History
Until the late 19th century, the majority of schools in England were established for either religious purposes (the training of priests, for example) or for the education of the sons of the aristocracy. This separation is, however, more theoretical than real since it was mainly the sons of the aristocracy who were trained to be priests.
Perhaps the earliest recorded educational establishments in England were the Church schools at Canterbury created by St. Augustine in 597 AD for the training of priests and the teaching of converts to Christianity.
By 1000 AD schools had been created at St. Peter’s in York and Beverly grammar school, such schools again having a religious and aristocratic membership.
C. 1150, Oxford University was established, followed c. 1200 by Cambridge University, catering for the sons of the aristocracy with a heavy emphasis on religious instruction. One of the first Public Schools to be founded, Winchester College, came into existence for the training of priests.