EDUCATION
Schooling is free and compulsory for 11 years, between the ages of 5 and 16, although many students stay on until age 18. Children go to primary school until the age of 11, when they move on to secondary school. State schools are those run by the state and public schools are private ones. The private equivalent of the primary school is the preparatory (or prep) school; many preparatory schools teach children until the age of 13. The official national examinations are the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations, which are usually taken at the age of 16, and the Advanced (‘A') Level examinations, which are taken two years later. Most people who go on to university will have passed in at least seven subjects at GCSE level and three at ‘A' level. Students who do not attend university may attend one of a variety of technical schools; schooling after the age of 16 is known as “further education”, while schooling after the age of 18 is known as “higher education”. The UK's school system is a subject of considerable debate. Many critics say that the split between private schools and state schools is socially divisive and perpetuates the class system. Those in business bemoan the lack of basic skills displayed by many secondary school graduates. Others believe the system of ‘A' levels, in particular, forces young people to specialize too early; they support a move to a broader-based educational system like that in most other European countries. England has many universities, which attract students from around the world. The former polytechnics are now known as “new universities” and compete for students with the “old” or established universities. The two most famous old universities are Oxford and Cambridge, whose alumni have traditionally played an important part in government and business.