The DALTON Plan
In 1977 Chairman of the Governors, Lilias Gillies, wrote
the following for the Commemorative edition of the
"Pimpernel School Magazine": -
"In 1920-22, as County Secondary School Streatham, under the
Headmistress Rosa Bassett, it embarked on an experiment into
a new method of learning for the pupils, the Dalton plan. In this
plan, the pupils received assignments of work for a month at a
time and were free to plan their work with only a minimum of
class teaching. Emphasis was to be placed on acquiring habits of
learning rather than a number of facts to be learned and the
development of self-discipline and the ability to make wise
choices about expenditure of effort rather than unthinkingly
carrying out tasks allotted by authority.
The school has based its teaching on this system ever since,
modifying and developing it for new circumstances and new
generations of girls as living things adapt to their surroundings
from generation to generation.
In 1922 reports published record the County Secondary School
Streatham as the only school to have adopted the Dalton plan.
It may in fact be the only school which still calls its system of
curriculum planning a Dalton system, but the ideas of
assignments and pupil choice have become widespread through
schools, especially primary schools, and many new schools have
buildings particularly designed for this method of work as
opposed to class teaching.
The school was renamed Rosa Bassett in 1951 after its first
Headmistress who was sufficiently courageous and far seeing to
lead the school in such a significant experiment."
In 1977 Chairman of the Governors, Lilias Gillies, wrote
the following for the Commemorative edition of the
"Pimpernel School Magazine": -
"In 1920-22, as County Secondary School Streatham, under the
Headmistress Rosa Bassett, it embarked on an experiment into
a new method of learning for the pupils, the Dalton plan. In this
plan, the pupils received assignments of work for a month at a
time and were free to plan their work with only a minimum of
class teaching. Emphasis was to be placed on acquiring habits of
learning rather than a number of facts to be learned and the
development of self-discipline and the ability to make wise
choices about expenditure of effort rather than unthinkingly
carrying out tasks allotted by authority.
The school has based its teaching on this system ever since,
modifying and developing it for new circumstances and new
generations of girls as living things adapt to their surroundings
from generation to generation.
In 1922 reports published record the County Secondary School
Streatham as the only school to have adopted the Dalton plan.
It may in fact be the only school which still calls its system of
curriculum planning a Dalton system, but the ideas of
assignments and pupil choice have become widespread through
schools, especially primary schools, and many new schools have
buildings particularly designed for this method of work as
opposed to class teaching.
The school was renamed Rosa Bassett in 1951 after its first
Headmistress who was sufficiently courageous and far seeing to
lead the school in such a significant experiment."
| County Secondary School Streatham |
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| "The Dalton Plan system of learning taught me organisational skills which were fundamental to my success in later obtaining an Open University degree, working in senior management roles and laterly teaching." Hazel nee Rodbard Pupil: 1956-1962 |