Comparison of Education in Britain and Estonia (1)

Comparison of Education in Britain and Estonia
When looking into the educational systems of Britain and Estonia, several differences appear. In this essay I am going to point out some of the most distinguish features in the education of both countries.
Firstly, there are dissimilarities in the age at which children go to school. In Estonia the age is 7 whereas in Britain children start their educational journey already as young as 5 years old. Primary school lasts 6 years just like in Estonia but the pupils in Britain are 2 years younger when they finish primary school than the pupils in Estonia. However , students in Britain and Estonia finish secondary school at the same age because secondary school lasts 5 years in Britain instead of 3 like it is in Estonia. Altogether, compulsory school in Britain lasts 11 years which is 2 years more than in Estonia.
Moreover , there are slight differences as for the compulsory subjects taught in the first three years of secondary school in Britain and Estonia. In Britain, more emphasis is placed on Religious Studies , including Christianity and other religions, Drama and Information Technology . While in the first half of secondary school all pupils must study the same subjects, in the second half of secondary level and especially in the Sixth Form, more options are available for the British students when compared to students in Estonia. In the Sixth Form, they only have to choose 3 compulsory subjects with a vast range of extra subjects offered by the school like Economics , Food Technology, Government and Politics , Photography, Psychology and Theatre Studies. Several Gymnasiums in Estonia also give their students the chance to choose some of their subjects from a selection of facultative subjects but there are by far more than 3 compulsory subjects for Estonian Gymnasium students than for the Sixth Form students in Britain.
Lastly, schools in Britain seem to offer more facilities than in Estonia. Our schools usually do not have tennis and squash courts or football and hockey fields of their own. In addition , British schools provide their students with a wider range of extracurricular activities like martial arts, dancing and singing lessons, cooking, photography clubs , theatre groups, practice of chess and many different sports . Exchange students are a more common feature there and in the holidays , interesting trips are organized for the students by the school.
In conclusion, I am satisfied with the way education is organized in Estonia. Although I would like to have some more freedom like students have in Britain with choosing the subjects exactly to their liking, I would not be fond of the facts that compulsory education lasts 11 years and all of the students must wear school uniforms . All in all, every system has its own advantages and faults.