Schools in Victorian Times (1837- 1901) Schools in Victorian Times where very different from schools nowadays. Boys and girls were taught different subjects and teachers were stricter than they are today. At the beginning of Victorian times, most children could not afford to go to school because they had to pay for their education. Many children couldn’t go to school because they had to work to help their families. In 1870 the education law said that all children should have basic education at school. By 1880 all children aged 5 –10 had to attend primary school . Their parents only had to pay a very small amount of money. However, many parents didn’t allow their children to go to school and made them work . In 1891 all schools in Britain were free according to the new Education Law.
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Schools in Victorian Times (1837- 1901)
Schools in Victorian Times where very different from schools
nowadays. Boys and girls were taught different subjects and teachers
were stricter than they are today. At the beginning of Victorian times,
most children could not afford to go to school because they had to pay
for their education. Many children couldn’t go to school because they
had to work to help their families. In 1870 the education law said that
all children should have basic education at school. By 1880 all
children aged 5 –10 had to attend primary school . Their parents only
had to pay a very small amount of money. However, many parents
didn’t allow their children to go to school and made them work .
In 1891 all schools in Britain were free according to the new Education
Law.
Schools in Victorian Times (1837- 1901)
•Schools in Victorian Times where very different from schools nowadays.
Boys and girls were taught different subjects and teachers were much
stricter than today. At the beginning of Victorian times, most children
could not afford to go to school because they had to pay for their education.
Many children couldn’t go to school because they had to work to help their
families. In 1870 all children could have basic education at school.
By 1880 all children aged 5 –10 had to attend primary school . Their
parents only had to pay a very small amount of money. However, many
parents didn’t allow their children to go to school and made them work .
In 1891 all schools in Britain were free according to the new Education Law.
A Victorian School
The Early Years - Schools for “the rich” and “ poor” boys
Before education became compulsory for all children in 1870 and free in 1891, there were special schools for children from poor families.Sunday schools were run by churches to teach children about the Christian faith. Older children helped to teach younger ones. By 1831 1,250,000 children went to lessons in this way. Ragged Schools were often in one room of a house, or in an old barn. Poor girls did not go to school when the Victorian age began . Girls from wealthy families would usually be taught at home by a governessBoys from rich families usually went to expensive private schools called “public schools”..
Boys and girls at school
Girls and boys learnt together in primary schools, but were separated in secondary schools. Both boys and girls learned Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Dictation . Once a week they learnt Geography, History, and singing.
Boys learned Technology, Woodwork, Math and Technical drawing to help with work in factories, workshops or the army .
Girls had lessons in cooking and sewing, to prepare them for housework and motherhood.
What was it like to go to school in Victorian times?
What was a Victorian school day
like?
The day usually began with prayers and religious instruction. Morning lessons ran from 9 am to 12 pm. Children often went home for a meal, then returned for afternoon classes from 2pm to 5 pm.
How were schools and classrooms?
• The schools were imposing buildings with high up on the walls to prevent children from looking out . In the classes there could be between 70 and 80 pupils. Today in an ordinary classroom there are between 20 and 30 pupils.
• Children sat in rows and the teacher sat at a desk facing the class. At the start of the Victorian age, most teachers were men, but later many women trained as teachers. Teachers were very strict .
The school equipment
The slate
All children had to write with their right hand. When they could form the letters into a tray full of sand, they would write on a slate with chalk. They had to copy words and lines from the board and then wipe their slates clean. Sometimes they spat on their slates and wiped them with their sleeves.
The abacus
For Maths lessons, children used frames with coloured wooden beads, called an abacus. Children learned how add, multiply and divide using the abacus .
A Victorian Classroom
Abacus
Writing Slate
School Bell
Black board
School desk
School uniforms
All students had to wear a uniform. 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' was what people said. Children were expected to have clean clothes, hair and nails. Boys had short hair while girls tied their hair back .
