University Education

The first confirmation of learning in Oxford could be traced back to 720 AD when the local ruler King Didan founded a nunnery for his religious daughter Fireside. It was founded on the basis of Christ Church Cathedral. This nunnery later softened but it was taken over by a society of Anglican monks in about 1120.till the beginning of 1167 there were 3 small basic schools in Oxford, of which the community in Christ Church was one. During this time many English scholars had to run away to the University of Paris. The current King, Henry II forced many of them come to Oxford and continue their studies. The building of this university was a very important step to the development of education. 

The curriculum of the university was borrowed from Paris. All learning was under the Church of Rome and all scholars and Masters were in holy orders. They were very important for the population and state, as they were that smallest part of the literate population. 

In 1214 Oxford was recognized as a university by the Church and the first Chancellor was chosen. This event attracted many scholars to the university. In the 13th Century many masters designed halls of residence to protect scholars from local population. The 13th century is remarkable by the appearance of the first of the University colleges. Colleges were different to the halls of residence because they build out of the monastic tradition. Really, many colleges prohibited their members from taking monastic vows. This enabled more audacious teaching than in the monastic halls. The colleges were like material responses to the monastic halls of because were usually built by rich churchmen, which did not have children to leave their riches.  Thus it was seen as a praiseworthy act to create a college and award it with wealth. Because of their better prosperity and permanence the colleges flourished and steadily began to overtake and take up the smaller halls.