This film is part of Free

Henry Pluckrose

First things first - profile of an inspirational figure in primary education

Cinemagazine 1971 14 mins

Overview

It’s child’s play, or is it? Prior Weston primary school, just a hopscotch away from London’s Barbican Centre, opened in the wake of the 1967 Plowden report looking at early years education. Henry Pluckrose was the school’s first headteacher, a forward-thinking educator who downplayed the traditional 'three Rs' in favour of some new ones - relaxation of bureaucracy and respect for the children. A warning to primary school teachers: watching this could make you laugh or cry…