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As of August 2008there were 91universities in England，out of a total of 109in the United Kingdom.This exclues approximately 133higher education institutions that have not been given the right to call thenselves a“university”by the Privy Council.All British universities are independent and self-governing，though they receive aid through the University Grants Committee.They charge fees，but almost all students can get financial help from the government.There are also awards given by the LEAs and special university scholarships.Universities in England and Wales can be roughly divided into three main groups.

Oxford and Cambridge are the two oldest and most famous universities in Britain.Oxford University was founded in 1167.There are at present 39colleges：5for women only，one all-male-college and the rest for both men and women.There are about 18，000students in residence，of whom over a third are women.Cambridge University was founded in 1209and now has 35colleges，of which three for women only.There are now over 9，000students in residence，of whom a third are women.

Colleges in Oxford and Cambridge universities are self-governing corporate bodies regulated by their own statutes，and having their own property and income.Their income is derived from endowments and students’fees；they do not receive any grants from public funds.The government of a college is in the hands of a“Master¹¹”，and a body of“Fellows¹²”.The colleges are not completely independent bodies.They are bound by some of the University statutes.For purposes of teaching，research，and examination，the universities are divided into Faculties，which are subdivided into subject departments.The head of a Faculty is the Dean，elected for a period of years from among the professors.Most departments are headed by Professors；the other ranks in the academic staff are Readers¹³，Senior Lecturers and Lecturers.Attached to the academic staff are also Research Fellows and Research Assistants.Students are admitted to individual colleges，which organize their tuition and accommodation，and assign a“moral tutor”to oversee each student’s studies and general welfare.Each student goes to his tutor’s room for an hour every week to read out an essay which he and the tutor then discuss.A student does not necessarily go only to his own tutor in his own college for all his tutorials.He may be assigned to another tutor in his own college or in another college when he is studying some particular topic which is outside the special interest of his own tutor.The system of teaching with its tendency to avoid set courses probably encourages independent thought and judgement.

Oxford and Cambridge are two world famous universities.Many important statesmen and famous scientists are the graduates of the two universities.

These include all the provincial universities of the period 1850-1930，as well as London University.The term“redbrick”is not used much today，but it is a useful way of describing this group of universities，many of which were built in the favorable building material of the time—red brick.

London University is the most famous one of this group.It was founded in 1836，and now has over 30independent colleges and institutes located both in London and in the Home Counties.It had no students of its own before 1900and awarded degrees to students of other universities who had successfully passed their final examinations.Many of its students live in other areas of the country and study by means of a correspondence course¹⁴.

London University is a kind of federation of colleges，medical schools，and research institutions.Some colleges of it are like universities in themselves，having many different faculties and departments.All arrange their own lectures and classes，but the University organizes the examinations and awards degrees.

The other redbrick universities include the universities of Bristol，Birmingham，Liverpool and Manchester.All of them are different from London University.They are not so large and so complicated in organization of colleges as London University.They were founded and developed with local industrialists.They have received most of their financial needs from the state in recent years.Some of them are also very famous in the world for certain subjects.

The increased demand for higher education in the years after World WarⅡled to the creation of several new universities.A characteristic feature of the new universities is that instead of having the traditional faculties and departments they are divided into“schools of study”，e.g.English Studies，Eastern Studies.Some of them were former colleges of advanced technology raised to university status in the mid-1960s.

There are also a large number of local colleges of further education，technical colleges and colleges of commerce which provide a variety of courses for full or part-time students.A bold and imaginative step in adult education is the creation of the Open University which was established in 1969in the new town of Milton Keynes，Buckinghamshire.It began its first courses in 1971.Students do not need to have any formal qualifications to study for a degree.Study is by means of a correspondence course linked to radio and television programs.For some of the courses students have to attend one-week summer school that are held in many of Britain’s traditional universities.Students studying for a degree usually need four years to accumulate the necessary total of course credits.The Open University also offers a wide range of other adult education services；its techniques have been studied and often emulated in other countries.

1.maintained school：a state school or the one supported from public funds.

