Free secondary education became central to the post-war system.
The Education Act 1944 reshaped education after the Second World War and provided free secondary education for all pupils.
It also created the tripartite system of grammar, technical and secondary modern schools.
The Act expanded opportunity, but selection also shaped children's futures early. The question of who gets which route became central.
Education can open doors, but it can also sort children into futures before they are fully known.
A common mistake is treating the post-war settlement as pure progress. It expanded education, but also strengthened selection.
Who had power here, who was left outside, and what would have changed if the human being was seen first?
These deep dives open out from this part of the timeline.