Blog 6 The lead up to the 1944 Education Act

One effect of the First World War was the beginning of the realisation that the strong divisions within society were beginning to break down. There was a sense, among some of the leaders of society at least, that within society in general, there was a growing sense of solidarity. HAL Fisher, in introducing the 1918 Education Bill ¹, expressed this feeling, noting the sacrifices that the poor had been called upon in their actions during the war. I believe that it goes deeper than this. In a time of war, the country cannot afford to ignore the diversity of talent found amongst its population. The upper elite had proven not to be capable of ensuring victory, they had to call upon the whole nation. Many from the so called ‘lower orders’ had shown themselves to be more competent that their so called ‘superiors’. This experience, which affected the working class to an even greater extent than it did the ruling class, allied to political events in Russia, with a successful revolution, and with revolutionary attempts in Germany and Hungary, meant that Government had to respond. Within the field of Education, this led to a number of Reports and Acts of Parliament which set out the basis for what became the system of Education formulated in the 1944 Education Act.

The first of these Reports was the Lewis Report of 1917 ². This Report showed that the number of children not enrolled in either part time or full time education fell quite significantly after the age of 14+ to include around three quarters of the population for children between 14 and 15, gradually increasing for children up to 18. There was a recognition in this report that a child does not become a man when he starts work, but that there is a period of adolescence when he still needs influence, encouragement and reproof. The Report asks the question “Can the age of adolescence be brought out of the purview of economic exploitation and into that of social conscience?” The Report called for a small amount (8 hours per week) of continuous education between the ages of 14 and 18. A suggestion that the Fisher Act ³ scotched because of the slump and Government cuts in expenditure. The belief expressed in the Report was that to aim to make a reasonable human being and a citizen would lead to the making of a competent workman. The Report also recognised that account had to be taken of the interests of the pupils who were entering a new phase in their lives.

In moving the Education Bill, HAL Fisher outlined the values of education. He called for a new view of education. He saw it not only as a way of becoming better technical workmen, earning more money, nor as a means of rising out of their class, but that they became good citizens, gaining pure enjoyment and finding a refuge from the hardships of a life of hideous toil. But his concerns were not only for individuals. He was aware that having extended the franchise, there was a greater involvement of people in decision making.The issues that Parliament had to decide upon were becoming more complex and difficult. Education was becoming more important. It covered all aspects, spiritual, intellectual and physical. What was right in terms of education for the rich was equally valid for the poor.

The Hadow Report ⁴, which followed in 1926, began the process that would lead to the 1944 Education Act. This Report sets out three aims for education – to form and strengthen the character of individuals, and of the nation – to give pupils a delight in the pursuit and joy in the accomplishment in the breadth of knowledge which would provide recreation and leisure in later life – to provide practical intelligence for better and skilled service to the community. The Report outlined the nature of the Modern, Technical and Grammar Schools and detailed the scope of the curriculum and the need for an examination on leaving school.

The Primary School Report of 1931 ⁵ presented a more practical approach to the work of the school. It looked to the development of the innate powers and the instinctive hold of life present in children. The approach was to be by enriching and giving point to their growing experience. The curriculum should be thought of in terms of activity and experience rather than of knowledge to be given and facts to be stored. The aim to develop in the child fundamental human powers within the ability of the child.

The Spens Report of 1938 ⁶ developed further the concept of the tripartite system. It made clear the need for a non-academic type of school orientated towards commerce or industry, noting that the existing arrangements were out of line with the actual structure of society and the economic facts. Doubts are expressed that prediction of a child’s intelligence is only valid in the narrow sense and not as regards specific aptitudes and interests. Concern is also expressed about the existing methods of selection, which are artificial and often mistaken. However, detailed arguments are set out against Multilateral Schools with arguments given for Technical Schools and an acceptance of Grammar and Modern Schools. The Report seeks to show that, although the multilateral Principle may not be expressed by the Multilateral School, it should permeate the system of secondary education. Further it suggests that there should be parity between all forms of secondary schools.

It is clear that there was opposition to these plans. The Norwood Report ⁷ had to present detailed arguments in an attempt to justify the proposals. These begin with the statement “Even if it were to be shown that the differences between individuals are so marked as to call for as many curricula as there are individuals, it would be impossible to carry such a principle into practice.” In fact, the position had been clearly laid out by the demands and opinions that were held. Grammar Schools had long been established and there was no intention of changing the privileged position of those who supported them; the pressures from within society, and economic demands, showed the need for all children to receive a secondary education, hence the Modern School; the demands of industry and commerce for well educated entrants made the case for the Technical Schools. However, this was all looking from above. How to justify the situation as regards the young people involved? The Norwood Report tries to do this, by claiming that children could be roughly divided into three groups, matching the tripartite division of schools. The report, itself, makes the point that individual pupils have particular skills that do not fit them within these boundaries. They go on to say that “However carefully devised and sympathetically carried out, differentiation at 10 or 11+ cannot be regarded as final. Opportunity must be given for the rectifying of mistakes, and for dealing with cases of late development or failure to fulfill promise.” Hence their suggestion for review at 13+.

The Government set out their plans, based on the reports discussed above, in a White Paper ⁸ in 1943 which foreshadowed the 1944 Education Act. The Paper claimed that the aim was to secure a happier childhood and a better start in life. They hoped to provide a means of developing the various talents with which children were endowed in order to enrich the inheritance of the country. They claimed that in the selection of children for the type of school to which they would transfer, the child would be the centre of education.

As far as I am personally concerned, this is the end of history and the start of my direct involvement in education. The next stage of my research will be to study the developments in the era which began at the end of the Second World war.

Scribart 13.02.2020

1Education Act 1918 Statement by HAL Fisher, President of the Board of Education, introducing the Education Bill. Hansard. August 10^th, 1917 in Maclure Educational Documents England and Wales 1816 to Present day pp 173 - 175

2Report of the Departmental Committee on Juvenile Education in Relation to Employment after the War. The Lewis Report 1917 in Maclure pp 167 - 170

3Education Act 1918 in Maclure pp171/2

4Report of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education on the Education of the Adolescent . Hadow Report in Maclure pp 179 - 187

5Report of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education on The Primary School in Maclure pp 188 -192

6Report of the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education on Secondary Education with Special Reference to Grammar Schools and Technical High Schools (The Spens Report) in Maclure pp 193 - 199

7Report of the Committee of the Secondary Schools Examination Council on Curriculum and examinations in Secondary Schools. Norwood Report 1943 in Maclure pp 200 - 205

8White Paper on Educational Reconstruction 1943 in Maclure pp 206 - 209