This work investigates the historical development and political struggle surrounding the implementation of the comprehensive school system in Britain between 1926 and 1972. Brian Simon and David Rubinstein, both established scholars in the field of educational history, utilize primary source documents and policy records to trace the transition from a selective, tripartite system to a more inclusive model. The authors argue that the comprehensive movement was not merely a pedagogical shift but a significant social project aimed at addressing class inequality within the British state education system.

Experts recognize this text as a foundational historical account of the British comprehensive school movement. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the extensive use of archival evidence to support the authors' arguments.