The purpose of secondary education has proved problematic since its inception. Is it about personal development and is learning a goal in itself? Or is it about fitting a young person for the world of work?
The 1926 Hadow Report described the various attempts to establish “advanced instruction” for the masses. A pupil’s capacity was to be stimulated “through a liberal provision of opportunities for practical work”. The adolescents in mind were clearly not those who would advance to university.
The dichotomy in destinations for young people was clear – academic (then for the very few) and vocational for the many. Educationalists were often keen to apply the higher purpose of enlightenment to working-class young people, but the essence of their education for policy-makers was work-related.
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