留学英国：世界一流教育的秘密-新东方前途出国

　　“Education, education and education! ”“教育，教育，再教育！”这是英国前首相托尼布莱尔最“叫好”的竞选口号。英国的教育一直被世界公认为一流，因此越来越多的中国家长愿意把孩子送到英国留学。但是毕竟中英教育制度存在着一定的差异，无法在入学年龄和学业程度等等方面一一对应。现在，我们就来大致了解一下英国的教育概况。 

　　Five stages of education 教育的五个阶段 

　　Although there is a saying in English 'Never too late to learn' most people complete their education within the five formal stages, namely, early years, primary, secondary, further education and higher education.

　　国人一样，英国人也推崇“活到老学到老”，但是大多数英国人仍然会在以下五个正规教育阶段内完成学业。这五个阶段是：幼儿教育，小学，中学，延续教育和高等教育。

　　By law,every child has to go to school untilthe age of 16. In other words, education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16.Further education and higher education are optional.

　　英国的法律规定每个孩子都应在5-16岁之间接受义务教育，不能违背。而延续教育和高等教育属于选择性教育。

　　Now, 3 to 5 year-olds are entitled to receive 38 weeks of early-years education. Parents can choose between state and private nurseries and childminders.

　　如今在英国，3-5岁的孩子每年可以享受38周的早期教育。他们的父母可以选择把他们送到国立或私立幼儿园以及寄托户入学。

　　Primary school typically starts when children reach the age of 5. At age 11 they take a series of exams called 'SATs' which stands for Standard Assessment Tasks. SATsare very important exams, because some middle/secondary schools select students by checking their SATs results. Some schools separate students into different classes. Some go into the 'advanced classes'; others go to the 'average classes'.

　　The test results will usually decides which middle school the pupils can go to as some schools are highly selective. However SATs only test basic literacy and numeracy.

　　英国的小学一般从5岁开始，到11岁时孩子们需要参加一系列考试，即标准小学毕业考试SATs。SATs的成绩相当重要，因为部分中学会根据分数来录取学生，甚至有些学校分班时会很有“成绩意识”，把成绩一般的学生分到“平行班”里，成绩较好的分到“优秀班”。这个阶段的考试的主要目的是测试学生的认读和算术技巧。

　　Secondary education consists of two parts: the firstgeared to the GCSE exams at the end of the compulsory education period;and the second, A levels for those who are continuing until they are 18 years old. What do the letters in these two exam namesstand for? Well, GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education - the junior high school final exams in Chinese terms; A Level means Advanced Level, or the senior high school in China.

　　中学分两个阶段：一个是以初中教育水平GCSE为标志，全称是General Certificate of Secondary Education，相当于中国的初中阶段，另一个是初中读完继续升读的A-level 全称 Advanced Level，是与中国高中阶段相似的高中教育。

　　It's important to know how the National Curriculum covers education from age 5 to 18. It is constructed in five Key Stages:

　　英国国家基础教育大纲National Curriculum从5岁到18岁，分成了五个名为Key Stages的阶段。

　　Key Stage 1 - Foundation year and Years 1 to 2 - for pupils aged between 5 and 7 years old.

　　第一阶段：学前班，1-2年级， 5-7岁

　　Key Stage 2 - Years 3 to 6 - for pupils aged between 8 and 11 years old.

　　第二阶段：3-6年级， 8-11岁

　　Key Stage 3 - Years 7 to 9 - for pupils aged between 12 and 14 years old.

　　第三阶段：7-9年级，12-14岁

　　Key Stage 4 - Years 10 to 11 - for pupils aged between 15 and 16 years old.

　　第四阶段：10-11年级，15-16岁

　　Key Stage 5 - Years 12 to 13 - for pupils aged between 17 and 18 years old.

　　第五阶段：12-13年级， 17-18岁

　　At the age of 16 or after GCSEs, students have the option of going into further education（FE）and is a way of attaining specific skills training or vocational certificates. FE courses are normally offered at colleges but not universities.

　　学生在16岁或者完成初中GCSEs教育后，可以选择“持续教育，简称FE”。是义务教育结束后学生获得某种专门技巧或高等职业证书的途径，类似中国的职业高中。

　　Finally it's higher education (HE). Those who pass both GCSE and A level exams with flying colours can go straight on to universities.Young men and young women who choose to can pursue further by studying a master's or doctor's degree till they climb to the very top of the UK educational pyramid.

　　最后是高等教育 Higher Education。那些顺利通过初中和高中毕业考试的学生可以直接升入大学。而这些雄心勃勃的大学生们还可以继续硕士和博士学位的学习，从而登顶英国教育的金字塔。

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