from differences of language, custom and
religion. Minority ethnic children whose mother tongue is not English are given
help to improove their english and
schools take acoun of the ethnic and cultural background of pupils.
Specific grants are available to help school meet the particular needs of
minority ethnic children, including travrllers and refugees.
With the age of 16 the
compulsary education ends and some students leave the school and start their
working experience. Almost a third of sixteen years old teenagers go stright out and look for a job.
Unemployment is rather high and to find
a job is not so easy, that’s why many young people take part in training
schemes whids involve on-the-job training combined with part-time college
courses. Young people can also get vocational qualification. There are several
levels of attainment to which qualification in all sectors can be assigned.
Vocational qualification are begin developed for these young people seeking a
more broadly based preparation for work or a ladder of progression to higher qualification,
including higher education. Vocational qualifications are thaught in schools
and colleges. There are subjects available in Advanced, Intermediate and
Fundational level. Most employers requine the third level oh attainment. Any
way vocational qualification programs allows the student to get the higher
education, because students over 16 who have completed a program of vocational
courses based on study units know as modules get the National Certificate.
Students wishing to coutiune
their secondary education after the SCE at a Standart grade would enter the
lower 6th form in his/her secondary school (if school offers this
opportunity ) or enter further educational college or center choosing up to six
subjects for preparation to the SCE Higher grade, which allows than to go on to
higher education and training. After a year of study in the upper 6th
form students would sit for their SCE Higher grade in the subjects prepared.
The Certificate oh Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) is for pupils who have success fully
complete the Higher grade and wish to continue studies in particular subjects.
The Higher grade can be taken a year earlier than A levels ( in England).
Because subjects are not as advanced individually as A levels, in Britain. This
test is marked nationally and marks are very important for getting a higher
education.
HIGHER EDUCATION.
Higher education convers all
post-school courses above the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) standard
grade. These courses are available at universities, colleges and institutions
of higher education. Young people usually applay for the University they would
like to study, but only University can decide whether they like that student or
not.
Though university normally may selects
students on the basis of SCE ’Highers’ results and on interview, still a
student with top grades in several subjects is not guaranteed a place.
Four years study at the
university is the norm for most subjects, only medicine is studied longer.
There are four universities
in Scotland, which are rather old. The university of St. Andrews, the
University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of
Edinburg.
St. Andrews university which
was founded in 1411 and was the first university in Scotland, is a federation
of semi- independent colleges. Lectures and laboratory work is organized at
university level. The other three are a little bit different while they don’t
have accomodations for students. It is said that the Scotish university
trdition was one of the oldest and prudist in the world; that for centuries ,
if a pupil was capable and wiling to learn, his teacher spared no effort to get
him to one of the universities, the parents, the poorest of them, did oll they
could to get him in. The Scttish arefar more democratic in their approach to
the problem of education than the Englissh.
Besides the four oldest
universities since the 19th century there were founded several new
universities.
A student who is accepted
for the studies at the university has to find a place where to live if the
university is fare from home. The student is not allowd to take a job durin
term time. Unless student’s parents are rich he/she receive a state grant of
money which is intended to cover most of their living exspenses during study
time.
Students enroll for courses
offered by faculties and become student members of the faculty.
Before students get their
first degree they are called “Undergraduates” and their academic progress is
controlled by the registrar of the university till their graduation.
Graduation ceremony is
always a great ceremony with all highest persons of the university and itt is
also the only time when the Chancellor of the university is participating.
The first degree at the
university is the Master’s degree. Most commonly a Master of Arts or a Master
of Science.
The general name for a secon
postgraduate degree is the Bachelor’s degree. To get this degree students have
to write a Bachelor’s paper – a research on subject he/she studies.
The highest academic
qualification is Doctorate. This usually but not everywhere carries the title
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph D). The time taken to complete a doctors degree
varies, but it is generally expected to involve three years of more or less
full-time study.
After graduating from the
university most students get homours degree awarded in different classes. There
are four differrent classes:
Class 1 – “a first” class;
Class 2 1 – “an upper
second” class;
Class 2 2 – “a lower second”
class;
Class 3 – “a third”class.