Punishment in Victorian SchoolsThe Cane
• It wasn’t uncommon for children to be beaten by canes made from birch wood. Boys were typically caned on their back sides whereas girls would take the punishment on their legs or hands . Teachers were very strict and sometimes scary. They were paid very little and didn’t have much knowledge.
• Children were beaten (caned) for minor wrong doings. The reasons ranged from truancy (if they stayed away from school) to laziness in the classroom. The punishments were usually harsh and painful for children aged between 5-10.
Punishment in Victorian Schools
The Dunce’s CapChildren who were slower than the rest within lessons were made to wear the shameful dunce’s cap– a pointed hat with the letter D on it-and sit in the corner for over an hour. This was not only humiliating for the child but also didn’t help them to keep up with the rest of the class.
Secondary Schools of today
Education is free and compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16. All State Schools follow the same National Curriculum. There are also Independent or Public (private ) schools where students pay fees. Schools start in September and finish in July.
School holidays:Christmas: 2 weeksSpring : 2 weeksSummer 6 weeksEnd of October : 1 week Mid February : one weekEnd of May: 1 week
• The main Secondary School subjects are : English, Maths, Science, ICT, Technology, history, Geography, Foreign Languages, Music, Art & Design, , PE and Citizenship. There are also after school clubs.
At the age of 16 students take the GCSE exam (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and they can leave school.At the age of 17 or 18 they take the A Level Exams to enter university.
In secondary education most students attend the local Comprehensive schools. These take children of all abilities and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from 11 to 16 or 18. Students have to apply to a school in their area or to any other school and be offered a place there.
Grammar schools are secondary schools that accept students after examinations, the 11+ exams. They prepare students for university. Grammar schools are single sexed schools, i.e. only for boys or only for girls.
Academies are publicly funded independent schools. Academies don’t have to follow the national curriculum and can set their
own term times. Academies get money direct from the
government, not the local council. They’re run by an academy trust which employs the staff. Some academies have sponsors such as businesses, universities, other schools, faith groups or voluntary groups. Sponsors are responsible for improving the performance
They still have to follow the same rules on admissions, special educational needs and exclusions as other state schools.
of their schools.
Schools of today in the UK• Education is free and
compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16. Most State Schools follow the same National Curriculum. There are also Independent or Public (private schools) where students pay fees. Only 7% of students attend private schools
The basic stages of education are:
• Nursery school (3-5 years old)
• Primary school (5-11 years old)
• Secondary school (High School) (11- 18 )
School life
Students in most British Schools still have to wear a school uniform which includes a tie and a jacket with the school badge on it. Some things haven’t changed…
Classrooms and facilitiesMost classrooms are big. There is a big blackboard or a whiteboard and there are a lot of maps and pictures on the wall. The students sit with a classmate in one desk, so they will have the opportunity to cooperate. They can also sit in groups and do groupwork activities. During the break the students go to their lockers and change their books with the books of the next lesson. They move to the classroom where the next lesson is taught. Students have lessons in different classrooms. To swipe into a lesson, they use swipe cards. They can use their tablets , notebooks and computers in some subjects. They also use interactive boards or projectors. There are also science labs, technology labs, gyms, tennis courts, swimming pools, etc.
Punishment
Corporal Punishment is forbidden by law (1987).
What is bad behaviour?Bad behaviour in British Schools is:
• Playing truant• Smoking , kissing, hitting, running,
stealing• Cheating in exams (coping from
other students/notes)• Not doing homework• Wearing unsuitable clothes for
school• Not listening or not paying
attention in class
There are different ways where a teacher can punish a student compared what he/she does:
• Exclusion: a pupil is excluded from school and can’t come back because he/she has done something really bad.
• Suspension: a pupil is suspended and he/she can’t enter the building (or attend the lessons). The only way a student can enter is when the teachers discuss his/her case and confirmed his/her admission. Suspension can last from 1-to-45 days in a school term.
• Detention: a pupil is detained. This means that he/she is staying at school at the end of the school day for 30 minutes or 1 hour.
• Lines: a pupil has to write a sentence more than 50 times on a sheet of paper.
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