What is a public school in British education?

In British education, a "public school" is a privately funded, independent secondary school, not part of the state system. These schools emerged in the 18th century when certain grammar schools gained a reputation beyond their localities. They started accepting students whose parents could afford residential fees, thus becoming known as "public" schools, as opposed to local ones. Well-known public schools include Eton , Harrow , Winchester , and Westminster . Traditionally, these schools prepared students for universities like Oxford and Cambridge , and for public service. Though often criticized for reinforcing social inequalities, they remain popular. By the late 20th century, "independent school" was increasingly preferred by the institutions themselves.

How are British public schools different from state schools?

British "public schools" are actually private, fee-based independent secondary schools that operate outside the state education system. State schools are government-funded and provide free education. Public schools are known for their long-standing reputations, preparing students for universities like Oxford and Cambridge and leadership roles. Critics argue that public schools exacerbate social divisions by drawing resources and talent away from state schools. Public schools, such as Eton and Harrow, were originally charitable foundations for local boys but evolved to boarding schools for the upper classes. State schools are comprehensive, admitting students regardless of aptitude, and follow a national curriculum.

Who can attend public schools in the United Kingdom?

In the United Kingdom, state-funded primary and secondary education is a local responsibility overseen by the local authority. Primary education is free and compulsory for children ages 5 to 11. Secondary education is free and compulsory for children ages 11 to 16, and is organized in various ways. Most secondary schools are comprehensive, meaning they are open to students of all abilities. About 90% of students attend comprehensive schools. A small percentage of students attend secondary modern or grammar schools to which they are assigned after selective procedures at age 11.

What are some well-known British public schools?

British "public schools" are actually private, fee-based secondary schools independent of the state system. These schools emerged in the 18th century as certain grammar schools gained reputations beyond their localities. They started accepting students whose parents could afford residential fees, thus becoming known as "public" in contrast to local schools. By the late 20th century, the term "independent school" was increasingly preferred. Some well-known British public schools include:

How do students at British public schools usually live and study?

British "public schools" are actually private, independent institutions with a long history of preparing students for leadership roles. Many are boarding schools, where students live on campus in residence buildings or houses. These houses often foster a sense of community and healthy competition in academics and sports. Students typically reside in study-bedrooms or dormitories and share dining rooms, libraries, and common rooms. Many of these schools have a religious heritage, reflected in the presence of a chapel. A typical day includes attending classes, participating in sports or extracurricular activities, and studying. Dormitories have curfews to ensure a quiet environment for rest and study. The curriculum is academically rigorous, often geared towards preparing students for higher education at top universities like Oxford and Cambridge . Discipline used to be harsh, but has evolved along with the focus shifting towards secular education that includes humanism, the liberal arts, law, debate, logic, and mathematics.

How have British public schools influenced education and society in the UK?

British " public schools " are actually private, fee-based secondary schools that operate independently of the state. Emerging in the 18th century, they evolved from charitable foundations into boarding establishments that prepared students for universities like Oxford and Cambridge and for public service. These schools have had an immense impact on British society by instilling a class-conscious code of behavior, speech, and appearance that set the standard for conduct in British officialdom from the early 19th to the mid-20th century and helped Britain build its empire. Though often criticized for reinforcing social distinctions, they have adapted over time by developing links with state schools and changing their educational approach.

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Also called:: independent school

Key People:: Thomas Arnold; Nathaniel Woodard; Edward Thring; Frederick William Sanderson

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public school

British education

Also known as: independent school

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What is a public school in British education?
In British education, a "public school" is a privately funded, independent secondary school, not part of the state system. These schools emerged in the 18th century when certain grammar schools gained a reputation beyond their localities. They started accepting students whose parents could afford residential fees, thus becoming known as "public" schools, as opposed to local ones.

Well-known public schools include Eton, Harrow, Winchester, and Westminster. Traditionally, these schools prepared students for universities like Oxford and Cambridge, and for public service. Though often criticized for reinforcing social inequalities, they remain popular. By the late 20th century, "independent school" was increasingly preferred by the institutions themselves.
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How are British public schools different from state schools?
British "public schools" are actually private, fee-based independent secondary schools that operate outside the state education system. State schools are government-funded and provide free education. Public schools are known for their long-standing reputations, preparing students for universities like Oxford and Cambridge and leadership roles.

Critics argue that public schools exacerbate social divisions by drawing resources and talent away from state schools. Public schools, such as Eton and Harrow, were originally charitable foundations for local boys but evolved to boarding schools for the upper classes. State schools are comprehensive, admitting students regardless of aptitude, and follow a national curriculum.
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who can attend public schools in the United Kingdom?
In the United Kingdom, state-funded primary and secondary education is a local responsibility overseen by the local authority. Primary education is free and compulsory for children ages 5 to 11. Secondary education is free and compulsory for children ages 11 to 16, and is organized in various ways. Most secondary schools are comprehensive, meaning they are open to students of all abilities. About 90% of students attend comprehensive schools.

A small percentage of students attend secondary modern or grammar schools to which they are assigned after selective procedures at age 11.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some well-known British public schools?
British "public schools" are actually private, fee-based secondary schools independent of the state system. These schools emerged in the 18th century as certain grammar schools gained reputations beyond their localities. They started accepting students whose parents could afford residential fees, thus becoming known as "public" in contrast to local schools. By the late 20th century, the term "independent school" was increasingly preferred.

