SECONDARY SCHOOL SIZE: A CONTINUING CONUNDRUM FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND PLANNERS

In recent years the credo that small schools are superior to large schools has gained wide, and often uncritical support. The purpose of this paper is to indicate serious shortcomings in the case for small secondary schools as presented in the past several years in South Australia. Moreover, in the light of these shortcomings, the need for a reappraisal of the concept of school is emphasized, particularly in view of the fact that an unwarranted acceptance of the argument in favour of small secondary schools could exert a deleterious effect on secondary school provision.