ABSTRACT
Milltown was a local authority at the centre of a large, industrial conurbation in the north of England. Milltown High had a fairly traditional staff hierarchy headed by David Benyon, three deputies, and three heads of school/year. Milltown High was again similar to many other secondary schools in that it was divided into subject departments responsible for the different areas of the curriculum. Competition between subject departments for status, and the control of space and resources that went with it, was a common feature of the internal political life of Milltown High School. As Burgess notes the division and control of territory within a school gives a clear indication of aspects of its social structure. Divisions of status and power, the fact that teacher and student interests frequently diverge, and the compulsory nature of schooling, of course mean that much school life is characterized by conflict.
