Eton is one of the most famous schools in the world. Its graduates include 20 out of 48 British prime ministers, the kings of Nepal and Thailand, several Olympic champions, countless bankers, many writers, composers, dozens of military generals and even several show business stars and the current heir to the British throne, Prince William. By the way, my colleague George Callaghan spoke about him in. But how this school managed to achieve such a special status, George will tell us today.

There is a saying in British high society: “Everyone goes to study at Eton. Except for those who go to Harrow, of course.” Eton has always been an elite school, although studying here has never been any kind of super exclusive socially or financially. Many aristocrats and millionaires chose other, less well-known schools in Britain for their children.

I myself was not born into an aristocratic family, by origin I am a bourgeois. A few generations ago, we were generally considered the working class. Besides, I'm not English yet, but Irish, however, I entered Eton in 1990.

At that time, the school building itself made a great impression on me - a magnificent architectural ensemble surrounded by hundreds of hectares of land, on which, thanks to the efforts of landscape designers, chic well-groomed gardens and deserted fields alternated intricately. Eton is located on the banks of the Thames, a river of great importance in the history of England. London is only 25 kilometers from here, and Windsor Castle is so close that its shadow almost reaches the school grounds.

History of Eton

Eton was founded in 1440 by King Henry IV, who at that time was only 19 years old! He was a very religious monarch, even despite his young age, so the goals of establishing an educational institution were appropriate. The boys who entered Eton prayed daily for the souls of the king's parents, as well as for himself until the 1970s, until this ritual was canceled by the school authorities.

Initially, about 70 students from poor families were enrolled at Eton. The boys lived in a boarding house called "college". Gradually, the children of more affluent parents also began to appear here; they paid fees for entering the school. Such guys lived apart from the poor, in their own student city, or "Oppidium" in Latin. Over time, the number of those who studied on a paid basis exceeded the number of free students several times, the ratio was approximately 1200:70 not in favor of the latter.

Henry IV also became the founder of King's College, Cambridge, so that the poor children of Eton could easily continue their education there. Then many did it with pleasure, and nowadays few people go to King's College at Cambridge after Eton, future students are more likely to choose some other Cambridge college or even go to study at Oxford.

In those days, the Eton curriculum was very narrow: the boys studied Latin, ancient Greek and Hebrew in order to read the Bible in the original. Among foreign languages, classes were also conducted in French and Italian, the schedule could also contain classes in history, geography, but, unfortunately, there were practically no classes in mathematics and other exact sciences. Even at Eton there was a choir and even music classes were held, but still the guys devoted most of their free time to sports.

By the 18th century, Eton had firmly taken the position of one of the best British schools. Henry IV donated to the management of Eton a lot of land, which they temporarily rented out, and the proceeds were used to build new buildings and improve the living conditions of students. Also, aristocrats whose children successfully attended Eton regularly made generous voluntary contributions to the school fund. Do not forget about their alma mater and graduates who have become bankers, famous lawyers or have achieved recognition and financial well-being in another area. Eton was a kind of forge of personnel for the political society of England. Schoolchildren, while still teenagers, were well versed in the affairs of the state and were not afraid of public speaking. They had a lot of time to practice this: there were not very many lessons, so the guys did not sit for hours at their desks. At some point, Eton was practically divided into two schools: those who entered here on a free basis - the middle class, the children of workers, noticed thanks to their phenomenal intellect, were very different from the "payers", members of aristocratic families. Some of the latter, of course, were very good and achieved success in their studies, but for the most part they were rich lazy people who did not have to worry about whether they would pass the next exam. Their position in society guaranteed that expulsion was impossible, and the future, in any case, would be bright.

At first, most of the students came to Eton from London or southern England, but soon wealthy families from all over Britain began to try to get here as one of the most coveted schools in the country. For example, once such a huge number of boys from the noble families of Scotland appeared in Eton that Prime Minister Gledstone decided to establish his own school there called Glenalmond, where these same representatives of the Scottish beau monde could study without leaving so far from home. Efforts, of course, were unsuccessful, he failed to outdo Eton.

Meanwhile, the British flags appeared one after another on all continents: the members of the Government of the English colonies were all graduates of Eton, so that soon the news of the unique school spread throughout the British Empire. In the 1880s, the first foreign students appeared at Eton, these were the sons of the Indian Maharaja.

At the end of the 19th century, mathematics and other exact sciences were finally introduced into the curriculum in the required volume. Eton was still in the power of the Church of England, but Catholics and even Jews now had a chance to enter there.

Up until the 1960s, getting into Eton was, in general, not so difficult. To do this, you just needed to have good connections, intelligence was then the tenth thing. A year's course of study cost about £10,000 in today's money. And this, by the way, is even less than many much less well-known schools asked at that time. The vast majority of Eton students at that time were the sons of graduates of the school.

