The college was founded in 1846 by a group of private schoolmasters from
Brighton who were concerned about standards within their profession. A provisional committee was set up in early 1846 under the chairmanship of Henry Stein Turrell (1815–1863), principal of the Montpelier House School in Brighton. After meetings in London and Brighton a general meeting was held at the Freemason's Tavern in
Great Queen Street, London, on 20 June 1846. Some 300 schoolmasters attended, some 60 members enrolled and founding resolutions were passed, including: :That in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable for the protection of the interests of both the scholastic profession and the public, that some proof of qualification, both as to the amount of knowledge and the art of conveying it to others, should be required, from and after a certain time to be hereinafter specified, of all persons who may be desirous of entering the profession; and that the test, in the first instance, should be applied to Assistant Masters only. :That in the opinion of this meeting, the test of qualification should be referred to a legally authorised or corporate body, or college, consisting of persons engaged in tuition. :That for the purpose of effecting this object – viz., the formation of a corporate body – the members of the profession who enrol their names at this meeting, do resolve themselves, and are hereby resolved, into the College of Preceptors; and that those persons now enrolled, shall incur no liability beyond the amount of their respective annual subscriptions. :That a Council, consisting of the members of the Provisional Committee, with power to add to their number, be now appointed for the purpose of conducting the business of the institution, and that Mr Turrell be appointed President of the Council. The college created a system for the formal examination and qualification of secondary school teachers. It was also one of the first bodies to examine and provide certificates for secondary school pupils of both sexes, from all over
England and
Wales, in a wide variety of subjects. In 1873 it became the first institution to appoint Professors of Education. During the 1870s the college helped to establish education as a subject worthy of study at
university level, resulting in the appointment of
Joseph Payne as the first
Professor of
Education in 1873. The power to appoint
Professors of
Education is recognised in the college's current
royal charter. The college's patron was
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Following his death,
Princess Beatrice became the college's patron.
Objects Under the 1849 Charter the objects of the college were:
promoting sound learning and of advancing the interests of education more especially among the middle Classes by affording facilities to the Teacher for the acquiring of a sound knowledge of his Profession and by providing for the Periodical Session of a competent Board of Examiners to ascertain and give Certificates of the acquirements and fitness for their office of persons engaged or desiring to be engaged in the Education of Youth particularly in the Private Schools of England and Wales The current objects of the college, since 2017, are:
the promotion of sound learning and the improvement and recognition of the art, science and practice of teaching for the public benefit •
Education Today published quarterly until December 2016 •
Impact published termly from May 2017
Books • {{ cite book ==Membership designations==