A student who is below one
of these classes gets a pass degree, but it is not an honours degree.
All the universities are
non-residental, that is open to everybody, who is willing to study. All
universities are organized in faculties: ther are Faculty of Arts, Divinity,
Medicine and Science, some universities have Engineering and Music faculties
too. Students have an opportunity to choos also so called sandwich courses,
which include a period of work experience outside the institution, it can extend
the length of the course by up to a year.
In addition many students
attend education courses which heve close links with business. The university
gives academic knowledge and not the professional. It means that if a student had studied law at
the university and has an academic degree, however he can not get a job as a
lawyer. He has only academic knowledge and to gain a profession – laawyer he
has to complete lawyer’s courses at a professional level.
A lot of students are on
part-time studies, some of whom were released by employers to attend college
during working hours.
The university givs the
highest academic knowledge and there are no higher academic institution.
However people are studying for the whole life and taking differentcourses to
add to their knowledge ore to get a new qualificaton.
THETCHER EDUCATION.
None of the educational
establishment can exist without a teacher. In Scotland all teachers in state
schools must be registred with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. New
primary school teachers qualify either
through a four-year basic educational courses or a one-year post graduate
courses. Basic educational courses are usually for non-graduates. The degree
courses are taken in the subject study and professional training. Intending
secondary school teachers must be graduates who then conplete a one-year
postgraduate certificate of education courses. Approved courses of initial
teacher training are available in three teacher education institutions and in
three universities.
Formal teacher appraisal is
being introduced in schools. In Scotland all teachers should have been
appraised once by the end of 1995/96. Ways of ensuring that teachers’ is more
closely related to their performance are also being considered.
Teacher in state schools in
Scotland is appointed by SOED or school governing bodies. The avarage pupil
teacher ratio for all schools is 17 to 1. Teacherin state schools must hold
qualifications approved by the appropriate education department.
OPEN UNIVERSITY.
An exstraordinary andvery
popular way of getting the higher education is the Open University. It is the
main distance-learning institution for adults. No formal academic
qualifications are required to enrol on undergraduate courses, but standarts of
its degrees and other qualifications are as high as in other universities. Its
courses are thaught through television, radio and specially written course books. Its students work with tutors,
to whom they send their writen work and with whom they then discuss it either
at meetings or through correspondence. In the summer they have to attend short
residental courses of about a week. This kind of education is regardes as high
as any other academic education.
SCHOOL MANAGEMENT.
The British government
attached little importance to education until the end of the nineteenth
century. It was one of the last goveruments in Eurape to organize education for
everybody. However the Scottish people believed in education above all. At the
beginning of the 19th century those elementary schools that existed
were financed eituer by private individuals or one of the Churches.
1833 Parliament made a grant
for the provision of school houses. This marked the beginning of states
involvement in the education.
1870 Forester Act allowed
for the establishment of 300 Local Educational Authorities(LEA), school boards.
They were empowered to provide schools for elementary education in their
respective areas. At first children had to attend school from 5-10 years then
compulsory education was from age of 5-14 years.
1944 Butter’s Act estutlished that a Ministry of
Education would be to provide guidelines while it was the right of the local
educational authorities (LEA) to decide what form education would take in their
espective areas and introduced system of inspection for all schools both
independent and state-financed. The inspectors are called their Majesty’s
Inspector of Schools (MIS).
1964 Labour government announced that Departmeut of
Education and Science would be responsible for children education and the head
of department the Secretary of State for Education and Science. The advantages
of LEA’s are that they allow for flexibility within the system so that the type
at state education provided in each area will depend on the requirement,
demands and characteristics of that area.
LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITIES.
In British educational system there is comperatively
little central control or uniformity. Scotland have its own department of
Education and Emplayment - Scottish
Office of Education Department.
SOED doesn’t
exercise much control over the details of what actually happens in the
educational institutions. All it does is to ensure the availabilities of
education, dictate and implements its overall organization and set overall
learning objectives up to the and of compulsory education.
Central garernment
says, in broad terms, what school children should learn, but it only
offers occasional advice about how they should learn it. It doesn’t manage an
institution’s finances either it just decides how much money to give it. In
general as many delaits as possible are left up to individual istituticen or
the Local Educational Authority.
