School Days
In early Victorian times, school was mainly for privileged (rich) children. Boys and girls would be educated at home and when older the boys would go to public schools; girls continued to be educated at home. This continued for the upper classes with our current Queen being educated in this manner.
For some of the poorer children, Sunday School as their only form of education. It was only in 1870 that it became law that all children between 5 and 10 must attend school every day. The school day lasted from 9am to 5pm with 2 hours for lunch. There were no school lunches back then; these were not introduced until 1907. Children would either go home for lunch or bring lunch with them.
Class sizes were very big, in some cases up to 300 children in one room! Girls and boys were separated, sometimes having different entrances and classrooms, sometimes boys at the front of the class and girls at the back.
Possibly due to the large class sizes, teachers were very strict! If children did not do as they were told, they could get a whack across the knuckles with a ruler or a clip round the ear. In extreme cases they would be given the cane across their hands, back of their legs or even their bottom! Lots of things were punished by the cane; being rude, talking when they should not, not doing their work properly or anything else the teacher did not like. Imagine that!
For some of the poorer children, Sunday School as their only form of education. It was only in 1870 that it became law that all children between 5 and 10 must attend school every day. The school day lasted from 9am to 5pm with 2 hours for lunch. There were no school lunches back then; these were not introduced until 1907. Children would either go home for lunch or bring lunch with them.
Class sizes were very big, in some cases up to 300 children in one room! Girls and boys were separated, sometimes having different entrances and classrooms, sometimes boys at the front of the class and girls at the back.
Possibly due to the large class sizes, teachers were very strict! If children did not do as they were told, they could get a whack across the knuckles with a ruler or a clip round the ear. In extreme cases they would be given the cane across their hands, back of their legs or even their bottom! Lots of things were punished by the cane; being rude, talking when they should not, not doing their work properly or anything else the teacher did not like. Imagine that!
In Victorian times there was no understanding that children were different and leaned at different paces. They did not cater for learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Children who did not keep up with the class were made to stand in the corner wearing a Dunces hat, usually a large cone shaped hat with a D on it.
Teachers were usually unmarried women. As soon as they got married they would give up work. Today, some children still call the teacher Miss. This is where it comes from. As pay was low, very few men went into teaching.
Most teachers learned to teach by stating on at school after they had completed their education and learned how to be a teacher. Nowadays teachers have to have a university degree and be properly trained.
Most teachers learned to teach by stating on at school after they had completed their education and learned how to be a teacher. Nowadays teachers have to have a university degree and be properly trained.
Teachers used a blackboard and chalk to teach the lessons on, no interactive whiteboards for them! The children used a piece of slate and either chalk or a slate pen. They learned to write by copying what the teacher had written on the board.
As their handwriting got better, children used a "dip pen" and a pot of ink. This was a pot of ink into which the pen was dipped and then the paper was written on until the ink ran out. They would then have to dip the pen again.
As their handwriting got better, children used a "dip pen" and a pot of ink. This was a pot of ink into which the pen was dipped and then the paper was written on until the ink ran out. They would then have to dip the pen again.
An abacus was used during arithmetic (maths). The abacus, in some form, dates back to 2700-2300 BC in the Mesopotamian Age. It used columns of beads to represent hundreds, tens and units for example. Expert users of the abacus can perform calculations quicker than using a calculator!
Reading was taught by mainly reading the Bible and for younger children stories with morals.
Drill was the Victorian form of P.E.
Reading was taught by mainly reading the Bible and for younger children stories with morals.
Drill was the Victorian form of P.E.
Here is an example of how victorian children were taught to write. Why not print it out and have a go!
When children first started writing they did so on a slate, not paper and used a special slate pencil to write. They could easily rub it out and start again, a bit like using our whiteboards today. |