In England over the last 20 years there has been a major revolution in the teaching of primary school children. This revolution has come about through the efforts of wise, enthusiastic, and experimenting teachers rather than through the idealized practices and techniques of professors, inspectors, or administrators. This document gives an account of the primary schools as they were and as they are now; describes how and why the change has taken place; and compares the present strengths, weaknesses, and dangers with those of the past. (Author/MLF)