A) State schooling in Britain today.

State schools are free and have to follow a National Curriculum (programme obligatoire), with obligatory and optional subjects. We can distinguish:

- Comprehensive schools which are co-educational (boys and girls together) and open to pupils of all abilities, who are often streamed (répartis par niveaux) depending on their level. - Grammar schools which are often more academically-oriented.

Unlike France, the educational system in Britain is completely decentralized; about 90% of the schools are administered by local authorities and supported by public funds. Set up at the beginning in the 20th century on the model of public schools, state schools are independent communities either run by the Local Education Authorities (LEAs) or self-governing. The Department for Education and Skills is responsible for education in England and Wales. Since devolution (decentralisation), the Welsh Assembly has been able to make some decisions on education in Wales, but the system is almost the same as the English one, except for the teaching of the Welsh language. Scotland has a somewhat different state system. By devolution within Great British, we mean movement for separation for different regions of Britain like those in Wales and Scotland which had been in opposition to Westminster for centuries, if only to safeguard their unique cultures. When the British Empire began to dissolve after the Second World War, voices began to reassert old claims to free their lands from English – that means Westminster –.

About 90% of the schools are organized and maintained by Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and are financed entirely by public funds. Most children go to state schools. Until 1988, these were all responsible to Local Education Authorities (LEAs) which obtain their funding from central government and the council tax. In 1988, secondary schools and larger primary schools were encouraged to opt out (choisir