It was then that the school had a new director. Anthony Chenevix-Trench made the admission process much more difficult. Now the boys could not go to Eton just because their father had once studied here. Of course, the graduates of past years were not happy with the innovations and dozens, if not hundreds of protests were organized in Chenevix-Trench's lifetime, but he confidently moved forward, introducing more and more new reforms. Among other things, he also raised tuition fees and used the money to improve classroom facilities. In 1967, the first black boy appeared at Eton. His name was Dilibi Oneyama, he was the son of a Nigerian judge from the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Later, Dilibi even wrote a memoir called "The Negro at Eton", where he spoke in detail about all the troubles and misadventures that lay in wait for him in this elite school. Oneyama really was often subjected to various kinds of insults, but it is known for sure that no one ever beat or mocked the boy.

Around the 1970s, a general boom began among Indian and Chinese Britons - everyone wanted to enter Eton, the school management had nothing against it - mixed classes were then at a premium. In addition, studying in the same class with foreigners was cheaper, so that this option could be used by those who were in a difficult financial situation. Only one circumstance remained indisputable - only boys could still enter Eton. During the year, Eton students participated in several activities with St George's Girls' School and Wycombe Abbey, but unlike many other schools, the school never accepted girls into its classes.

Eton today

Now Russians study at Eton, mostly Muscovites. Back in the 1990s, a Russian at Eton was either the descendant of an emigrant from Russia who fled the country during the October Revolution (like Dmitry Tolstoy), or the result of an interethnic marriage, when a British gentleman married a Russian lady. Now these are real Russians who were born and live in Russia.

Eton has an excellent theater that can even be compared with the famous London West End. There are dozens of sports fields, a gym, a squash court, heel tennis courts and even has its own track and field stadium. Also, on the territory of the school there are two swimming pools: indoor and outdoor, and there is a lake where rowing competitions are held, by the way, at the Olympic Games in London, rowers swam here!

Some of the buildings in the complex were built in the 15th century, but they do not look their age at all.

Education at Eton costs about 31,000 pounds a year. To be honest, this is not the largest figure among all British public schools, and some of them sometimes do not have even half of the status that Eton has. Many boys are allowed to pay less than the full amount of tuition, but only if their financial situation really does not allow them to do so. Despite the fact that most Eton graduates are millionaires, by no means all the boys studying here are the sons of wealthy families. Some of them are classic representatives of the middle class.

The school hosts dozens of events, from chess competitions to sailing regattas. Several plays are staged in the theater every year, and musical concerts are held. There is even an analogue of the Russian military department - CCF (Combined Cadet Force). CCF provides military training for students, although training takes place only a few weekends a year, and participation in them is completely voluntary. Thus, only about 25% of boys join CCF. It's a pity, but few people dream of becoming a military man these days.

The chapel is one of the most magnificent historical buildings of the school complex. Most often, students visit her in the morning. During the year, the school church choir functions there and it is truly amazing, the guys even recorded several albums, which, by the way, are selling well.

Virtually all teachers at Eton are Oxford or Cambridge graduates. Most of them graduated from the university with honors, and some even received a doctorate. There is practically no turnover at Eton, teachers have been working here for years, if not decades. There is even a joke among them that once you get to Eton you risk staying here for the rest of your career.

At the moment, about 40% of Eton students are the children of graduates or those whose relatives attended the school in the past. Only 10% are representatives of ethnic minorities, and the remaining half of the students are ordinary British citizens. By the way, in addition to Russians, there are also a lot of Americans and Germans at Eton, although according to official information, there are an order of magnitude fewer foreigners studying here than in many other British schools.

It is not surprising that such a successful educational institution has its enemies. The left wing of the British Parliament considers studying at Eton in bad taste and often uses this argument in the fight against David Cameron, the current Prime Minister of England and an Eton graduate. Evil tongues are happy to savor the details of the failures of the representatives of the Eton diaspora, splashing saliva mixed with envy and malice. It is important to understand that an education at Eton is not a guarantee of a good job, if only because there is a small stratum of people in England who deliberately discriminate against Etonians. And many people still have the image of Eton as a school for rich and stupid daddy's sons in their heads.

To their credit, the academic results of Eton students are simply amazing. About a quarter of them easily enter Cambridge or Oxford. Compared to the 0.3% of the average Brit who does, the number is impressive! Etonians also choose colleges such as Durham, Edinburgh, Harvard, Bristol or Imperial College London for further study.

