The British Comprehensive Secondary School: An Instrument for Social Reform? Robert M. Martin During the past two decades an evolution has been in industrial cities like Bristol, Coventry, and London, taking place in British education. And nowhere is that more where a combination of extensive war damage lo existing evident than at the secondary school level. Herc the com­ school buildings, and the presence of Labour Party Councils prehensive-type school has been assuming configuration have been additional causative factors. The nine schools with clear-cut functions. An examination of this educa­ visited were: Ca1tlc Rushen School, Castletown, Isle of tional structure, so familiar to us, but new to British Man; Ruffwood School, Kirkby Estate, Lancashire; Sir schoolmcn and children can prove illuminating. Thomas Jones School, Amlwch, Anglesey, Wales; Church­ During the 1968-69 school year, tl1e writer visited nine fields School, West Bromwich, Birmingham; President schools recommended by the British Ministry of Educa­ Kennedy School, Coventry; Henbury School. Bristol; tion's Department of Education and Science as represen­ Alfred Col/ox School, Bridport, Dorset; Thomas Bennett tative of the better comprehensive schools in Great Britain. School, Crawley, West Sussex; Wandsworth School, South· He came away with some deep and favorable impressions. fields Borough, London. 9 Two features, in fact, might serve as subjects for study by American educators with comparable procedures in our Background of the British own comprehensive secondary schools. First is the vertical Comprehensive Secondary School organization within each British school of sub-groups for American educators should not assume that the British educational, social and guidance direction. Called the Horue comprehensive secondary school is 11 direct transplant from Plan by the British, the Little School by Alexander (see the United States. Rather, it appears to be a response to a lead article) and The School within a School by such number of social and economic forces emergent in the School Systems as Portland, Oregon, it offers some chal­ United Kingdom since World War II. lenges to our existing counseling and guidance programs. Traditionally there have been three educational routes Here in Hawaii the new Kailua High School, with its pro· open to British children. Six per cent followed the prestig· jectcd 6,000 pupil enrollment, plans to incorporate the ious 'inner-track' from private preparatory school, through House Plan in its organization. a prestigious independent or 'public' school like Eton or Second, the "strong-Principal" concept, characteristic of Harrow to matriculation at 'Oxbridge' and an assured place all British schools, with its accompanying latitude regarding in the aristocratic society of England. For a fourth of the budget control and curriculum determination of each children, local primary education led to grammar school, if school. These will be discussed in greater detail later in this he passed the qualifying examination at age eleven. A article. second hurdle lay in the requirement of two or three The comprehensive secondary schools visited varied in advanced level passes as part of the GencraJ Certification of enrollment from 500 pupils in Castle Rushen School, Education, after which his goal was, and is, a provincial Castletown, Isle of Man, to more than 2,000 in Wandsworth college. Failure here 'off-ramps' him to industry, or a tech­ School, London, and seem to have rooted best in the West nical college. The third route, followed by two-thirds of of England, Wales, and the Isle of Man. In England, with England's youth, who do not pass the 'eleven plus' exami­ some exceptions, the comprehensive-type institution is nation, may take them to secondary modem schools and being built in rural areas, in new centers-of-population, and then to work, at either age fifteen or sixteen. It might be said that the secondary modern schools, an outgrowth of "includes young people of secondary school age over the the 1944 Education Act, while numerous (5300), arc low in whole range of ability, as far us they can be educated in the quality of staff and facilities and, subsequently, in prestige. normal school at all. IL should be sufficiently large in Upward mobility in British society, with its non·contig­ enrollment, staff and facilities lo meet the needs of all the uous educational pathways, has been difficult; and il is pupils and still not so large that they lose a sense of belong· possible lo consider the comprehensive secondary school us ing and being individually looked after." (8 :p.l) a principal vehicle for social reform towards a more open An excellent and complete report on the comprehensive society, for reasons which will be discussed later in this educational institution by the Inner London Authority article. stales, "A comprehensive school is not merely unselcctive; In 1945, a Labour government a~umed office al the it is a school