1944-1951 Post-war reconstruction

1944 Education Act 1944 (pdf file 1.8mb) the 'Butler Act' set the structure of the post-war system of state education

1945 The Nation's Schools: government publication explaining tripartite system of secondary schools

1946 Free milk provided for all pupils

1947 School leaving age raised to 15

1951 General Certificate of Education (GCE) introduced

1951-1970 The wind of change

1956 Colleges of Advanced Technology: selected technical and FE colleges were upgraded to this status. In the mid-1960s most of these became the 'new universities'

1960 Teacher training course: extended from two years to three

1962 Education Act: required LEAs to provide students with grants for living costs and tuition fees; placed legal obligation on parents to ensure that children received a suitable education at school or otherwise; made LEAs legally responsible for ensuring that pupils attended school

1963 Children and Young Persons Act 1963 extended LEAs' responsibilities for the welfare of children

1964 Labour manifesto promised to abolish selection

1964 Education Act 1964 (pdf file 64kb) the 'Boyle Act' allowed the creation of middle schools

1965 Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) introduced in England and Wales

1966 Polytechnics established

1968 Education Act: laid down rules about changing the character of a school (e.g. to comprehensive).

1970-1979 Recession and disenchantment

1971 Education (Milk) Act: limited the provision of free milk in schools (and led to the jibe 'Thatcher, Thatcher, milk snatcher)

1972 Local Government Act: reduced the number of LEAs from 146 to 104 (implemented in 1974).

1972 Children Act the minimum age at which children could be employed was not to be affected by changes in the school leaving age

1973 Education (Work Experience) Act: allowed LEAs to organise work experience for final year school students.

1973 Employment and Training Act: required LEAs to set up careers services

1973 School leaving age raised to 16

1973 Circular 7/73: halved the number of places for student teachers

1974 Circular 4/74 reaffirmed the Labour government's intention to proceed with comprehensivisation

1979-1990 Thatcherism: the marketisation of education

1979 LEA Arrangements for the School Curriculum: required LEAs to publish curriculum policies

1980 Education Act instituted the assisted places scheme (public money for children to go to private schools), gave parents greater powers on governing bodies and over admissions

1982 Technical and Vocational Education Initiative launched: aimed at 14-18 year olds

1983 Youth Training Scheme (YTS): one year scheme introduced

on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, The trainees on the schemes could be classified as either trainee status or employed status. The difference was distinguished by whether the trainee was recruited by an employer and provided with training for the company needs or if the trainee was being trained by a training organisation using employers as training placements.

1986 General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE): common 16+ exam system replaced GCE O Level and CSE