Many boys who graduated from Eton become bankers or lawyers, some link their fate with creativity, play on stage or in films, even fewer of those who choose a diplomatic or political career for themselves. The heart and soul of Eton still belongs to the Conservative House of the Parliament of England, and David Cameron, the current Prime Minister, is one of the best representatives of the school's diaspora in big politics. Another well-known politician from Eton is Boris Johnson, mayor of London.

Eton is truly unique in terms of its history, cultural and educational heritage, training programs, social adaptation of students. What attracts there an endless stream of applicants? According to the Etonians themselves, this is the inner strength of the spirit. Every Englishman knows that countless ordinary boys educated at Eton have achieved amazing results. And everyone wants to do the same. Eton graduates form a closed international club among themselves, where there is always a place for friendly communication, partnership and mutual assistance, and most importantly, they know how not to stop there. These guys are always moving forward no matter what the cost.

In the photo, British Prime Minister David Cameron (second from left in the second row) and the current mayor of London Boris Johnson (sitting on the steps from the right in the first row). The photo was taken in 1987.

Eton is a college that has the status of the most prestigious secondary school in Britain. Boys aged 13 to 18 are accepted here for training. According to the rules of the educational institution, all students are required to live in a boarding house, which is located in a fenced area. An average of 1,300 students reside here throughout the year.

Eton (college) and its history

A specialized school for boys was founded back in 1440 by a special decree of King Henry VI. Initially, the goal of opening an educational institution was to prepare guys from noble families to study at the University of Cambridge.

During the medieval period, the college was known as a place where Spartan methods of education were practiced. The students were required to observe the strictest rules of conduct. At present, the attitude towards students here has significantly softened. However, maintaining self-discipline is still considered an essential trait that a true gentleman possesses.

Eton College in England is famous for its famous alumni. At one time, numerous offspring of royal families, the nobility, public and statesmen successfully graduated from the educational institution. In particular, in the entire history of the existence of the institution, 20 future prime ministers of Britain came out of it, including the most recent - David Cameron. Among other famous personalities who studied at the college, it is worth noting the writers Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, the famous actor, composer Thomas Arne, naturalist and explorer Lawrence Oates.

Where is Eton (college) located?

The educational institution is located in the county of Berkshire, at a distance of 30 kilometers from the center of London. The main buildings are located on the banks of the River Thames. Close to the college is Windsor Castle.

Equipment

Today, the British Eton College is equipped according to the latest standards. There are high-class laboratories of chemistry, physics, biology. The Center for the Development of Innovative Technologies works in an educational institution. The institution has a design center, a recording studio. There is a theater on the territory of the institution, the hall of which can accommodate about 400 people.

Eton is a college where all conditions for playing sports are created. Pupils have access to numerous playgrounds, green fields, a large indoor pool, as well as a whole mass of specialized equipment. Docks are concentrated close to the Thames, where students come to row boats and canoes.

Accommodation

As noted above, Eton is a college where only male students are enrolled. For them, accommodation is organized in the format of a boarding house. In other words, students do not have the right to be placed outside the college.

There are more than 20 residential buildings on the territory of the educational institution. Each student gets a separate room. At the same time, the guys are settled according to age categories. The behavior of students and living conditions in residential buildings are constantly monitored by the so-called housemaster.

Admission conditions

What are the conditions for admission to Eton (college)? Admission here is possible when the applicant reaches the age of 13. Until the middle of the last century, parents registered their children in an educational institution from birth. Today this option has been cancelled. This made it possible to give a chance to enter the college to everyone.

Eton is a college that is known for its rather high competition. On average, there are 3-4 applicants for one place here.

The procedure for entering the college is different from other educational institutions in the country. First of all, an application in which a student expresses a desire to be here in the future is submitted as early as 11 years of age. After 2 years, if the request is approved by the management of the institution, the guys are interviewed, after which they pass the entrance exam. Moreover, boys who apply for a place in the college are required to give the rector a positive reference from the previous educational institution.

Only a third of the total number of applicants manage to get into Eton College. Delivery may take place with some delay. So, the best of the applicants who did not pass the competition are on the waiting list. Subject to the availability of a place, such applicants receive an appropriate mail notification of an invitation to the college.

extracurricular activities

The college pays increased attention to organizing exciting and useful leisure activities for students. An individual approach is applied to each student, aimed at developing inclinations and talents. From the widest list of all kinds of circles, clubs and sections, guys have the opportunity to choose an activity to their liking.

So, Eton College in England offers students visiting circles:

• archeology;
• astronomy;
• singing;
• cooking;
• chess;
• informatics and electronics;
• business;
• foreign languages;
• applied arts;
• oratory skills.

Among the available sports sections, it is worth noting athletics, basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, badminton, martial arts, horseback riding, rowing, rock climbing, swimming, fencing.

