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In this video, we’ll take a look at the history of Grammar schools in the UK. Grammar schools have played an important role in British education for centuries, so we’ll take a closer look at their origins, evolution over time, and impact on the education system in the UK.
The wide use of the term “Grammar School” in the UK dates back to the 14th century, though some schools are much older, dating back to around the 6th century. Early on, these schools often focused on teaching Latin for religious study to people training to become monks or priests.
Grammar schools started to serve a wider purpose when the early universities were founded. In order to get into these universities, students had to be really good at Latin, because that was the language that they would be studying in. With the growth of universities, the demand for Latin education grew, and schools began to sprout up around the country. Eventually the curriculum also widened to include Ancient Greek and other European languages.
In the 19th century, the importance of Maths and Science grew, and once again so did the curriculum taught by Grammar schools. Grammar schools underwent somewhat of a rebranding. They began to be seen as schools that primarily taught science or literature, whilst also still teaching the traditional languages as a smaller part of the curriculum.
Around the 1940s, with the introduction of the Tripartite System of Education, grammar schools became one of the three tiers of state-funded schools - the other two being technical schools and secondary modern schools. Grammar schools took on the role of the prestigious institutions that many students wanted to get into. This is because they were funded extremely well and provided a great pathway to going to university.
Since the 1960s, the number of Grammar schools has declined, with many often being replaced by modern comprehensives. Grammar schools have in recent years been controversial because some people believe they are unfairly funded and offer better opportunities to their students than other state funded schools. In 1998, a law was passed in the UK preventing the creation of any new grammar schools, but still allowing existing ones to expand. It’s worth noting though that there is also still strong support for grammar schools in many areas of the UK.
Over time, Grammar schools have gone through many changes in their structure and purpose. In the past, they were considered very exclusive institutions, reserved for the wealthy and privileged. Today, they are a bit more accessible to a wider part of the population, though they’re still not without controversy as we’ve already seen. Grammar schools often use selective entry criteria such as the 11+ exam or interviews to decide which students get a place. There are just over 160 grammar schools currently in England, and almost 70 in Northern Ireland, but there are no state funded grammar schools in Wales or Scotland.
So, that’s a brief history of Grammar schools in the UK. From their origins as Latin schools to their modern-day emphasis on academics, they have played an important role in shaping the UK’s education system and producing some of its most influential figures. Thanks very much for watching, and if you found this video useful then please subscribe to our channel!