Scottish education authorities are obliged to encouray
the establishment of school beards to help run schools with the aim of
increasing parental involvement in school management. Other allows for the setting up of self-governing schools,
equivalent to grant-maintained schools, and of technology academies with a
similar role to that of city technology colleges. Further education colleges
have been enabled to take on greater financial and managerial responsibilities
so as to improve efficiency and responsiveness to local demand. Further
Education Colleges in Scotland became autonomous institutian outside local
authority contral financed through the SOED.
Twelve education authorities are responsible for the
provision of education in state schools locally in Scotland. Most of the
schools supported by public funds are provided by the education authorities and
are know as ‘public schools’. School Boards, with elected parent and teacher
members play on important part in the running of Scottish state schools.
Governing bodies are responsible for their. Schools main policies and all
“public schools” have had responsibility for managing their own budgets under
the Local Management of Schools (LMS) scheme. LEA decide how big a share of the
total schools budged to allot to individual schools (based largely on pupils
numbers). Govennors at public schools manage budget, set the number and grades
of teachers and recruit staff. Additionally they are responsibibe for the
curriculum and for establishing the school’s broad strategies. Day-to-day
running of the school is the responsibility of the head teacher.
Self-governing schools have a greater freedom than LEA
schools. They are able to employ their own staff, have full cantrol over their
budgets, own their premises and are directly accountable for their performance
to their local community.
It has become as a tradition that a schools has its
own community. Most schools develop, to same degree at least, a sense of
distinctiveness. It is cousidered desirabele (even necessary) for every school
to have its own school hall, big enough to accomodate every pupil, for daily
assemblies and after occasional ceremonies.
ROLE OF PARENTS.
The rights of the parents are described in Parent’s
Charter. It was first launched by the Scottish Office Education Repartment 1991
and 1994. They set out parent’s rights and responsibilities particulary in the
following areas:
·
Parents have the
right to express preference for the school they wish their child to attend and
unless certain reliefs apply, admission authorities must comply with that
choice.
·
Parents have the
right to basic performance information on schools and colleges. All local
secondary schools in Scotland are included in national camparative tables which
provide information about public examination results, vocational qualification
results and rates of authorised and unauthorised absance. Separate tables are
public for Scotland for destination of school leavers and school costs.
·
Parents have the
right to receive a summary of a recent inspection report of their child school.
The first cycle of four-yearly inspections began in September 1993.
Responsibility for school inspections rests with the office of Hen Majesty’s
Chief Inspector of Schools.
·
Parents receive a
full writen report about their child’s progress at least once a year containing
a common core of information, including National Curriculum test’s results and
examination results. It is responsibility of school’s governing bodies to
publish their school’s prospectuses and annual reports, including examination
results, the curriculum and organisation of the school and its ethos and
values.
NATIONAL CURRICULUM.
Starting in the late 1980s, one serious change where
introduced by the government. Education Reform Act of 1988 provided for the
establishment of a National Curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 16 in all state
schools and for regular assessment of performance. In fact in Scotland
non-statutory guidelines achieve the same aims. Under the open-enrolment
provisions, primary and secondary schools must admit pupils up to the limit of
their physical capacity were sufficient demands exist so that parents can have
a greater choice of schools. The idea is to improve school’s management and
efficiency by giving schools greater responsibilities and corresponding
freedoms parents can also play a large role and have more influence over the
running of their schools.
However pupils in Scotland have traditionally studied a broader curriculum. Although there
is not statutory national curriculum, national guidance issued by the Secretary
of State has the same effect. The Scottish Cansultative Council on the
Curriculum advises the Secretary of State on curriculum development.
Secondary level pupils follow a broad and balanced
curriculum consisting of English, Mathernatics, Science, a modern European
language, Social studies, Tehnological activities, Art, Music or Drama,
Religious and moral education, and physical education. A major program of
curriculum development is in progress on the teaching and testing of
mathematics, English, modern languages, Latin, expressive arts, enviromental
studies and religious and moral education have already been published.
National tests in reading, writing and mathematics are
given to primary and early secondary school pupils as they complete each of
five levels set out in the national guidelines. A major program to extend
modern language teaching to primary schools is also underway and Gaelic is
taught in Gaelic-speaking areas.