Cost of education

The tuition fee per year here is 55,600 dollars, which corresponds to 35,700 British pounds. There are also enough students at Eton who don't pay a dime for an education. All of them are holders of the royal scholarship.

Upon admission to an educational institution, students may be charged an additional fee, which is spent on registration, confirmation of a place in the building for residence. Separate amounts can be paid by the parents of students for additional lessons, organization of excursions and recreational activities, appointment of a guardian, medical insurance.

Scholarship

You can get to Eton, the college, the photo of which is presented in the material, on a musical or royal scholarship. In both cases, there is serious competition between the applicants.

Students who wish to receive the Royal Scholarship are required to achieve the highest scores in math and English exams, as well as good marks in science. In particular, in order to be enrolled in free education, applicants must pass history, theology, geography, and Latin. If a young person has successfully passed all these tests, he is exempted from the general entrance examination.

As for the musical scholarship, applicants who have outstanding talent can receive it. In this case, the academic achievements of the student are also taken into account.

The structure of the educational institution

How is Eton (college) organized? The structure of the institution is based on a special ratio, in which there must be one teacher for 8 students. In the first year, up to 25 students can be in one class. By the last course, their number is reduced to 10 or even less. The rest of the students are eliminated due to non-compliance with the requirements of the institution, poor discipline, and poor learning outcomes.

The head of the college is in charge of the management of the college. Senior management assistants are tutors who are in direct contact with students and report on progress and any incidents.

A uniform

What clothes are allowed to visit Eton (college)? The uniform of the institution consists of a strict waistcoat, over which a black jacket is put on. In addition, each student is required to wear pinstriped trousers. This suit is complemented by a white tie. An alternative to the latter is a white butterfly. However, only undergraduates receive the right to use it in combination with a uniform.

Encouragement and sanctions for students

Eton College is known for its well-established student reward system. Excellent work is marked by the tutor. High performance in a particular subject is awarded a special diploma by the head of the college.

If a student presented an outstanding work to the teacher, the latter, by decision of the high council, may be sent to the archive of the institution. Thus, in the future, new Eton students can familiarize themselves with it. This form of rewarding success has been operating here since the beginning of the 18th century. However, works that are handed over to teachers are rarely recognized as outstanding. In order for the work to be awarded and sent to the archive, teachers must obtain an appropriate decree from the college management.

Guys who come to class late must put a signature in the register. With the systematic nature of such violations of discipline, students are subject to certain sanctions by the decision of the tutors. In case of serious misconduct, students are absent from lessons and called for a personal conversation with the head of the college.

However, the requirement regarding timely attendance of classes applies not only to students, but also to teachers. For example, if the teacher is late for 15 minutes, those present in the class get the right to go about their business for the entire duration of the lesson.

Physical punishment

From the very beginning of its existence, Eton has been known for using corporal sanctions on students both for specific misconduct and for no objective reason. For example, in the Middle Ages, teachers organized selective beatings of students in order to intimidate them and maintain discipline. These events were traditionally organized on the Friday just before the weekend, and were known as "whipping day".

Practiced for Eton students until the 80s of the last century. Previously, rods were used for this, with which students were beaten on their bare buttocks. Former head of the institution Anthony Trench, who ran the college from 1964 to 1970, decided to replace the cane with a cane. Since that time, punishments were carried out not in front of the audience, but in the classrooms of teachers. The last demonstrative beating of a college student with a cane dates back to January 1984.

How realistic is it for a student from another country to enter Eton?

Due to the presentation of numerous requirements for the applicant and the duration of the enrollment procedure, it is not so easy for a foreigner to do this. An applicant for a place in a college hailing from another country must be fluent in English both in speaking and in writing tests. The same goes for knowledge of British history and literature.

The only real chance for a foreigner to enter Eton is to move to live in England no later than the age of nine. To learn how to think like a Brit, the boy will have to be trained in one of the local boarding schools. At the same time, you will need to study according to a special program aimed at entering college.

School Description Curriculum Tuition Fees

Eton College is a world-famous private boarding school founded in 1440 by Royal Charter of Henry VI. Initially, Eton was created as an educational institution that provides free education for 70 boys from low-income families, who later continued their studies at King's College, Cambridge. Today, Eton is not just a private boarding school for boys aged 13-18, selected on a competitive basis. This is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world, a real forge of personnel for the training of the political, cultural and scientific elite of Great Britain and other countries. The goal of the college is to provide students with a modern education while preserving the centuries-old traditions that have become an integral part of the legendary educational institution.

