In the English education system, central schools were selective secondary education schools between the more prestigious grammar schools and the secondary schools.
Central schools were first established following the 1918 Education Act.
Following the 1944 Education Act, the selection process was changed so that those who failed the 11+ but were considered clever enough to have been entered for it were able to go to central schools.
Famous quotes containing the words central and/or school:
“Friends serve central functions for children that parents do not, and they play a critical role in shaping children’s social skills and their sense of identity. . . . The difference between a child with close friendships and a child who wants to make friends but is unable to can be the difference between a child who is happy and a child who is distressed in one large area of life.”
—Zick Rubin (20th century)
“For those parents from lower-class and minority communities ... [who] have had minimal experience in negotiating dominant, external institutions or have had negative and hostile contact with social service agencies, their initial approaches to the school are often overwhelming and difficult. Not only does the school feel like an alien environment with incomprehensible norms and structures, but the families often do not feel entitled to make demands or force disagreements.”
—Sara Lawrence Lightfoot (20th century)