EDUCATION IN RUSSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN

EDUCATION IN RUSSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN 

Oh well, before you start reading this article, I’d like to congratulate you! You should be a really happy person! You are reading the first article in English in our school magazine [A] MAG. I wanted to write this information to clarify the curriculum and other school things in Russia and Great Britain. When you read this article till the end, you will see the difference between Russian and English education and realise where you’d prefer to study. 

Being a 16-year-old student, I clearly understand that, an educated person is one who knows a lot about many things. I think it is very important to be educated nowadays. Each pupil ought to do his best to become a useful member of our society. Education is very important in our life. It makes us more successful and prosperous. 

Firstly, I’d like to tell you about our native Russian schools. The right of all citizens to education is guaranteed by Constitution in Russia. In the Russian Federation the school education is equal, universal and compulsory. Pupils begin to go to school at the age of six. There are thousands of schools in Russia. There are schools of general education, where the pupils study Russian, Literature, Maths, History, Biology, Geography, Music, Foreign Languages, Physics, Chemistry, P.E., etc. There are also a number of specialized schools, where the pupils get profound knowledge of foreign languages or Maths. When they complete high grades they can either continue to study at school for more 2 years if they can do exam (it is called FSA – Final State Assessment now). Or they can go to a professional school (colleges or technical school), where they will study not only main subjects, but they will be able to learn some profession. When school pupils leave school they can try to continue their education in institutes or universities. But before this they have to do GSE (General State Exam). 

Secondly, I will tell you about the education in Great Britain. It is not so easy to understand.  To my mind, it’s quite different from ours. Education in Britain is compulsory and free for all children between the ages of 5-16 like in Russia. About 93 percent of all children are educated in state schools and the rest attend private schools. Children start primary school at 5 and continue until they are 11. Most primary schools are coeducational.Wow! Does it mean that there are schools only for boys and only for girls? There are only boys at school… Or only girls… It’s awful! And so boring! There are no love affairs… Nobody helps you carry your schoolbag after classes…Nobody takes your pizza instead of you at lunch time…Nobody pulls your plaits during the break… As for me, I can’t imagine the school like this!

At 11 most pupils go to secondary schools comprehensive which are not selective and take children of all abilities. Between the ages of 14 and 16 pupils study for their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams. It may be like Final State Assessment after the 9^th form in Russia. At 16 pupils take a national exam and then they can leave school if they wish. If students stay on for 2 more years, they usually take A-levels (Advanced). You need “A” levels to enter the University. One can prepare for “A” levels at sixth-form College. Other 16-year-olds choose to go to a college of further education to study for vocational diplomas. We have the same structure with colleges and technical schools. The core subjects are English, Maths and Science.Can you realise it? There is no Chemistry, Biology and Physics. They have only one subject called Science ….and one teacher…. It’s fantastic! The rest are called foundation subjects and they include History, Geography, Technology, Music, Art, P.E., a modern foreign language. Comprehensive schools want to develop the talent of each individual child. Pupils are quite often put into “sets” which are formed according to ability in each subject.We do not!!! Maybe it’s a good idea???All pupils move to the next class automatically at the end of the year.So do we! 

Now let’s talk about uniform and punishments at school in both countries. Did you know that in Russia, school uniforms were cancelled after 1917 revolution, but were re-introduced in 1948? I also didn’t know about it. In 1992, mandatory school uniforms were abolished. Today, there is no unified standard uniform in Russia, however, many gymnasiums and lyceums, especially prestigious ones, as well as certain schools may have their own uniform that students are required to wear. Schools without a certain  uniform may also have a certain dress-code of  black-and-white clothes.

Most British primary and secondary schools require pupils to wear uniforms. It is one of the oldest country's traditions. A boy's uniform includes a school cap, a tie and a blazer. A girl's uniform consists of a hat, a coat, a skirt and a blouse. Well, it’s really so! All the girls have the same clothes. No jewelleries and trendy clothes at all. The uniforms vary from school to school. Usually, they are dark. Young people in Britain often don’t like their school uniform. But if they don’t wear the right clothes they are punished. It’s really strict but it makes a good discipline in school. 

To sum up, I want to say that it is interesting to try to study in Britain, but I like to study in Russia. Every person loves his/her own school, loves his/her teachers in it, and loves his/her classmates. To my mind, the most important thing at school is the atmosphere in it. Gymnasium №70 is my third school. And frankly speaking, it’s the best in my life :)

Yours faithfully,

Джу :)