Grammar schools in the United Kingdom

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A Grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in Britain. Four distinct uses of the word can be noted, the first two referring to ordinary schools set up in the age before compulsory secondary education, and two referring to selective schools thereafter. Arguably the most famous grammar schools were those of the Tripartite System, also known colloquially as the grammar-school system.

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[edit] Early Grammar Schools

In medieval times, the importance of Latin in government and religion meant there was a strong demand to learn the language. Schools were set up to teach the basis of Latin grammar, calling themselves ‘grammar schools’. The first such schools appeared in Anglo-Saxon times, but the majority of them were founded after the fifteenth century. Significantly, these schools were often separate from the church, unlike cathedral schools and hence survived the Reformation. Pupils were usually educated up to the age of 14, after which they would look to universities and the church for further study.Some new schools were founded and other schools which were associated with the church were refounded with the proceeds of the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.

In the absence of civic authorities, grammar schools were established as acts of charity, either by private benefactors or corporate bodies such as guilds. Many of these are still commemorated in annual Founders Day services and ceremonies at surviving schools. Edward VI also made an important contribution to grammar schools, founding a series of schools during his reign. In spite of these donations, the schools relied on fees paid by the students.

Teaching usually took place from dawn to dusk, and focused heavily upon the rote learning of Latin. In order to encourage fluency, some schoolmasters recommended punishing any pupil who spoke in English. It would be several years before pupils were able to construct a sentence, and they would be in their final years at the school when they began translating passages. By the end of their studies, they would be quite familiar with the great Latin authors, as well as the studies of drama and rhetoric. [1]

Other skills, such as numeracy and handwriting, were neglected, being taught in odd moments or by traveling specialist teachers such as scriveners. Little attention was given to other classical languages, such as Greek, due in part to a shortage of non-latin type and of teachers fluent in the language.

[edit] Victorian Grammar Schools

The revolution in civic government that took place in the late 19th century created a new breed of grammar schools. After the 1869 Endowed Schools Act it became markedly easier to set up a school. At the time, there was a great emphasis on the importance of self-improvement, and parents keen for their children to receive a decent education took a lead in organising the creation of new schools. Many took the title ‘grammar school’ for historical reasons.

Grammar schools thus emerged as one part of the highly varied British education system before 1944. These newer schools tended to emulate the great public schools, copying their curriculum, ethos and ambitions. Many schools also adopted the idea of entrance exams and scholarship places for poorer students. This meant that they offered able children from poor backgrounds an opportunity to get a good education.

[edit] Grammar Schools in the Tripartite System

See main article on the Tripartite System for more information, or that on debates on the grammar school for discussions of arguments about its merits

The 1944 Butler Education Act created the first nationwide system of secondary education in the UK. Three types of schools were planned, one of which was the grammar school. Intended to teach an academic curriculum to intellectually able children who did well in their eleven plus examination, the grammar school soon established itself as the best tier in the Tripartite System.

Two types of grammar school existed under the system. Most were either newly created or built since the Victorian period. They emulated the older grammar schools, with gowned teachers and cane-wielding prefects. In addition, they sought to replicate the studious, middle class atmosphere found in such establishments.

In addition to those run fully by the state, there were 179 Direct Grant Grammar schools. These took between one quarter and one half of their pupils from the state system, and the rest from fee paying parents. They also exercised far greater freedom from local authorities, and were members of the Headmasters' Conference. These schools included some very old schools, encouraged to partake in the Tripartite System, and achieved the best academic results of any state schools. The most famous example of a Direct Grant Grammar was Manchester Grammar School, whose headmaster, Lord James of Rusholme, was one of the most outspoken advocates of the Tripartite System.

Pupils were given the best opportunities of any schoolchildren. They studied for the General Certificate of Education examination at the Ordinary Level (known as O-level, which existed before the introduction of the Certificate of Secondary Education (known as the CSE), and considered to be more valuable. Their schools possessed better facilities and received more funding than their secondary modern counterparts. Until the implementation of the Robbins Report in the 1960s, children from public and grammar schools effectively monopolized access to university. These schools were also the only ones that offered an extra term of school to prepare pupils for the competitive entrance exams for Oxbridge.

Grammar schools were largely abolished between 1965, with the issue of Circular 10/65, and the 1976 Education Act. Most were amalgamated with a number of other local schools, to form neighbourhood comprehensive schools. Some counties resisted the change, and 164 old-style state-run grammar schools exist today. A list of the areas where this applies is provided below. Direct Grant Grammar schools almost invariably severed their ties with the state sector, and became fully independent.

[edit] Modern Grammar Schools

While many former grammar schools ceased to be selective, some of them retained the word ‘grammar’ in their name. Following the 1979 Education Act, selection on ability was once more allowed in choosing pupils for state schools. Since then, this option has gradually become more widely utilised. As a result, in much of Britain a grammar school is one with a strong academic reputation and able to select up to 10% of its intake. Grammar schools often perform well in league tables, and there is a high level of competition for places.

Since the election of the Labour government in 1997, there has been a gradual shift towards support for selection. Before the election, David Blunkett promised that there would be no selection under a Labour government. Once in office, local communities were given the right to ballot for an end to selection at schools. To date few ballots have been held, none of them achieving a majority for abolition. This measure has been attacked by the Select Committee for Education and Skills as being deliberately weak and intended to protect grammar schools from change.

Since 1997 successive Education Secretaries have expressed support for an increase in selective education along the lines of old grammar schools. Specialist schools, Advanced schools, Beacon schools and similar initiatives have been proposed as ways of raising standards, either offering the chance to impose selection or recognizing the achievements of selective schools. Tony Blair has talked of an “escalator” system, and government education policy appears to accept the existence of some kind of hierarchy in secondary education.[2] In most assessments, grammar schools stand at the apex of any such structure.

[edit] Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland still maintains the grammar school system with most pupils being entered for the eleven Plus. There have however been moves to try and introduce a comprehensive system (as in England) by the direct rule administration. This is a matter of controversy with many politicians, particularly unionists, keen to preserve the grammar schools as they are with academic selection at the age of 11.

[edit] Surviving Grammar Schools

164 state run grammar schools exist, spread between the following LEAs:

Only some of these areas keep a formal grammar school system along the lines of the tripartite system. In others, they survive mainly as very highly selective schools in an otherwise comprehensive county: whereas in the tripartite system some 25% of 11 year olds had access to the Grammar schools, now it may be as low as 2% in some LEA areas.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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