Introduction

The purpose of this book is to provide an account and interpretation of education in England during the twentieth century.1 This is a large undertaking, for one hundred years of educational history are not easily contained within a single volume. Nevertheless the ten topics considered here – primary, secondary, further and higher education, together with central and local government, teachers, pupils and students, special educational needs, curriculum, qualifications and assessment – provide a substantial coverage of the formal dimensions of the subject. They encompass both major educational themes and categories that might have been identified at any point in the century, and other topics and terminology that may be seen as reflecting current issues. This combination is the stuff of history. Many of the questions we ask of the past are a reflection of contemporary concerns.