2.Ordinary level（“O”level）：the basic school-leaving examination of the General Certificate of Education，usually taken in one or more subjects at age of 15or 16.

3.Advanced level（“A”level）：a higher level examination of the General Certificate of Education，usually taken two years after the“O”level.It is the standard for entrance to university or other higher education.

4.independent school：aprivate（or fee-paying）school that operates outside state system.

5.Eton College：one of the oldest and best-known public schools for boy in England.Its students are largely from aristocratic and upper class families.So far，about 20British prime ministers were educated at Eton.

6.Harrow School：one of the leading public schools for boys in the Greater London borough.Many famous English poets，writers and statesmen graduated from it.Byron and R.B.Sheridan once studied at the school，and Winston Churchill was one of the seven Harrovian prime ministers.

7.Winchester College：another famous public school inEngland.It was founded by the bishop of Winchester，William of Wykeham（1324-1404）.The motto of the school is“Manners makyth man”，which still reminds the pupils that mere bookishness is not enough.

8.Rugby School：one of the leading public schools in England.It is located in Rugby，Warwickshire.The game of Rugby Football was invented here.

9.prefect system：a system to put a senior boy or girl in a position of authority，for example，in charge of a class.

10.fagging：making the junior pupil do service for the senior.

11.Master：the title of the head of some colleges，in particular those of Cambridge University.

12.Fellow：a senior member（often a professor）of a college or a member of university engaged in scientific research and usually combining his work with lecturing.

13.Reader：higher grade of lecturer in some universities.

14.correspondence course：an educational course，usually for an official examination，in which a student studies by means of correspondence（by post）with a particular tutor or lecturer.

Ⅰ.Choose the correct answer.

1.The LEA is responsible for the following matters except________.

A.engaging teachers　　　B.maintaining school buildings

C.paying teachers　　　　D.holding examinations

2.The curriculum and teaching methods in a state school is usually decided by the________.

A.LEA　　　B.Education Committee

C.CEO　　　D.Head Teacher

3.Which aim is more important in primary education？

A.To teach children some skills.

B.To make children learn more knowledge.

C.To foster the potentialities of children.

D.To help children get good marks for examination.

4.What kind of secondary schools now receives the largest number of students？

A.Grammar Schools.　　　　　　B.Technical Schools.

C.Comprehensive Schools.　　　D.Secondary Modern Schools.

5.Which is incorrect to describe the public schools？

A.They are independent schools.

B.They emphasize the importance of character training.

C.They are fee free schools.

D.They pay higher salaries for their teachers.

6.The income of Oxford University is derived mainlyfrom________.

A.endowments and students’fee

B.grants from public funds

C.financial support from government

D.rates of local governments

7.The most famous redbrick universityis________.

A.Oxford University　　　B.Cambridge University

C.London University　　　D.Bristol University

8.Open University communicates with its students mainly by________.

A.BBC radio　　　　　　　　　　　　B.television programs

C.national network of tutors　　　 D.all above

Ⅱ.Fill in the blanks.

1.Theoretically the ultimate responsibility for statutory system of public education in England and Wales lies with the________.

2.The current law requires that________instructions shall be given in all________primary and secondary schools in England and Wales.

3.The nursery school period is a period of________and________formation，with as much attention to social________and physical health as to preparation for more________learning.

4.The eleven-plus examination is now abandoned in schools.Pupils can directly go to________schools after finishing their________education.

5.The secondary education was originally a________system in England and Wales，with grammar school taking the________pupils，technical schools taking those with a bent for skills，and the schools taking the rest.In recent years________schools have been developing very fast.They are designed to merge the three ranges of pupils into one school.

6.Public schools are________schools.The four famous ones the text mentions are________，________，________，and________.

7.All British universities are ________and self-____________，though they receive aid from government.

8.Universities in England and Wales can be roughly divided into three groups.Theyare________，________and________.

Ⅲ.Questions for Discussion.

1.What are the responsibilities of the DES？

2.Do you agree with the opinion that the best way to ensure good result in education is to charge one person to control the school affairs？Why？