19 British Prime Ministers came out of the walls of Eton, including the first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, the winner of Napoleon at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington, the owner of one of the oldest publishing houses in the world, Harold Macmillan, one of the last heads of government, David Cameron, and the Prime Minister current minister is Boris Johnson. Generations of British and foreign aristocrats have traditionally been brought up at Eton College, among them members of the royal families. The current heirs to the British throne, Princes William and Harry, also graduated from Eton.

Also alumni of the college were writers Henry Fielding, Aldous Huxley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, George Orwell; famous actors Jeremy Brett and Hugh Laurie, famous scientists: physicist Robert Boyle, Nobel laureate in 2012, geneticist John Gurdon, founder of macroeconomics John Keynes and many others.

Academic results

Eton College is renowned for its academic excellence. In 2017, 80% of students received only A* grades from GSCE exams, and 96.2% of students received A*-A grades, which is a very high result.

According to the results of A-levels, 79.5% of students received only A* and A grades, of which 42.1% received only A* grades.

School equipment

On the territory of the school there are dozens of both historical and modern buildings, the artificial lake Eton Dorney and the island of Queen's Eyot. Despite the fact that the history of Eton College goes back almost six hundred years, today it has more than modern equipment.

The school makes sure that students have every opportunity to get the best academic and practical skills. The classrooms and laboratories of the school can easily compete with those of the best universities in the world. Computer classes are equipped with powerful processors and advanced software.

Also on the territory of the college is its own theater with modern lighting and sound equipment; center for the study of technological design and construction; professional recording studio and much more.

The pride of the school is its libraries, where, in addition to an outstanding printed fund, audio and video resources, rare folios and old manuscripts are kept.

The sports infrastructure of Eton is also impressive. The educational institution is rightfully proud of its rowing canal on an artificial lake - in 2012 this facility was recognized as the best among the Olympic facilities. Eton College students are involved in triathlon and classical rowing at the rowing canal. Also for the use of students on the territory of the school there is a huge athletics arena, which includes indoor and outdoor tracks, several gyms and gyms, four racquetball and squash courts, basketball, badminton courts, football fields and a swimming pool.

Accommodation

In total, 1,300 students study at the school, each of whom lives in a separate single room in the school's residence. Students live in 25 hostels, in each house no more than 50 people. Each residence has its own caretaker who monitors the order and behavior of students. Everyone is free to create the interior of the room according to their taste. Sixth Form students are accommodated in single rooms with a private kitchen.

The Economist has published extensive material on the college and the realities of studying in it, which we would recommend reading for parents considering Eton for their sons.

Education at Eton College is conducted according to the following educational programs:

GCSE

Students study compulsory subjects (English and mathematics) and a number of additional ones (foreign languages, geography, history, classical civilizations, drama, music, art, design, English literature, physics, photography, etc.)

A level

Eton College offers the following A-level subjects: Art, Latin, Greek, Industrial Design, English Literature, Economics, Political Science, Ancient History, Music Technology, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese, Theater Studies, Geography, History (Middle Ages, Modern, modern), mathematics, higher mathematics, chemistry, physics, theology.

Pre-U

Pre-U subjects: Biology, Economics, English Literature, History, Music, Art History, and Languages ​​- Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish.

Compulsory for all students of blocks C and B is the course "Perspectives", which includes issues of religion, philosophy, ethics.

The cost of one year of high school education is £38,730 per year. The price includes tuition, meals and accommodation. UK Study Center services for admission and guardianship are paid separately.

Or $55,630 a year. In total, 1300 students study at Eton, some do not pay a penny for education, being honorary royal scholarship holders.

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College history

Eton College was founded in 1440 by order of King Henry VI of England. The purpose of the college was to prepare future students for the King's College of Cambridge University, also founded by Henry VI a year later.

Archival records from the middle of the 16th century contain information about the Spartan daily routine of students at Eton College. The young men got up at 5 am, read a prayer, and by six o'clock in the morning had to be in the classroom. Teaching in those days was conducted in Latin. At exactly 8 pm, the students returned to their rooms and after prayer went to bed. During the day, medieval students were fed only twice, and on Fridays there was a strict fast. The holidays were not easy either - 3 weeks at Christmas, during which the students stayed at the college, and three weeks in the summer, when they could finally go home.

After the overthrow of Henry VI, the construction of the school chapel was stopped. Only the choirs were completed.

Since the school suffered from declining revenues during construction, the completion and further development of the school depended on wealthy benefactors. Construction was resumed when Roger Lupton became rector of the school, about 1517. The large gate in the west of the school, which opens the entrance to the school yard, bears his name, and has become the most famous symbol of the school.

After Lupton, no important buildings were made until about 1670, when a gallery was built on the west side of the schoolyard. It was reconstructed later and was completed in 1694 by Matthew Banks, Chief Carpenter of the Royal Court. The last addition to the central building of the college was the college library, on the south side of the cloister, built in 1725-29 by Thomas Rowland. It houses a large collection of books and manuscripts.

