ABSTRACT
The war that followed First World War, which was the most catastrophic that the world had seen and lasted for over four years, brought about profound social changes in Britain. The new classes of skilled and semi-skilled labour, whether in the Forces or in civilian life, which had produced the latest weapons of war used in the battles on land, sea and air, also augmented the demands for social and educational reform which had gained momentum before the First World War but had been muted at its outbreak. To help in preparing an Education Bill the inspectors of the Board furnished the President with reports of experiments in education which were being carried out in elementary schools throughout the country. The Workers’ Educational Association, for instance, when it had published its own recommendations for educational reform towards the end of 1916, had suggested that secondary schools should be varied in type.
