County school

County School

The Education Act 1902 abolished school boards, transferring their functions to counties and boroughs acting as local education authorities. The board schools were thus renamed county schools. The act also introduced county secondary schools, which were greatly expanded during the early 20th century. Prior to the changes introduced in the Education Act 1944 the county secondary schools provided a grammar school type education to a small sector of the school age population. Most children were educated in an elementary school until the then school leaving age of 14. The name 'county school' was prestigious and remained in common usage to describe local grammar schools after 1944. Some schools retain the word 'county' in their name whether still under local authority control or moved to academy status viz. Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Colchester County High School for Girls, Enfield County School, Ilford County High School, Guildford County School, Wallington County Grammar School.