Religious instructions are obligatory and schools are
required to practice religious observance. Parents may withdrow their children
from classes of religious instruction and collective worship.
The Education Act 1993 established the Scottish
Consultation Council on the Curriculum and the Scottish Examination Board.
Which achiev the same aims as School Curriculum and Assessment Authority in
England.
Technical and Vocational Education initiative is the
largest curriculum development project funded and administered by central
govorment. It aims to ensure that the education of 14-to-18-years-old in Scotland
equips tham properly for working life. The object is to make the school
curriculum more relevant to the working enviroment and to improve skills in
science, technology and modern languages. The Emplayment Department works
closely with the Scottish Office Education Department. Employers agree that
they benefit from recruitiny young people with TVEI experience.
TESTING AND ASSESMENT.
The organvation
of the exams which schoolchildren take from the age of about fifteen
onwards exemplifies the uniformity in education and also the traditional
“hands-off” approach of government. Examinations are not set by the government,
but by the independent examining board. The Scottish Examinations Board publish
a separak syllabus for each subject. The examinations have nothing to do with
school years as such they are divorced from the school system, but in practice,
of course, the vast majority of people who do these exams are school pupils,
though formally it is individual people who enters for these examinations, not
pupil in a particular year of school.
Scottish pupils take the Scottish Certificate of
Education (SCE) at Standard grade at the
end of their fourth year of secondary education. Fith-and sixth-year pupils sit
the SCE Higher grade which allows them to go on to higher education and
training. The Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) is for pupils who have
successfully completed the Higher grade and wish to continue studies in
particular subjects. The Higher grade can be taken a year earlier than A
levels, and it is common for pupils to take up to six subjects. While not as
adranced individually as A levels, four or more passes are usually recognized
as begin equivolmt to two or three A level passes.
A reform program for Higher and CSYS was announced in
1994 for implementation from 1997-98. It will bring together existing academic
and vocational courses into a single curriculum and assessment system.
The National Certificate is for students over 16 who
have completed a program of vocational courses based on study until known as
modules. These are different levels of attainment to which qualifications in
all sectors can be assigned and Scottish Vocational Education Council develops
the range of Qualitications in Scotland
including the non-advanced National Certificate and the advanced Higher
National Certificate in addition to the SVQ and General SVQ.
UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT.
The Universities in Scotland are rather independent
institutions. They make their own choices of who to accept on their courses.
Most at the more recently established universities in
Scotland are accommodated in purpuse-built buildings located on specifically
configurated campuses which are self-contained with residences, shops, cinema,
theatre assembly-hall, restaurant, bar, travel ageney, book shop, bouk,
library, publishing facility post-office clinic information paint etc.
The Government appoints Chancellor of the university, who
is usually a person of high public profile. The Chancellor is the ‘Universities
High Priest’, the honoury head of a university and has no real power within the
university, he has only ceremonal duties and students see the Chancellor only
at the Granduation ceremony.
The true academic and administrative head of the
university is the Vice-Chanceller. He is also appointed by the government and
is selected from among persons with outstading academic qualification and high
public standing. The Vice-Chancellon is responsible for all mathers concerning
the university and for the day-to-day management of the university. But he
doesn’t work alone he is aided in his tasks by a team of Pro-Vice Chancellor
whom he appoints from amony the academic staff of the university. The
Vice-Chancellor also presides over the University Cauncit and the Senate.
The University Council is made up of the members of
the academic and civic community, possibly including some students. Its
responsibility is to discuss matters and resolve disputes affecting the
university and the civic community in which it is situated that’s between ‘town
and gown’.
The highest academic authority in the university is
the Senate. It is made up of the holders of high academic offices for example
the Deans of the Faculties, the Heads of the Departments, Professors, Associate
Profesors and other representatives of the academic staff. It discusses
all matters on the academic work of the
university for example study programs degrees, research, agreements with other
universities and agreements with private enterprise and commerce etc.
The second most powerful person at the university is a
registrar. He is appointed by ihe Vice-Chancellor and is selected from people
holding high academic office wihin the university. He is the head of the
academic staff of the university.