Some well-known British public schools include:
- Eton College
- Harrow School
- Westminster School
- Winchester College
- St. Paul’s School
- Shrewsbury School
- Merchant Taylors’ School
- Rugby School
- Charterhouse School
5 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do students at British public schools usually live and study?
British "public schools" are actually private, independent institutions with a long history of preparing students for leadership roles. Many are boarding schools, where students live on campus in residence buildings or houses. These houses often foster a sense of community and healthy competition in academics and sports.

Students typically reside in study-bedrooms or dormitories and share dining rooms, libraries, and common rooms. Many of these schools have a religious heritage, reflected in the presence of a chapel. A typical day includes attending classes, participating in sports or extracurricular activities, and studying. Dormitories have curfews to ensure a quiet environment for rest and study.

The curriculum is academically rigorous, often geared towards preparing students for higher education at top universities like Oxford and Cambridge. Discipline used to be harsh, but has evolved along with the focus shifting towards secular education that includes humanism, the liberal arts, law, debate, logic, and mathematics.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How have British public schools influenced education and society in the UK?
British "public schools" are actually private, fee-based secondary schools that operate independently of the state. Emerging in the 18th century, they evolved from charitable foundations into boarding establishments that prepared students for universities like Oxford and Cambridge and for public service.

These schools have had an immense impact on British society by instilling a class-conscious code of behavior, speech, and appearance that set the standard for conduct in British officialdom from the early 19th to the mid-20th century and helped Britain build its empire. Though often criticized for reinforcing social distinctions, they have adapted over time by developing links with state schools and changing their educational approach.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

public school, in the United Kingdom, one of a relatively small group of institutions educating secondary-level students for a fee and independent of the state system as regards both endowment and administration. The term public school emerged in the 18th century when the reputation of certain grammar schools spread beyond their immediate environs. They began taking students whose parents could afford residential fees and thus became known as public, in contrast to local, schools. By the late 20th century the term independent school was increasingly preferred by the institutions themselves.

Rugby SchoolRugby School, Rugby, Warwickshire, England.

The typical great public school—such as Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Westminster, Rugby, Shrewsbury, or Charterhouse—evolved from an institution founded by a single benefactor during the late Middle Ages or Renaissance. Such charitable foundations, almost invariably for males only, had usually been intended to educate local boys from relatively humble backgrounds. From about the 17th century the upper classes took increasing advantage of the tuition afforded by these foundations. As pupils paying the market rate became more numerous, the schools were increasingly transformed into boarding establishments. (Some, however, such as St. Paul’s or Merchant Taylors’ in London, remained day schools; others took both day boys and boarders.) The public schools were seen as preparing students for the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge (though not all students proceeded then or proceed now to a university) and for public service—another origin of the appellation “public” school.

The curriculum from the beginning placed heavy emphasis on the Greek and Roman classics and continued to do so until well into the 20th century. Organized games, in contrast, were a late development, and, before their introduction, disorderly conduct was intermittently considerable, particularly in the early 19th century. When the demand for men to administer the British Empire led to scores of new foundations during the 19th century, however, the schools tended to adopt the more disciplined, duty-bound, and athletic model established at Rugby by Dr. Thomas Arnold in the 1830s.

From late in the 19th century a number of girls’ public schools were established, as were also denominational or other special-purpose schools, though such Roman Catholic foundations as Ampleforth, Downside, and Stonyhurst had existed for some time already. Institutions loosely termed public schools also sprang up overseas, predominantly in countries under British cultural influence.

The impact of the public schools in Britain was historically immense. Perhaps in no other post-Renaissance country did an ethos directly and concentratedly inculcated in so few citizens exercise such influence nationally—and internationally, given the crucial role of the public school ethos in helping Britain build its empire. The ethos in question was less an academic one than a class-conscious code of behaviour, speech, and appearance. It set the standard for conduct in the life of officialdom in Britain from the early 19th century to the mid-20th.

Since the end of World War II, the style and content of education at the public schools have changed as the schools have become more consciously part of wider groupings of independent schools and have developed multifarious links with schools in the state sector.

The following is a list of the nine best-known public schools, in the order of their founding.

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Winchester College, in Winchester, Hampshire, was chartered in 1382 by William of Wykeham, bishop of Winchester, and opened by him in 1394.

Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire, was founded by King Henry VI in 1440.

St. Paul’s School, in Hammersmith, west London, was founded and endowed by John Colet in 1509.

Shrewsbury School, in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, was founded by King Edward VI in 1552.

Westminster School, also called St. Peter’s College, in west London, was probably a cathedral school and was reestablished by Queen Elizabeth I in 1560.

Merchant Taylors’ School, in London, was founded, endowed, and controlled by the Merchant Taylors’ Company of London in 1561; it moved to the Charterhouse buildings in 1875.

Rugby School, in Rugby, Warwickshire, was founded by Lawrence Sheriff, a wealthy London merchant, in 1567. It began rugby football (1823).

Harrow School, at Harrow (or Harrow-on-the-Hill), northwest of London, was founded in 1571.

Charterhouse School, in Godalming, Surrey, was founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611. In 1872 Charterhouse School was moved from London to Godalming.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.

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