History of Grammar Schools in the UK - The Middle Ages
The term grammar school originates from Latin ‘scholae grammaticales’ that was coined in the 1400s. However, the first grammar schools in the UK were founded much earlier, with the oldest ones dating back to as early as the late 6th and early 7th century:
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The King’s School, Canterbury. Located in Canterbury, Kent, The King’s School is thought to be the world’s oldest continuously operating school. Its history dates back to 597 when, according to written sources, it was founded by the Benedictine monk Augustine of Canterbury, the first Archbishop of Canterbury and the founder of the Church of England. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536-1541), it was re-founded as The King’s School.
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The King’s School, Rochester. Claiming to be the second oldest operating school in both the UK and the world, The King’s School, Rochester was founded in 604. Just like The King’s School, Canterbury, it was founded as a cathedral school and re-founded during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII (1491-1547).
Students who attended schools such as The King’s School, Canterbury and The King’s School, Rochester were initially learning only Latin. The latter was eventually “joined” by other subjects such as astronomy and mathematics, music and verse, and law. Only boys were admitted to the early medieval grammar schools and were educated to become priests and monks.
After the establishment of ancient universities, starting with the University of Oxford in 1096, many grammar schools began to act as their feeders. Students - boys only - attended grammar schools until the age of 14 and then continued education at the universities or the church to be trained as priests and monks. The first church-independent grammar schools emerged in the late Middle Ages. Some of the best known include:
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Winchester College, Hampshire. It was established in 1382 by William of Wykeham (1320-1404) who served as Bishop of Winchester (from 1355 to 1404) and Chancellor of England under Edward III and Richard II. The school was intended to serve as a feeder for the New College, Oxford that was founded by Wykeham as well three years earlier.
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Oswestry School, Shropshire. Due to lack of records, little is known about its early history other that it was established in 1407 by MP David Holbache and his wife Gwenhwyfar Ferch Ieuan.
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Eton College, Berkshire. Also known simply as Eton, the school was founded by King Henry VI (1421-1471) in 1440 as The King’s College of Our Lady of Eton and was intended to serve as a feeder for the King’s College Cambridge.