The registrar collaborates with the Deans and Heads,
delegates of the Student Representative council, the heads of the university
residences, the head of maintinance and services and the Chief Librarian to
achieve the smooth running of the university.
The registral also controls the intake of students.
The Deans of the faculties are appointed from academic
staff and are responsible for organizing and managing the facultie. Students
enroll for courses offered by the faculty and becomes student members of that
faculty.
Faculties provides the physical accommodation and
academic space for departments who fulfill research and teaching.
The hierarchy of the academic staff in university from
top to bottom is as follows:
Professor and thead of Department
Assistant
Professor
Reader
Senior Lecturer
Lecturer
Junior Lecturer
Research Assistant
Student
Every university has Students Representative council
and students Union.
The SRC is elected body of representatives of the
students of a university. It is assigned a budget from the university founds
with which it can finance the Students Unions and numerous activities organized
by and for the students.
The Student
Union is usually acamodated in a special building on the uni campus.
Over 90 per cent of full-time higher education
students are eligible for non-repayable maintance and studying grants from
public funds. Parents contribute to maintance costs according to income.
Suitably qualified students in Scotland, taking a first degree or comparoble
course have a right to a grant from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland
Awards for pastgroduate courses of professional or vocational training mostly
at Diploma level are considered by SAAS.
Government-funded student loans were introduced in
1990 through the United Kingdom as a way of sharing student support more fairly
between graduates, parents and the taxpayers. The Student Leans Company, based
in Glasgow, administers the scheme.
BUSSINES INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION.
The Government considers that close
co-operation between education and business is vital in order to prepare not
just young people, but people of all ages for the world of work. The
Government’s local Education-Business Partnership initative, announced in 1990
is designed to foster the development of wide-ranging local links between
business education and other community interests through Britain. Compacts are
local partnerships between employers young people schools colleges and training
providers, they aim to raise motivation aand achievment in schols.
There is a network of 22 Local Enterprise Companes in
Scotland. LECs have a key-ole to play in achievement of national
competentiveness through contributing to clear strategies and plans to help
build dynamic local ecanomies, through developing competetive business capable
of taking on and beating global competitors, and through developmeng and
encouraging a world class workforce with the skills needed for successful
businesses.
In 1991 some LECs began running a pilot scheme of
training credits (Youth Credits). Youth Credits entitle young people to
training to approved standards at least to National Vocational Qualification
level.
Schools are very good equiped with computers. Pupils
are siposed to be able to demonstrate familiarty with information technology.
Schools also provide careers education and guidance in orderto rise awarnes of
education training and careers co-ordination and many have a formal service
agreement with the local Careers Service.
There also exist Science parks, that is partnership
between higher education institution and industry to promote commercially
focused research, often involving advanced technology. They enable business
employing high technology to have ready access to the research exspertise of
university staff. The main areas of activity are computing electronics
instrumentation, robotics electronical engineering chemicals biotechnology. The
emphasis is on research design, development consultancy, testing and training,
fastening the needs of small and start-up companies, rather than large- scale
manufactoring. Tha Governments LINK scheme enourages firms and highereducation
establisments to work together on government-financed research with potential
industrial application.
ENGLAND – SCOTLAND.
There exist a wide spread oppinion that the English
schools are told to give the best education in the world but the Scottish schools are told to have the
most democratic approach
in the world towards the educational problems. It does
not mean tha these two sistems differ much from each other. England and
Scotland have very alike educational sistems, only some traditionally and
historically based distinctions exist.
There is a
little difference in the amount of years spent at different stages of
education.
1
2 3 4
5 6 7
8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
|
e
England
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scotlsnd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nursary school
Primary stage
Secondary stage
Tertial stage ( till the first degree in the
university)
We see that Scottish pupils spend a year more in a
primary school and a year more at the university to obtain the first degree but
they have only four years obligatory secondary education compared to five years
at English schools.
Also the term duration
inScotland and England schools differs. Scottish pupils study from mid-August
till the end of June. At the sami time pupils in English school start theitr
school year in early September and continue it till the following July.
The examinaions in Scotland
also differs from that of England. First of all grades in Scotland are awarded
in numbers but in England in letters.
