ABSTRACT
In 1902, the State at last assumed direct responsibility for financing and encouraging the growth of secondary education, though the actual provision and administration of it was left to local authorities. Though in retrospect the model of secondary education which was adopted for state schools may seem inappropriate, it is not clear, given the climate of opinion that existed, that a radically different one could have emerged. The categorical status achieved by the public schools and transmitted the endowed grammar schools over the previous fifty or so years gave their model of secondary education a clear advantage. Secondary education focused on the sixth form and engineered a system of internal and external examination which operated to 'cool out' those who were not destined for high status. The possession of sixth form was taken as evidence of the quality of the education given by the school and thus the gulf between the work of the elementary and secondary schools was widened.
