Many Poor children did not receive an education as they were sent out to work for the family - or sold to employers as workers,
Until late in Queen Victoria's reign - 1870 - when the Education Act was passed to offer a place in schools for all children aged between 5 and 13.
Children from rich families always received an education
Often homes would employ a Governess to teach the children at home
Schools were harsh places and teachers often had a rod to beat naughty children.
Children wrote on small slate boards with a pencil made from slate
Often lessons were copied down from a board and had to be learned off by heart.
An abacus was used to learn maths
Some villages had “Dame Schools” - run by a single woman and were often more a child minding service than a pace to learn things.
Education for Girls
- Singing
- Playing the piano
- Sewing
- French
- How to be a good Wife
- How to be a good Mother
- Simple mathematics
- Reading, writing and literature
- Manners
- Morals
- Religion
Education for Boys
- Morals
- Religion
- Manners
- Maths
- English
- Literature
- Woodwork
- Sciences
