Free Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Free Grammar Schools were schools which usually operated under the jurisdiction of the church in pre-modern England
. Education had long been associated with religious institutions since a Cathedral grammar school was established at Canterbury
under the authority of St Augustine's
church and King Ethelbert at the end of the sixth century. The religious reforms of Henry VIII and the influence of renaissance philosophy
resulted in an increased educational drive and a broadening of curriculum
, but perhaps the most significant change of this period was that many new grammar schools
were private institutions 'supervised in variable degree by church and state'. From the sixteenth century, there was much lively debate over curriculum, arguments about the original intentions of original benefactors and administrative detail. Due to the religious influence of Free Grammar School benefactors, these disputes or disciplinary concerns were often fought in church courts, and the consequent records offer rich detail of these concerns.
England in the Middle Ages
England in the Middle Ages concerns the history of England during the Medieval period — from the end of Roman rule in Britain through to the Early Modern period...
. Education had long been associated with religious institutions since a Cathedral grammar school was established at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
under the authority of St Augustine's
Augustine of Canterbury
Augustine of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597...
church and King Ethelbert at the end of the sixth century. The religious reforms of Henry VIII and the influence of renaissance philosophy
Renaissance philosophy
Renaissance philosophy was the period of the history of philosophy in Europe that falls roughly between the Middle Ages and the Enlightenment. It includes the 15th century; some scholars extend it to as early as the 1350s or as late as the 16th century or early 17th century, overlapping the...
resulted in an increased educational drive and a broadening of curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
, but perhaps the most significant change of this period was that many new grammar schools
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
were private institutions 'supervised in variable degree by church and state'. From the sixteenth century, there was much lively debate over curriculum, arguments about the original intentions of original benefactors and administrative detail. Due to the religious influence of Free Grammar School benefactors, these disputes or disciplinary concerns were often fought in church courts, and the consequent records offer rich detail of these concerns.