In the 19th century, architect John Shaw Jr. (1803-1870) became Surveyor of Eton. He designed the New Buildings (1844-46) following a design by Rector Francis Hodgson. The rector wanted to improve the living conditions of the students who had previously lived in the Long Chamber on the first floor, where living conditions were terrible.

In response to constant complaints about the finances, the condition of the buildings and the management of Eton, the Clarendon Commission was set up in 1861 to inquire into the condition of nine leading schools in England, including Eton.

A very large and opulent School Hall and School Library were erected across the street from the Upper School as a memorial to Eton graduates who died in the Boer War. In the cloister and chapel of Eton there are many commemorative plaques in honor of the Etonians who died during the First World War. The dropped bomb destroyed part of the Upper School during World War II and blew out many of the stained glass and windows in the chapel.

In the past, Etonians have sometimes been accused of antisemitism. For a time, college students called newcomers "Jews." In 1945, the school introduced the Citizenship Statute, which required that the father of an applicant to college be British by birth. The statute was repealed following the intervention of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in the 1960s.

Throughout the history of the college, its inextricable connection with the British royal house has been observed. This is due to the fact that, firstly, the college has always been under the special patronage of the royal family, and, secondly, the fact that the college is actually located a few steps from the royal castle of Windsor is important. King George III, who occupied the throne for 60 years from 1820 to 1820, lived in Windsor for almost his entire life. He often went to the college to "chat" with professors and students. The future British monarch, Prince William, as well as his younger brother Prince Harry, are Eton graduates.

Rectors

College students, King's Scholars, are eligible to use the letters "KS" after their first name. In addition, they can be recognized by the black robes they wear over their tailcoats. Thanks to these clothes, the students got the nickname Tugs(tugs, from Latin togati, those who wear robes); they also sometimes wear a surplice during services in the chapel.

Oppidans

As the school grew, more and more students were allowed to study on the condition that they would pay their own fees and cover their own expenses, as well as live in the city, outside the main college buildings. These new students became known as Oppidans, from the Latin word Oppidum, which refers to a temporary walled city in the Roman Empire. In time, buildings were built for these students in the college itself so that they could live in a more favorable environment, during the 18th and 19th centuries these colleges were usually run by women, who were called "ladies". Each college usually has about 50 boys.

Not all boys who take the Eton entrance exam go to King's Scholars. If they choose one of the 24 Oppidan colleges, they are called Oppidans. Boys who have shown serious academic ability receive the right to be called Oppidan Scholars and are allowed to use the letters "OS" after their name.

Structure of colleges

In addition to the College Head, each college has a Captain and a Games Captain. library is called a room in which final year students have their own kitchens. A room with a similar purpose, used by penultimate students, is called the Debate.

General meetings of college students are held every evening. They are also known as Prayers, due to their original nature. The head of the college and the boys have the opportunity to make announcements, sometimes there are small performances.

For most of Eton's history, the younger ones had to act as batmen or servants for the older boys. Their duties included: cleaning, cooking and running various errands. This practice, known as fagging, existed in most colleges until the 1970s. College captains still sometimes give assignments to freshmen, such as picking up mail from the school office.

A uniform

The school is known for its traditions, including its uniform, which consists of a black tailcoat (or business card) and waistcoat, collar and pinstriped trousers. Most students wear a white tie, but some upperclassmen are allowed to wear a white bow tie and an Italian collar.

Long-standing claims that the current form was supposedly due to mourning after the death of King George III are unfounded. The "Eton suit" has undergone significant changes since its standardization in the 19th century. Originally, the "Eton Suit" (along with the top hat and cane) was intended for ceremonial purposes only. Faculty members are required to wear school gowns while on duty. The Eton costume was copied by many other schools and is still used today in some, such as choir schools.

Teachers and training

The number of students and teachers is correlated at a ratio of 8:1, which is below school-wide standards. There are twenty to twenty-five students in one class in the first year of study, in the last year there are often ten or less.

In the early days of the school, teaching was concentrated on prayers, the Latin language.

Later, emphasis was placed on the classical sciences, among which the most important were Latin, ancient history, and for boys of sufficient ability, ancient Greek. Since the second half of the 19th century, this curriculum has changed and expanded: for example, there are now more than 100 students studying Chinese, which is an unscheduled curriculum. In the 1970s there was only one school computer at Eton. Today, all boys must have laptops, and the school's LAN connects all the boys' classrooms and bedrooms to the Internet.

