Publication date: 1 September 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781806551446
Number of illustrations: 11
How Alex Bloom Built Radical Democratic Secondary Education in Post-war London
Michael Fielding (Author), Mark Erickson (Editor)
Alex Bloom (1895–1955) was a remarkable school leader whose reputation in his lifetime extended far beyond the UK. Against the odds, in the bomb-damaged remains of London’s East End immediately after the Second World War, he established a school that championed equality, democracy, diversity and creativity. That school – St George-in-the-East Secondary Modern in Cable Street – is known to many as the inspiration for the novel and film To Sir With Love, but its significance for education goes far deeper. An explicit affirmation of Bloom’s progressive values and aspirations, it had no punishments or rewards, no prizes or failures, and no set curriculum. It became a beacon for radical democratic schooling, achieving an astonishing international reputation and a lasting legacy.
Based on primary research with former teachers and pupils of St George-in-the-East, How Alex Bloom Built Radical Democratic Secondary Education in Post-war London recounts the story of the school’s founding, pedagogy and democratic inclusivity. Through the book’s own narrative, and in short contributions from some of today’s leading educators, it examines Bloom’s contemporary and subsequent influence on education in the UK and further afield. Most of all, this book reveals Alex Bloom’s extraordinary dedication and commitment to his staff, his pupils and their community, exemplifying the importance of engaging with the school’s contemporary realities.
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How Alex Bloom Built Radical Democratic Secondary Education in Post-war London
Publication date: September 1, 2026
Open Access PDF ISBN: 9781806551446
Paperback ISBN: 9781806551439
Hardback ISBN: 9781806551422
Trim size (hardback): 23.4cm x 15.6cm
Trim size (paperback): 23.4cm x 15.6cm
Alex Bloom (1895–1955) was a remarkable school leader whose reputation in his lifetime extended far beyond the UK. Against the odds, in the bomb-damaged remains of London’s East End immediately after the Second World War, he established a school that championed equality, democracy, diversity and creativity. That school – St George-in-the-East Secondary Modern in Cable Street – is known to many as the inspiration for the novel and film To Sir With Love, but its significance for education goes far deeper. An explicit affirmation of Bloom’s progressive values and aspirations, it had no punishments or rewards, no prizes or failures, and no set curriculum. It became a beacon for radical democratic schooling, achieving an astonishing international reputation and a lasting legacy.
Based on primary research with former teachers and pupils of St George-in-the-East, How Alex Bloom Built Radical Democratic Secondary Education in Post-war London recounts the story of the school’s founding, pedagogy and democratic inclusivity. Through the book’s own narrative, and in short contributions from some of today’s leading educators, it examines Bloom’s contemporary and subsequent influence on education in the UK and further afield. Most of all, this book reveals Alex Bloom’s extraordinary dedication and commitment to his staff, his pupils and their community, exemplifying the importance of engaging with the school’s contemporary realities.
