Countesthorpe Community College is a upper school situated on the western edge of Countesthorpe in Leicestershire near the A426 When the school first opened its doors in the 1970s, its informal learning environment caused controversy, with much interest from national press. Many features of the school were regarded as radical. There was a Moot at which issues around management of the school could be thrashed out. Membership was open to teachers, the student body and was attended by the Head Tim McMullan. The school was run with a high level of teacher control through to the mid 80s when a combination of the NUS strikes and the introduction of the national curriculum challenged the old order and increasingly the school was run by the Head and senior management team from 1987 onwards. The school was highly controversial because of the amount of student autonomy. There was no school uniform, no staff room and both staff and students could smoke in the cafe which was adjacent to the main entrance.