Higher education general

DOS AND DON'TS

A school, like any other organised group or community, must have basic rules and procedures if it is to function effectively.

Here are some of the regulations and bell times functioning at Lawnswood school in Leeds.

RULES

1. Appropriate school dress must be worn on all school occasions.

2. Bicycles should not be ridden in the school grounds.

3. Ball games may not be played in areas close to unprotected windows.

4. Radios and tape-recorders of any type must not be brought to school.

5. No pupil is allowed to smoke on the school premises or on school visits, or to bring cigarettes, matches or lighters onto school premises. Chewing-gum is not allowed in school.

6. Pupils must move about the corridors and staircases in an orderly manner; running in corridors and on staircases is forbidden.

PROCEDURES

1. Punctuality. Pupils must be in form rooms by 8.45 a.m. and before 1.45 p.m.

2. Lates. Pupils arriving late for registration will obtain a late form from their Form Tutor. Pupils arriving after 9.00 a.m. must report immediately to the Office in their building.

3. Notices. Notices may be displayed on school notice boards only with the permission of a member of Staff.

4. Classes left unsupervised. If a member of Staff does not arrive to take a lesson, the class will wait no longer than five minutes and then report the non-arrival to the Staff room.

5. Safe-keeping. Pupils should never bring valuable articles or large sums of money to school: money must be kept on one's person.

6. Lost property. All personal property should be named. A pupil discovering the loss of any article of value will report the fact immediately and those finding property should hand it to a member of Staff.

7. Absences. If pupils are absent, their parents should inform the school by letter, otherwise a card will be sent to their home after two days. On returning to school after any absence, pupils must give to their Form Tutor a note from their parents explaining their absence. Leave of absence can only be granted under

certain circumstance (e.g. careers interviews, non-school examinations, family holiday) and school should be requested in advance by letter from parents to the Head of House.

8. Breakages. Any pupil responsible for damage to school property (furniture, windows, etc.) will inform the Deputy Head or Head of House immediately.

The system of higher education in Britain includes universities, colleges of higher education and advanced courses in the further education. The British educational system on the higher level is still more selective and class-divided than secondary education, particularly so far as the oldest universities are concerned.

Most big towns in Britain have both a university and a college of higher education. There are 91 universities and 47 colleges of higher education today. Universities offer three- and four-year degree courses, though a number of subjects take longer, including medicine, architecture and foreign languages (where courses include a year abroad). Colleges of higher education offer both two-year HND (Higher National Diploma) courses, as well as degree courses.

Undergraduate courses normally take three years of full-time study and lead in most cases to a Bachelor degree in Arts, Science or Education (BA, BSc, BEd). Undergraduates, students who study for degrees, go to large formal lectures, but most of the work takes place in tutorials: lessons in groups of ten or more when the students discuss their work with the lecturer.

There are various postgraduate one- or two-year research courses leading to degree of Master of Philosophy (PhM). Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) is awarded for some original research in Arts or Sciences on completion of a three-year period of work.

Students of law, architecture and some other professions can take qualifications awarded by their own professional bodies instead of degrees.

Uniformity of standards between universities is promoted by the practice of employing outside examiners for all examinations. The general pattern of teaching is similar throughout Britain — a combination of lectures, small group seminars or tutorials with practical classes where necessary.

Only 25 per cent of the student population go on to higher education. Competition to get into one of Britain's universities is fierce and not everyone who gets A levels is admitted. Students usually need three A-levels with high grades to go to university. Grades at A level go from A, the highest one to E. One university may require higher A level grades than another. Most universities require two Bs arid one C (BBC) grades.

Students apply to universities months before they take their A-levels. The students are given a personal interview and then the universities decide which applicants they want. They offer them a place which depends on A level results. The more popular the university, the higher the grades it will ask for! Over 90 per cent of full-time students receive \ grants to assist with their tuition, cost of living, books, transport and socializing. But parents with higher incomes are expected to make a contribution.

Until 1990 the grants did not have to be paid back, but now a system of loans has been introduced.

Some students borrow money from the bank, which must be paid back after they leave the university and start working. In fact, the grant is not a lot of money. That's why students work during the holidays to earn more money. As it is difficult to find such jobs more and more students are dropping out, failing to finish their courses. So the system of grants and scholarships is unable to solve the financial problems of education, which blocks educational opportunities for many people. About 15 per cent of British students leave universities without obtaining a degree.

British universities are popular among foreign students. In spite of the high fees a large number (over 70 000) foreign students are getting high education there.

Although universities accept students mainly on the basis of their A level results, there is an exception. The Open University, which was started in 1971, caters for adults who did not have these formal qualifications and who regret missed opportunities earlier. It conducts learning through correspondence, radio and television, and also through local study centres.

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