Historians consider it a "triumph for progressive reform," and it became a core element of the post-war consensus supported by all major parties.

[3] The purpose of the act was to address the country's educational needs amid demands for social reform that had been an issue before the Second World War began.

By negotiation with the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple (1881-1944), and other religious leaders, a majority of the Anglican church schools became voluntary controlled and were effectively absorbed into the state system in return for funding.

[6] The legislation was enacted in 1944, but its changes were designed to take effect after the war, thus allowing for additional pressure groups to have their influence.

[10] Butler later wrote in his 1971 memoirs that the 1944 act, like those of 1870, 1902 and 1918, did not “sweep the board clean” but rather “established a financial framework” within which local authorities could conduct such policies as were appropriate for their region.

[14] One of the results of the act was to increase the openness of secondary schools to girls and the working class, educating and mobilising them.

[14] The act was supported by HORSA (Hutting Operation for the Raising of the School-Leaving Age) a building programme to provide 'hut'-style accommodation to meet the additional educational demand.

[18] In 1968 Edward Short, the Labour Secretary of State for Education and Science, withdrew free milk from secondary schools for children over eleven.