Facts about victorian schools and classrooms primary facts. Life for victorian children in victorian times 1830 to 1900 was nothing like childhood in todays world. Victorian times teach your ks1 students all about the victorian times using our engaging resources. The way we celebrate christmas was begun in victorian times they sent the first christmas cards and made christmas crackers. Most schoolgirls wore a white cotton apron over their regular clothes.
The best books on life in the victorian age a five books. Lots of new schools were opened in victorian times, but they were very different from the schools of today. Victorians at school powerpoint teaching resources. Although schools have always been around it wasnt until the victorian era that these were improved. In 1862, parliament also made it compulsory for head teachers to keep daily and weekly records of what happened at their school in a log book. In early victorian england, most children never went to school at all and grew up unable to read or write. The teacher would write things on the blackboard which was copied into books and learned. Most learning in a victorian school was done by rote continuous repetition of facts and. Victorian britain became the richest and most powerful country in the world. Victorian schools were very strict your teacher might even beat you if you didnt obey the rules. Rich children were lucky as compared to poor children. The status of women in the victorian era was often seen as an illustration of the striking discrepancy between the united kingdoms national power and wealth and what many, then and now, consider its appalling social conditions. In 1870 a law was passed which made it mandatory for all children aged between 510 in britain to attend school. In fact, poorer families often relied on their children to bring in extra.
As in so much else, the victorians proved to be richly imaginative when it came to entertaining children. Children were often taught by reading and copying things down, or chanting things till they were perfect. Exactly 100 facts accompanied by detailed artwork reveal fascinating facts about queen victoria s reign and the rise of the british empire through to art and architecture and what. Children of a very young age were expected to maintain their best attention at all times and adhere to the rules of the school. Many schools also have old log books and registers that you can explore. Students read the text about childrens life in victorian times. The quality of life depended on whether you were rich or poor. The victorians life at school ks2 lapbook teacher made. The victorian era was from 18371901 when queen victoria was in power. Liza picard researches and writes about the history of london. History teaching resources for history key stage 2 the victorians with lesson plans. Family life, embodied by the young queen, her beloved albert and their nine children, was idealised.
Older pupils were sometimes given the job of teaching the younger pupils. The art of reading in the victorian era 5minute history. In rich victorian era families, boys went to expensive schools where they read latin and greek, with some even attending oxford. Only the upper and middle class children went to school. This is a gripping adventure that examines attitudes to race in the victorian. His novels describe the life and conditions of the poor and working class in the victorian era of england, when people lived by strict rules. Visit usborne quicklinks for links to websites where you can find out more about life in victorian times and examine original artifacts and documents, take a tour of a workhouse, browse a scrapbook of queen victorias life and lots more. The victorian era was a golden age, for the middle class. Victorian school life in 1880 a law was passed making it compulsory for every child in britain between the ages of 5 and 10 to attend school.
Charles dickens and victorian education our mutual friend. The quality and form of a childs education during that time depended upon the economic circumstances of his or her family, and also upon whether the child was a boy or a girl. The victorian period is so named because it spanned the years of the reign of queen victoria in england, from 1837 to 1901. Our creative and exciting range of resources include powerpoints, differentiated worksheets, activities and more for a wonderful history lesson. Victorian literature is literature, mainly written in english, during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 the victorian era. Florence pannel born in 1868 speaks to about life for women in victorian times, and also what it was like setting up a beauty care business during those times. A victorian story, tells the story of ted, the mixedrace son of pablo fanque the first recorded black circus owner in britain and his introduction to life with the circus. Liza picard examines the social and economic lives of the victorian working classes and the poor.
By the end of the 19th century, the government finally realized that working people needed education. The development of public education in england changed drastically in the victorian era thanks to many legislative changes by. But theres much to learn from studying the way people lived, and what made the victorian age both like and unlike our own, as judith flanders explains. In early victorian britain, many children did not go to school as children do today. The victorian age was the first in which childhood was recognised as a distinct and precious phase in life. Unlike today school equipment was very different in victorian times. The victorians liked to have their social classes clearly defined. Victorian children in victorian times and how they lived. However, if you could afford to be privately educated, education was a lot more of a smoother affair, with private tutors, or governesses. In the case of poorer schools, classes were big, teachers were strict and the punishment for misbehaving was usually a caning or worse. Victorian schools facts for children although schools have always been around it wasnt until the victorian era that these were improved considerably and available for all children rich and poor.