Top A – 1
B – 2
C - 3
D – 4
E – 5
F - 6
Bottom G – 7
Scotland has its own
Examinations Board and Scottish state
schools have to take examinations offered by Scotish Board while English state
schools have an opportunity to choos the examination board they like. The Scottish
Board also issue their cetificates which are equivalent to English one.
|
English
|
Scottish
|
|
General Certificate of
Secondary Education
O-level
General Certificate of
Secondary Education
A-level
|
Scottish Certificate of
Education
Standard grade
Scottish Certificate of
Education
Higher grade
|
Also one could be confused hearing that after
four years of studies at the university a student obtains a Master’s degree. It
is one more difference. The degrees in Scotland universities are not the same
as in Englands universities.
|
Degree
|
England
|
Scotland
|
|
1.
|
Bachelor’s
|
Master’s
|
|
2.
|
Master’s
|
Bachelor’s
|
|
3.
|
Doctor’s
|
Doctor’s
|
The same tendency can be noticed in names of schools.
The names of schools are different in Scotland and England.
|
England
|
Scoland
|
|
Grant- mantained
Independent schools
Public schools
Sixth form colleges
City technological colleges
|
Self- governing
Public schools
Private schools
Further cducation colleges
Technological academy
|
The traditions of higher
education are also different while England follows its own traditions made and developed through the
centuties and the oldest England’s universities are really famous for their
tutorial sistem.
Universities in Scotland are
also rathr old and have their own traditions but the Scottish traditions of
higher education are more like European
and differ in many points from English. This mostly is related to the old
universities.
|
Point of difference
|
Scotland
|
England
|
|
length of studies
teaching mrthods
student accomodation
availability
|
4-5 years
mostly lectures
rooms in town
in all times for all gifted
|
3-4 years
mostly tutorial
hostles
now for all who whants to
study; earlier only for priviledged cless
|
But in most points the
English and Scottish educational system coincide. And it is no wonder while
Scotland and England are two parts of one country and in Ggeat Britain the
latest tendency is to make central controll of the school system in the
country.
LATVIA – SCOTLAND.
The education system in
Latvia has developed quite recently and the schools as an educational
institution appeared much more later than in Scotland. That is why it is rather
difficult to compare these two systems. But I think that it would be useful to
compare the education system in Latvia and in Scotland.
The first thing that draws
attention is the compulsory education. The age at which it begins and until it
lasts differs much in both countries.
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
10 11 12
13 14 15
16 17 18
|
Latvia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scotland
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our pupils are obliged to
spend in school fewer years than scottish. We can say that our students in
comparison with scottish students lose three years of compulsory education.
Latvian pupils also have
fewer study weeks during a school year.
Latvia Scotland
|
August
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
October
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July
|
|
|
|
|
|
time
when students attend school.
That makes our students to
study apptoximately a mounth less every year. So we can conclude that Scottish
children spend more time studying each year than Latvian children do.
But the greates distinction
is the school system. To show this difference I will look upon the school
system of three staged education – schools offering primary, secondary and
tertial education.
1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10 11
12 13 14
15 16 17
18 19 20
21 22 23
|
Latvia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scotland
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pre-primary
education ( not compulsory)
primary stage
(compulsory)
secondary
stage (compulsory)
secondary
stage (not compulsory)
tertial
stage (not compulsory)
Our children can carlier
start education in the kindergarden, but it is not compulsory and most children
don’t have any school experience until they are seven years old and start their
obligatory education. The primary school in our country is nine years while in
Scoland only eight years. The compulsory education in Latvia ends with the
primary school, in Scotland pupils have four years of compulsory education in
secondary school also.
The secondary school in
Latvia is meant mostly for those who wants to continue his/her education in
higher educational establishmet that is in the university. In Scotland only two
extra years in secondary school are meant for academic pupinls.
The tertial university stage
is the same in Latvia and Scotland. Both in Latvia and in Scotland students
study four or five years to obtain their first academic degree. Actually at the
age of twenty three the students of both countries obtain their first honourous
degree.
But day-to-day life of a
scottish pupil differs from that of the latvian pupil.