The main responsibility for a student's progress lies with the Head of his college, but, as a rule, he is assisted by additional teachers - tutors. Each evening there is a quarter and a half hour, better known as Quiet Hour, which the boys must spend studying or preparing assignments for their teachers if there are no other activities. In some colleges, depending on the decision of its Chapter, there is a second Quiet Hour after evening prayer. This is a less formal time during which the boys are allowed to visit each other's rooms.

Incentives and sanctions

Eton has a well-established student reward system in order to maintain high standards of learning. A job well done can be rewarded and noted, as well as shown to the student's tutor as evidence of progress. If a student performs especially well in any of the subjects, he may be recognized for his efforts in front of the principal.

If a boy has written an outstanding work, it may be sent to the College Archives for future Eton students to review. This form of promotion has been around since the 18th century. Since this happens so rarely, the process is mysterious to most Eton students. A teacher who wants to send a good work to the archive must obtain the permission of the head of the relevant department. After it is received, the work is specially marked and the student receives a card, which is signed by the Head of the College, the tutor and the head of the department.

If the student wrote a bad work, then it is specially strained. The work is torn at the top of the sheet and transferred to the tutor for review and signature.

A boy who is late for any lessons and classes must sign in a special register kept in the school office between 7:35 and 7:45 am every morning for the duration of the sentence (usually the sentence lasts three days). For more serious offenses, the boy is called from the lessons so that the director personally talks about his behavior. But the rule also works in the opposite direction: if the teacher is more than 15 minutes late, students can stop waiting for him and miss the entire class.

The traditional form of punishment is to rewrite Latin hexameters. As a rule, offenders must copy 100 hexameters, and for more serious offenses Georgics must be rewritten (more than 500 hexameters). The "Georgics" punishment is rarely used now, but it does happen occasionally.

Physical punishment

Eton used to be famous for its use of corporal punishment, known as beating. In the 16th century, Friday was called " spanking day".

Corporal punishment ended in the 1980s, with the last caning recorded in January 1984. Until 1964, punishment with rods was carried out in the presence of other students, flogging was carried out on bare buttocks. Anthony Chenevix-Trench, who was director from 1964 to 1970, abolished the cane and replaced it with a cane, which was also used to hit bare buttocks, but punishment was administered in the director's office.

By the mid-1970s, the only people allowed to be punished by flogging were the headmaster and his deputy.

Music and theater

Music

The current "Regent" (head of the music department) is Tim Johnson. The school boasts eight organs and a concert hall. Training is provided to play various instruments, including rare ones, such as the didgeridoo. The school takes part in many national competitions, many students participate in the National Youth Orchestra, Eton gives scholarships to talented musicians. The school has a choir and choral singing courses.

Theatre

A large number of plays are staged at Eton every year, there is a main theater called the Farrer (with a capacity of 400 people) and 2 studio theaters - Caccia and Empty Space (with a capacity of 90 and 80 people). About 8-9 plays are done by colleges, about 3 or 4 are independent (they are not limited to only one college, producer, director; plays are funded by Eton). School plays have such a good reputation that, as a rule, all seats in the hall are booked in advance.

In recent years, the college has staged: a musical version of Euripides' comedy The Bacchae (October 2009), The Cherry Orchard (February 2011) Trial (October 2011) and Cyrano de Bergerac (May 2012) . Students are also responsible for the lighting, sound and direction of all productions, under the guidance of several professional theater staff.

Each year, Eton hires a professional director for one year, who usually directs the college theater company and also teaches most of Eton's theater groups.

Holidays

The most famous holiday of Eton is called "The Fourth of June" - this is the celebration of the birthday of King George III, the great patron of Eton. This day is celebrated with a procession of boats, at the beginning of which ancient wooden rowboats sail. Like the Queen's official birthday, the Fourth of June is celebrated not exactly on June 4, but on the Wednesday before the first Sunday in June. Eton also celebrates St. Andrew's Day, which is the game of Eton's wall.

"Old Etonians"

Former students of Eton are called Old Etonians. Eton produced nineteen British prime ministers, including: Sir Robert Walpole, William Pitt the Elder, Duke of Wellington, William Gladstone, Arthur James Balfour, Harold Macmillan and David Cameron.

There are also many Eton graduates among the writers: Henry Fielding, Thomas Gray, Horace Walpole, Aldous Huxley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Robert Bridges, George Orwell, Anthony Powell, Cyril Connolly and Ian Fleming.

Eton in the 21st century

Despite its almost 600-year history, modern Eton College is equipped according to the standards of the XXI century. The faculties of physics, chemistry and biology will bypass many universities in terms of the quantity and quality of experimental facilities. Acting training is conducted on the basis of its own theater for 400 seats, with professional light and sound. At the Design and Technology Center, students design new models of racing cars. Young musicians have a unique opportunity to work in a professional recording studio. The faculties of foreign languages ​​amaze with the richness of choice: today 150 students study Chinese, 70 - Japanese, 50 - Arabic. European languages ​​are included in the compulsory school curriculum, there is also a faculty of Russian language and literature.

