Cedars Upper School

Cedars Upper School is an upper school and sixth form with academy status, located in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England. Former students of the school are known as Old Cedarians. History Following the Fisher Education Act in 1918, education became compulsory up to the age of 14 by state funded schools. Being an easier option most children stayed at their primary school until aged 14. The Cedars school was founded as a secondary school for boys and girls in 1921 in Church Square, Leighton Buzzard in a house formerly occupied by Mary Norton. The Bedfordshire Times reported "The Cedars School, which has been founded by the Bedfordshire Education Authority, in conjunction with the neighbouring county of Buckingham, to meet the long-felt needs of Leighton Buzzard, Linslade and the surrounding district for secondary education, was formally opened on Thursday by the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Mr.R.W.Allen C.B.E." The first headmaster was Fred Fairbrother. (1886–1959) He was a keen rose grower and in retirement became president of the Royal National Rose Society from 1959 to 1960. Acceptance of a pupil to attend the school followed an entrance exam taken at age 11. The brighter children could win a scholarship who were exempt from payment. This divided the school into A and B sides. The scholarship children were put in the A side and those that didn't get a scholarship but passed the entrance exam in the B side. Prior to the Certificate of Education being introduced in 1951 students wishing to go to University passed matriculation examination to matriculate. Grammar School Following the Education Act 1944 The Cedars became a grammar school which split secondary education into two tiers. At age eleven pupils finishing their primary education were required to sit the eleven plus. The top 25% went to grammar schools and were taught an academic curriculum intended to prepare them to study academic qualifications at university. The remainder of pupils went to secondary modern schools and were taught a more skills based curriculum intended to fit them for work.