       The system of education in Great Britain is rather complicated and differs from that in Russia. Great Britain has no written constitution and that is why the system of education is determined by the National Acts.        There are several basic features for public education in Great Britain. Firstly, there are wide variations between different parts of the country. Education in England and Wales is nearly the same, while in Scotland and Northern Ireland the systems differ a lot. Secondly, it mirrors the country’s social system: it is class-divided and selective. The majority of schools are maintained schools. They are supported by public funds and education in them is free. Most parents choose to send their children to these schools, but there is also a great number of public schools in which parents have to pay for the education of their children.
       Pupils in Great Britain can choose between Arts (Humanities) and Science. The science pupils will study Chemistry, Physics, Math, Economics, Biology, and Geography. The Art pupils will do English, Literature, History and Languages. But all the pupils have to do some general educational subjects such as PE, Home economics and so on.
       Between the age of 2 and 5 some children go to infant classes in primary schools. Here they play, lunch and sleep.
       Most children start school at the age of 5 at primary school. This school is divided into infant and junior. At infant school children are taught 3-rs: reading, writing and arithmetic. At the age of 7 children go to Junior school. Here they have set periods of Arithmetic, Reading, Composition, History, Geography, Art and so on. The pupils are streamed according to their abilities. The most talented are in stream A, while the least are in stream D. Pupils stay in Junior school for 11 years. Until 1960 children took a selective exam at the end of primary school (The eleven Plus Exam): those who passed the exam went to grammar schools, that led to Universities, those who didn’t – went to secondary modern schools, that led to technical schools only.
       After 11 most children go to comprehensive schools. These schools give the children the same opportunities in education; others go to Grammar or secondary modern schools. About 5% of pupils are educated privately in public schools, most of which are single-sex schools. The schools such as Eaton, Harrow, Rugby are famous for their ability to give the pupils self-confidence, the right accent, a good academic background and the right friends and contacts. The education in these schools is of higher quality. These schools accept pupils on the basis of entrance exams.
       In Great Britain pupils have to pass two exams, both called General Certificate of education (GCE). At about 16 they take 0-Level exam in 7 or 8 subjects. For a lot of jobs you must have 4 or 5 0-Levels. But if a pupil doesn’t want to sit for this exam he can take Certificate of secondary education exam that is much easier. At the age of 16 pupils can leave school, but pupils who wish to enter a university usually take A-Level exams in 2-3 subjects. To take these exams they have to stay at school for 2 more years till the age of 18. Three A-Levels are enough for most Universities, but to enter Oxford or Cambridge you have to take special exams.