... college. This was primarily based on teaching the children purely manual skills which in turn would be used for manual labour. This system frequently served to reinforce social inequality because it was largely middle class children who went to Grammar school, while the working classes were frequently restricted to either Secondary Modern's or technical schools. The difference being that middle class families provided their children with an advantageous primary socialisation in the form of literature, using a wide vocabulary, etc which resulted in a stark difference in ability at the age of eleven. The system was highly criticised by saying that it did not allow fair opportunity for children from all social backgrounds so in response to this in the 1960's/70's the British Labour Government designed and introduced the 'Comprehensive'. The Comprehensive was intended to reduce class differences in educational attainment. It allowed children to mix from all social backgrounds ...

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