Schools

Children did have to work during the Victorian period. However, the way children were treated and the kind of lives they had depended on their class. The children that had to work were working class children. Their family needed the extra money to support themselves and avoid the workhouse. Sometimes factory owners would provide schooling for children. Despite this, over half the children in England couldn't read or write.

Schooling

By the end of the Victorian period, things were different. Every child under the age of 12 had to go to school. This meant that a new generation of people were taught how to read and write.

Middle and upper class children received very different treatment.

They would be educated either at home or at school. At home, their mother and father would teach them different subjects. Alternatively, a governess could also teach them. The boys would then be sent away to school.

The Different Types Of School

There were different types of school available for poor and rich students.

Poor children might start going to a 'Dame school'. They would be taught by a local woman in her home. For older children, they would go to a day school. Many churches and charities ran schools for poorer students. These included 'ragged schools' which were for orphans or the very poor.

Children from richer families would usually start their education with a governess. When they were older, the girls would stay at home with their mothers. The boys would be sent to a public school like Eton or Rugby where they would receive the rest of their education.

What Were The Schools Like?

Victorian schools were notorious for being grim and very strict. The buildings were badly designed. Only curtains separated different schoolrooms. They were also very stuffy as the windows were built high up to prevent children from getting distracted from their studies.

The class sizes were very large and the teachers often had trouble keeping the children under control. They had to be very strict and also used pupil teachers or monitors to help them.

Pupil teachers would get a certificate which helped them become a proper teacher. Monitors would be taught everything they needed to know at a young age. They would then help the teacher keep control of the class and help teach their classmates.

Their lessons were based on the 'three Rs'. You might have heard of these before: reading writing and arithmetic. Most of the lessons were taught by getting the children to recite facts or copy work.

Younger children learned to write on slates. They used chalk, which could then be rubbed off and they could start all over again. Older children used copybooks and wrote in pen and ink. Each child used an abacus to learn how to count and do maths.

Victorian schools were famous for their punishments. Teachers were allowed to hit their pupils with the cane across their hands or legs. They also used the 'Dunce's cap'. Those who were struggling with the lessons were made to wear it as a punishment.

Other great pages to visit in " Lifestyle " are:

Child Labour, Clothes, Life For Lower Class Victorians, Victorian furnishing, Kew Gardens, Kids playing, Houses in Victorian Britain, The Upper and Middle Classes,

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Industrial Age began late 17th century

Machines were invented

People no longer had to make things by hand

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The Upper and Middle Classes

Society changed during Victorian times

Everyone could make money

Working class people became rich

The London Underground

London Underground connects London

It is a series of tunnels

It is often called the 'Tube'