ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates Shena Simon’s ideals of social democracy, especially her ideal of equality of educational opportunity, and her reform proposals. It demonstrates that Shena’s ideal of ‘equality of educational opportunity’, acted constantly as a solid foundation for all her reform proposals. Based on this ideal, Shena consistently called for the raising of the school-leaving age to 16 and the abolition of fees in all secondary education including the direct grant schools. The chapter examines her democratic ideals as embedded in the Spens Report on Secondary Education with Special Reference to Grammar Schools and Technical High Schools. Following this, in relation to her democratic ideals, Shena’s arguments for reforms, which were documented in her books, pamphlets, journal and newspaper articles, memoranda and correspondence, are discussed. In addition, in the 1930s and 1940s, Shena frequently travelled across national borders to learn from other countries.
