Rosa Bassett
| Rosa Bassett | |
|---|---|
| Born |
9 August 1871 Deptford, London |
| Died | 19 December 1925 (aged 54) London Borough of Wandsworth |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Headmistress |
| Known for | Educationist |
Rosa Bassett, MBE, BA (9 August 1871 – 19 December 1925) was an English educationalist and headmistress of Stockwell Secondary School. After a relocation from Stockwell the school's name was changed to County Secondary School, Streatham. Located in Welham Road, London, it was later renamed Rosa Bassett School in her memory and honour.
Rosa Basstt was instrumental in the first application of the Dalton Plan of teaching within an English secondary school. She contributed a chapter to Helen Parkhurst's book on the Plan, as well as writing the introduction to a book of Dalton Plan class assignments prepared by the staff within her school.
Rosa Bassett was born in Deptford, London, the daughter of an engineer's clerk. She was successful academically and graduated as a BA of London University with a First Class Degree in 1902, and gained the Certificat de l'Universite de Rennes in 1905. In the same year, Miss Bassett became the Senior Mistress at Kingsland Secondary School (later known as Dalston Secondary School) in north London, at which she was seen to be a great success, and in 1906 she was made headmistress of the new Secondary School for Girls.
The school at Stockwell prospered and, in 1913, it transferred to a new site between Streatham and Tooting, becoming the County Secondary School, Streatham. Under Bassett's continued leadership the school was a success, and by 1917 was noted for its academic achievement and encouraging self-reliance and responsibility amongst its pupils.
The First World War saw Bassett's organisational skill put to good use when she was invited to help set up the processes for the recruitment and testing of new female staff at the War Office and later other parts of the Civil Service. Under her leadership (as Chairman of a Committee of headmistresses who devised such plans for government posts), hundreds of candidates were chosen from the applicants, given written examinations, interviewed and appointed. It was her work in this area that led to her receiving the honour of MBE in 1917.
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