Encouraged by industrial expansion and the growth of the railways, towns and cities grew rapidly during victorian times and the population soared. A portrait of domestic life in victorian england by judith flanders, the invention of murd. History books often focus on big political or economic events, wars and leaders. In 1880 a law was passed making it compulsory for every child in britain between the ages of 5 and 10 to attend school. The older children would begin to write in a book using a dip pen with black ink from an inkwell. The increased numbers and the move of people from country to town in search of work meant that many cities became seriously overcrowded. When queen victoria came to the throne in 1837 education was still mainly for the privileged. For the wealthy there was an overwhelming sense of boredom and the constant prodding to be proper and polite with very little parent to child communication.
Facts about life in victorian london tell us about the life during the victorian period in london, england. By modern standards, victorian schools were a harsh and drab environment in which children undertook their education. Moreover, it rose into the largest city in the world. This is the fifth of a series of animations starring daniel roche outnumbered, just william as eric, a timetravelling tenyearold. The huge army of clerks worked from nine to four, or ten to five. In honor of the life is short bit, i have come up with a slightly depressing list dont worry i will post a happier one tomorrow.
Charles dickens 18121870 a famous victorian author who wrote a christmas carol, and many other books about life in victorian times robert louis stevenson 18501894 a victorian author from scotland who wrote the famous childrens stories treasure island and kidnapped. Education in victorian britain the british library. Instead they were sent out to work to earn money for their families. Victorian era ragged schools were charitable organizations established around the 1840s and dedicated to the free education of societys most destitute children in britain. Towards the latter half of the 19th century, gas and electric lighting also meant that reading after dark didnt have to be by candlelight or messy oil. The school day in victorian times was in the mould of the modern day 95pm. Childhood and schooling charles john huffam dickens was born on february 7, 1812, at portsea later part of portsmouth on the southern coast of england, to john and elizabeth dickens. As victorian times ended, the prime minister decreed that school was mandatory for all children until. Towns and cities suffered from air pollution from factories.
The increased literacy rate from schooling, cheaper production, and broader availability of books through libraries all benefited reading. Education in victorian england british literature wiki. One strategy singled out by dickens for criticism in hard times was the object lesson, originally conceived by the. These included the ragged schools, parish schools and church.
The victorian times were a fantastic place for some, but many of the poorer victorians lived a hard life in poverty. The working class was divided into three layers, the lowest being working men or labourers, then the intelligent artisan, and above him the educated working man. The best books on life in the victorian age recommended by judith flanders. The victorians were a special breed and this list looks at 10 aspects of life from the victorian era that are creepy. The days of paid annual leave had not yet arrived, but the family could take lodgings in brighton or margate. A powerpoint about what it was like to go to school in the victorian times. During the era symbolized by the reign of british monarch queen victoria, women did not have the right to vote, sue, or own property. Their stories bring the nineteenth century to life, from city streets to country houses. Sometimes there were more than 100 pupils in every class.
Oct 10, 2016 a threepage worksheet for reading comprehension. Education and childhood in britain saw huge changes during the victorian. How can we find out what life was like during the victorian times. Lots of new schools were opened in victorian times, but they were very different. By the end of the victorian era, all children could go to school for free. This was a good way to check that progress and attendance were being monitored. Discipline was strict in victorian schools and talking was forbidden. If you were rich you could have a good and easy life.
Here are some useful facts about victorian teachers. It was preceded by romanticism and followed by the edwardian era 19011910 while in the preceding romantic period, poetry had been the conquerors, novels were the emperors of the victorian period. Victorian school life victorian schooling dk find out. Lets learn more about this fascinating period of history in our victorian facts victorian facts. All of the punishments handed out by victorian teachers were recorded in the schools punishment book. The working classes and the poor the british library. Death was a much more familiar occurrence in victorian times but the children none the less were inevitably affected by loss of friends. Not all parents could afford to buy school boots or shoes. For those without a grouse moor, a family seaside holiday in brighton or margate could be just as refreshing. Victorian pupils were expected to call a male teacher sir and a female teacher madam or miss. The schools combined a free education, food, clothing, lodging, religious instruction, and other home missionary services as required for poor children. By 1860, thousands of tons of raw fecal matter were being dumped into the thames on a daily basis, as there was no other repository for sewage. Our pick of the best childrens books about victorian times and the best kids historical novels set in the 19th century. Home and school life in victorian times neil morris on.