which differs from the grammar school and national, and most local levels. Pledged lo social reform, it the secondary modern school in that first, it does not look some steps toward broadening the base of secondary accept un entry which has been previously passed over, and education. Studies by national commissions and dissatisfac­ second, it docs not itself make selection." (9 :p.17) tion by educators with the segregated system of schools led As analyzed by Conant (1 :Intro.), the aim is to be able to experimentation with comprehensive secondary learning lo offer suitable preparation for either further education, or centers. In rural areas in Wales and on the Isle of Man, the world of work; or, for the individual who is undecided, where population is relatively sparse, general economics by permitting him to delay, as long as necessary, the need suggested a multi-purpose secondary type of school lo for making this choice. accommodate all children. London and Coventry, both All schools visited consisted of six forms (classes) and socialistic strongholds, deliberately fashioned school sys­ tended lo divide into three sub-groups: Forms I and II into tems capable of educating pupils of a11 background and a Lower School; Forms UI, IV and V into the Main School; aptitudes up through the secondary school. and Form VI as a sort of sub-school for pupils primarily Additional causative factors included discontent with interested in further education beyond the secondary level. the existing Secondary Modern School, and a desire to Most comprehensive schools are coeducational, except 10 incorporate some industrial education into the general those in London, which have all three possible brroupings curriculum of secondary schools. Schoolmen came to real- for boys and girls. ize that only through open admission lo secondary schools Sroffing: British Government support lo education in terms could best use be made of the manpower pool wailing to be of staffing is far greater than is the case in the United educated. Probability tables, as we know, tell approxi­ States. A pupil-teacher ratio of 20-1 represents a national mately how many children will go on lo further academic norm, while in London, the formula calls for one teacher study, but they do not inform in advance just which chil­ for every 24 pupils under age 15 and one for every 18 dren these arc. pupils age fifteen and over. The Headmaster's Association Pervading it all was a desire, on the part of working­ recommends a ratio of 18-1 for schools of l,000 or more. class citizens, for equnl access to the fruits of this newly Headmasters visited were visibly shocked when told that affluent society in Britain. Continuing and equal edu­ 30-1 was a common situation in the United States. cational opportunity is seen as the principnl approach to its attainment. Adminutration: Another practice which might be of inter­ est to American school building administrators revolves What is the British about the discretionary powers given to the Headmaster by C.Omprehensive Secondary School? the Locnl Education Authority of each Borough, or Dis­ Because of its relative newness, it has been said, in lricl. To paraphrase one LEA official, their purpose is to Britain, that the comprehensive school is in danger of build schools, pay teachers and provide equipment and becoming something everybody knows about, but very few n materials. One is left with the impression that the Head­ understand. However, the organization and operation of master is expected to run the school. One should mention, this emerging institution can be described as having a strik­ however, that national guidelines, even though advisory in ing similarity to American comprehensive secondary nature, do influence both the LEAs and the Headmasters in schools. selling prob'l'ams for their institution. Budgets, once re­ The headmaster of a large London comprehensive school leased lo the Headmaster, are his to administer as he thinks (Elliott School) defines his type of school as one which best. An additional area of latitude not enjoyed by all American Principals is in Lhc hiring and utilizing of staff. It education, games, careers and, depending upon the organi­ is common practice for Hcadmaslcrs to utilize part-time zation of the school, House activities. The remedial 1,rroup Leachcrs (Pool teachers) as needed. The advantages of the will have most of the above, but with larger blocks of time head of a moderate-size school being able to call upon the for reading and arithmetic and diminished time for some special services of persons for part-time use in foreign lan­ other subjects. guage, drama, sporls, etc., conjures up immediate possibili­ At the end of the third year pupils may select either a Lies for us. It is estimated that approximaLcly 15-25 per one-year program if they plan to leave school at age LS, or a cent of school slaffs in British comprehensive schools arc two-year program leading to an external examination.