British education is decentralised. Some schools are supported by the state whereas the other ones are so called "public school", which exactly means that they are private and high fees for studying are required. The education between 5 and 15 age is obligatory. And children started to learn at the age of 5. Then they attend to Junior School and learn there until they reach the age of 11. When they graduate they take the "eleven plus" exam. This is a kind of selection to what kind of secondary school they will attend. In Britain there are three types of secondary school, so they can choose among grammar school, secondary modern school and secondary technical schools. Most of children choose the secondary modern school, which give them a general education. Students are supposed to stay at grammar school until the age of 17 or 18. When they graduate, they may take an exam of the General Certificate of Education. This is consisted of two parts: 0-levels (ordinary) usually taken at the age of 16 and A-levels (advanced) at the age of 18 or 19. After the exam, pupils can start studying at university or colleges. There are also two levels of studying: undergraduate (lasts 3 years) and postgraduate (lasts 5 years). Usually students at the age of 21 receive Bachelor's Degreee and the age of 23 - Master's Degree.
