In England and Wales, a public school is a type of fee-charging private school originally for older boys. They are "public" in the sense of being open to pupils irrespective of locality, denomination or paternal trade or profession, nor are they run for the profit of a private owner.
Although the term "public school" has been in use since at least the 18th century, its usage was formalised by the Public Schools Act 1868,[a] which put into law most recommendations of the 1864 Clarendon Report...
