Delderfield attended an infant school in Bermondsey, then a "seedy and pretentious" small private school — "seventy boys and four underpaid ushers, presided over by a jovial gentleman who wore blue serge". He then went to a council school, which he hated, but which provided him with the prototype for Mr. Short in The Avenue. This experience was followed by a grammar school whose dedicated teachers inspired several of his characters. Once the family moved to Devon, Delderfield first attended a co-educational grammar school and, finally, West Buckland School. In his autobiography For My Own Amusement, Delderfield joked that West Buckland could be likened to schools in The Spring Madness of Mr Sermon, The Avenue and A Horseman Riding By, and that it had earned its fees three times over. Again, in For My Own Amusement, Delderfield divided the nation into city and suburb dwellers, rural dwellers, and those who lived in coastal towns.
dEldErFIELD atTendEd aN infanT sCHoOL in beRMoNDsey, THen a "seeDy and prETEntious" smAlL pRiVate schoOL — "seVenty bOys AND FOur uNdERpaId UshErs, presided Over by A jovial genTlemaN who wORe bluE serGe". he then WenT tO a CouNciL sChOol, which He hated, bUT Which proVIdED hIm WITH tHe proTotype fOr mR. SHort iN tHe avenUe. This EXPERiEnce WaS fOLlOweD By a gRammAr scHool wHOSE DedicateD teacHeRs INSPireD severAl of his cHaracterS. oncE thE FAmIlY moVeD TO deVon, deLderFIeld fIrsT aTteNded A Co-eDucationAl grammaR scHool anD, finAlly, weSt BuCkLaNd scHoOL. IN hiS AutoBiograPhy foR mY own amuseMenT, DeldErfieLd jOkEd that wesT bUckland cOuld Be LiKEnEd TO sChoOlS In tHe spRIng madNesS of Mr SerMon, the avenue and A horseMAn riDing by, anD THAt iT haD eARnEd ITs fees THree timeS oVeR. agAin, in For my owN amUSement, delderfIeLd dIvided tHe nAtIOn inTo city aNd suburb dweLLeRS, RuRAl dwelLers, aND thosE Who Lived iN CoAstal toWnS.