equality of opportunity	when everyone has the same chances
selective schoolling	when pupils take exams for entry
comprehensive schooling	when everyone enters without exams
schooling	education received at school
elitism	when a small, privilaged group is favoured
inherent in	existing as a basic part of sth
league tables	lists of schools or colleges from the best down to the worst
to perpetuate	to make sth continue forever
two-tier system	a system with two separate levels, one of which is better that the other
to perceive	to see, consider
better-off	richer
well-endowed	receiving a lot of money in grants, gifts from ruch people etc.
depressing	reducing
less well-off	poorer
to excel	to achieve an excellent standard
the three Rs	reading,writing,arithmetic - the tradicional, basic skills
literacy	the ability to read
numeracy	the ability to count, do basic maths
cirriculum reform	changes to the educational programme
agesifelong/continuing education	education for all
mature students	adult students older than the average student
special needs education	education for children who cannot learn in the normal way, because they have
one-to-one	one teacher and one pupil, not a group
bullying	frightening or threatening
supply teacher	teacher who works in a school when needed - e.g. sb is sick
PTA - Parent-Teacher association	group consisting of teachers and parents who meet regularly
peripatetic teacher	teacher who works in different schools and travels between them
school governors	group which oversees all the business of the school