Eton is a full-fledged boarding school. Accommodation in the college - in single rooms equipped with the Internet and an optical computer network. Every college student has their own laptop.

All kinds of sports can be practiced at the school. However, the most popular are traditional football, rugby, cricket. According to the results of the A-levels final exams, Eton consistently ranks first in the British ranking tables. And this is not surprising: after all, the selection for admission to college is quite tough. Despite the fact that they enter the college at the age of 13, boys take their first entrance exams at the age of 10-11. Selected lucky ones must pass the “second round” at the age of 13, which includes exams not only in such traditional subjects as mathematics and physics, but also in history, geography, French, Latin, religions and exact sciences.

• Location: Eton, Berkshire;
• Age: 13-18 years;
• Programs: high school, GCSE, A-level, Pre-U;
• Number of students: 1300;
• Year of foundation: 1440;
• Type of education: separate, school for boys.

Eton College, the offspring of the royal charter of Henry VI, was established in the 15th century at Eton as a private school for boys from ordinary families. Subsequently, her first 70 students had the opportunity to continue their education at King's College, Cambridge. And today Eton College Private School is a school of separate education. Boys aged 13-18 study here. Admission to the school is on a competitive basis.

Eton College is one of the most famous secondary educational institutions in the world. It is called the forge of personnel for science, culture, politics in Britain. Eton College is the best of the 9 privileged British boarding schools that exist today. Famous graduates are 19 prime ministers of Great Britain, famous historical figures (the Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo), media magnates (for example, Harold Macmillan, owner of the world's oldest publishing house). Also, the current British Prime Minister David Cameron, Princes Harry and William, writers George Orwell, Henry Fielding and others, actors (Hugh Laurie, known for his role as Holmes Jeremy Brett) graduated from the legendary school. The school is also proud of its graduates, who have achieved considerable success in science. Within the walls of the college, the father of macroeconomics John Keynes, geneticist John Gurdon, physicist Robert Boyle received academic knowledge.

Today, international students are admitted to the college, which has brought up more than one generation of British aristocrats. Here they receive a modern education in a traditional English atmosphere.

Education at Eton has a number of features. The traditional school does not drill, does not train students. Here, only conditions are created for the disclosure of talents, the development of abilities and the achievement of outstanding academic results. Particular attention is paid to additional classes. According to the leadership, they are of great importance in educating a change in the cultural and political elite.

According to statistics, the academic load at the school is lower than in other boarding schools in Britain. Here the boys attend 35 40-minute lessons weekly. At the same time, student achievement is higher than in many schools in the country. The course takes place over a six-day period. The busiest academic days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Admission conditions

The college accepts boys from the age of 13. For admission to college, you need to register a student at the age of 10.5 years. At 11, he will have to undergo preliminary testing. His program includes the definition of mental abilities (test), interview, evaluation of characteristics from the actual place of study. Only a third of applicants successfully pass the test. They receive conditional places in the institution.

At the age of 13, boys take an entrance qualification exam. Having received high results, they confirm conditional places and become college students.

You can also get a place in the school on a competitive basis. Winners of competitions for the award of musical, royal scholarships become students.

A child can enroll at the age of 16. There is a special program for this. Its participants are scholarship holders from British schools.

For foreign applicants, the conditions for admission are very strict. The first requirement is an ideal knowledge of English (at the level of a native speaker), British literature. The second is the presence of a set of thinking skills and certain skills necessary for effective college education. They are developed in British schools. It is impossible to qualitatively prepare for entering a college in Russia. And in Britain, this can only be done in a specialized boarding school. The process of preparation begins at the age of 7 - 9 years.

Academic programs

Eton College is a classical British school. Here, getting an education involves studying ancient history, Greek, Latin, modern languages, mathematics, natural sciences, etc. Ample opportunities at school are provided for the development of aesthetic subjects.

The training system is highly effective. This is confirmed by the annual results of the examinations of the students of the school. So, for A-level, at least 36% of graduates receive an A * grade, 82% - A. According to the Pre-U program, more than 18% of students receive the highest grade (A * +), with the result of A * -A, 52% of boys pass final exams . According to GCSE A *, 76% of children receive. 98% of graduates enter prestigious universities in the world. 30% of them choose Cambridge and Oxford.

As of 2018: 80.12% of A Level graduates received grades A - A *. Also, 95.75% of GCSE students wrote the A - A* exam.

Academic preparation includes 5 blocks (F - B). Each is for 1 year.