{"product_id":"the-worst-school-in-england-the-rise-and-fall-off-hackney-downs-the-jewish-eton-hardcover","title":"The Worst School in England: The rise and fall off Hackney Downs - the 'Jewish Eton' - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eTim Dowley\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe extraordinary story of an influential school that in its short life - 1870-1995 - progressed through an astonishing sequence of phases. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstablished as a fee-paying grammar by the Grocers' Company, Hackney Downs became one of London's leading schools, achieving outstanding academic results.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter a disastrous fire in 1963, the school converted early and successfully to comprehensive. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the 1980s, for political and demographic reasons, the school declined rapidly to become 'the worst school in the country'. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1995, after months of inspection, disruption and protest, the school was summarily closed by the government.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDistinguished alumni include Harold Pinter, Steven Berkoff, Sir Michael Caine, artist Leon Kossoff, entrepreneur John Bloom and former head of Mossad, Efraim Halevy - giving rise to the sobriquet 'Jewish Eton'. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis balanced history combines institutional records with former pupils' personal stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA popular micro-history of secondary education in London, with vivid accounts of wartime evacuation, anti-Semitism, cultural achievement, curriculum innovation, classroom challenges and political conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 226\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.75 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 12, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47335626473657,"sku":"9781036915711","price":36.72,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/4309\/4713\/files\/tU7xf_jfkC9781036915711.webp?v=1780498234","url":"https:\/\/thoobo.com\/products\/the-worst-school-in-england-the-rise-and-fall-off-hackney-downs-the-jewish-eton-hardcover","provider":"Thoobo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}