First of all latvian pupils
spend more time at studies each day, not because they have too many lasons, but
because of homework, which pupils have to do beginning from their first day in
the school. But the Scottish pupils get their first homework only in secondary
school.
The teachin methods also
differs in both countries. Scotish teachers practice both formal lessons and
activities in which children work in groups. In our schools most lessons were
formal and only recently our teachers arange group work inclassrooms.
The examination system is
hcanging in Latvia now and in latest years there are some examinations (
foreign language and mathematics ans some othere ) are provided and marked
nationally, but most of them are marked by the teachers in each school while
all Scottish examinations are marked nationally.
The process of entering the
university differs much. In Scotland it is simplier. Pupils send their
applications to the university and if the university accepts it pupils are
invited for the intervew and after it they get the letter, which accepts the
entrance in the university.
When Latvian pupils want to
enter the university, they have to take the entrance examinations (usually
there are two of them ) and only if they pass these examinations they are
accepted in the university. It takes much more time and efforts to enter the
university in our country than in Scotland.
The degrees awarded in
Latvian univesities are the same as in England and differs from Scotland.
In school management we can
find rather many simmilar things in both lands. Though in Great Britain schools
are more or less independent bodies, and in Scotland also.
Scottish Office of Education
Department is a central ruling body in Scotland and in broad terms tell the
school boards what to do. The Cabinet particulary the Ministry of Education and
Science fulfil the same functions in Latvia.
The school is responsible
for providing a good education for the children in the near- laying area. Of
course both in Latvia and England schools are inspected by the upper standing
governing body.
In Latvia parents are not so
much involved in school life than in Scotland, but in Latvia pupis have their
own organizations to protect their rights and with every year they become more
influential.
Our children are less guided
by the teachers to motivate their learning. Scottish pupils finishing the
secondary school have already some work expierience and practical skills, while
our students have more theoretical knowledge.
CONCLUSION
I have looked
through several books concerning this topic and have found much useful
information.
The most complete
information about the education both in Scotland and in other parts of Great
Britain can be found in the book
“Education in Britain” published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in
London. Also two books, which were published in Russia, “Across England to
Scotland” by N. N. Markova and “Understanding Britain” by K. Hewitt are giving
a brief sight into the problems of education in Britain and about Scotlands
characteristic features. A compact general review of Britain’s educatinal
system can be found in the book
In the book “Skolvadība”
by D. Kukule I found all questions concerning educatinal system in Latvia.
I have
described the educational system of Scotland and found out tha Scotish people
are so fond of their education because it is very democratic and available for
everybody. The financing of education is fair according to each school, each
teacher and each student. Financing education Scotland invests its money in the
future development of the land. Because knowledge and the most modern
technology can bring in money at any time.
The teaching methods – particulary the balance between
different teaching methods makes pupils work more interesting and efficient.
But I actually do not agree with one
point particullary the system of testing. I think that pupis knowledge has to
be regularly checked and not once in two- three years.
As a would-be teacher I
obtained a lot of valuable information from this small research. I concluded
that educational systen can not be absolutely perfect it should change together
with time and demands of the society. And I hope that education in Latvia would
be valued as high as it is in Scotland.
LITERATURE
1. D. Kukule “Skolvadība.”
2. “Education in Britain.” ,
London , Foreign and Commonwealth Office
3. K. Hewitt “Understanding
Britain.”,
4. N. N. Markova “Across
England to Scotland.”,
5.
CONTENS.
Introduction…………………………………………………………………...
School –
system…………………………………………………………….....
Primary
educatoion……………………………………………………...
Secondary
education…………………………………………………….
Higher
education………………………………………………………...
Teacher
education……………………………………………………….
Open university………………………………………………………….
School
management…………………………………………………………...
Local Education
Authorities…………………………………………....
Role of
parents………………………………………………………….
National
Curriculum…………………………………………………….
Testing and assesment…………………………………………………..
University
managemsnt…………………………………………………
Bussines involvement in
education……………………………………..
England –
Scotland……………………………………………………………
Latvia –
Scotland………………………………………………………………
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………..
Literature……………………………………………………………………….
Nav komentāru:
Ierakstīt komentāru