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Victorian Schooling

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  • Victorian Schooling

    Does anyone know where I can find info about the structure of Victorian Schools?

    As I understand it they started in Infants then progressed to Standard 1, standard 2 etc, but I'd like to find out if there was a 'normal' age to start school and at what age you could expect a child to be in each standard. I've tried googling but you get loads of school sites about their own projects!
    Sue

  • #2
    My mum aged 14 was in Standard VII (7) in 1921. I know this was not Victorian but don't think the numbering had changed by then. Standard I was equivalent to what we called first year Juniors when I was at school and is now year 3 in England. 5 was an average age to start school, with a couple of years in the infant department before progresing at 7 to Standard I but in a couple of schools I have read records for, children aged around 3 were to be found in the infants department as they were taken along by big sisters to free mother up to work.

    Just realised where you are Sue. The school my mum attended was in Hamstell Road Southend!
    Last edited by JudithM; 24-03-08, 11:04.
    Judith passed away in October 2018

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    • #3
      Thank you Judith - it might narrow the search down a bit.

      There's still an Infants/Junior school in Hamstel Road - don't know if it's the same buildings though.
      Sue

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      • #4
        I am reading a book called "I Remember Bare Bottoms and Stinging Nettles" - a lovely book about the history of village schools in North Warwickshire with lots of photos, reminiscences and extracts from school logs. The village schools in Victorian times seemed to consist mostly of one classroom and one teacher. I haven't come across anything about Standards or admission ages but if I do I will let you know.

        I was a pupil at one of the schools in the book, and my parents told me that I started there on my third birthday because that was the earliest age I could legally attend, and the headmistress/teacher was desparate for new pupils as she was worried that the school would be closed due dwindling numbers - but that wasn't in Victorian times!!!
        Last edited by Muggins in Sussex; 24-03-08, 11:28.
        Joan died in July 2020.

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        • #5
          Sounds like an interesting book Joan!

          The school I'm interested was in Bethnal Green and I rather doubt that it was a one room school, lol!
          Sue

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          • #6
            Which part of the Victorian era are you interested in? I have transcripts of a school logbook 1863-1877 which gives a lots of clues about school life (in Sussex) and the logbook for 1889-96 is currently in my care while I transcribe it.

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            • #7
              Well, funnily enough Jill the mid 1890's!

              However I know what school my Grandmother attended and I'm just trying to narrow down the years to look through when/if I get to see any archives. She was born in 1889 and I'm hoping to find a record for her when she was in Standard 2. Which from what Judith said is about 1896-8.
              Sue

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              • #8
                Compulsory education didn't start until 1870 when attendance was from ages 5-13. Of course the fact that it was compulsory didn't mean it happened. Rural school log books are often complaining that children were kept off school to help with taking stones out of fields, or harvesting etc.

                Victorian School

                gives you basic info about the structure, though doesn't have details.
                ~ with love from Little Nell~
                Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                • #9
                  As for schools in Bethnal Green - I guess if the school log book survived that might give you some details. I would guess it would be in the London Metropolitan Archives. What was its name?
                  ~ with love from Little Nell~
                  Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                  • #10
                    Oh, and even in towns Victorian schools had huge classrooms with the tiny children sitting at the front and the older/able ones further back. (which is where we got the phrases 1st form etc from, as they sat on forms in rows). There would be one teacher and maybe an older pupil-teacher to help.

                    Until the 1890s, when education was free, attendance would also vary. Apparently my grandma told my mother that she went to what was known as a "penny school" as it cost a penny a day to go.
                    ~ with love from Little Nell~
                    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                    • #11
                      Don't forget, the system of Standards didn't go by age, it went by ability in those non-PC days. A less able child might be kept in Standard 2 until the day it left school.

                      I always have a bit of a snigger when I look at census from 1870 on - even the two year olds are described as scholars, when you know very well that the 8 year olds were working, not schooling, so the two year olds certainly weren't at school.

                      OC

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                      • #12
                        I've just been going through the old log book, there's nothing about how the school structure worked ; just a lot about the vicar coming to take scripture and some of the lessons various standards were taught (no detail, just ArithmeticGeography/sewing, you are welcome to a copy of the transcript so far if you think it would be useful.

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                        • #13
                          OC - not very pc to refer to child as "it" either.

                          My Mum was in a village school in the 1930s and she remembers that children younger than school age were sometimes aloowed in school to help the mother if she'd just had another baby or was unwell. But of course this might have been an informal arrangement.

                          Certainly I've found most children aged 3+ on census are described as "scholars".
                          ~ with love from Little Nell~
                          Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                          • #14
                            My grandma was a very good girl, she was! She was so good that she received a prize for attending school regularly in Standard 2!! Sadly the LMA don't have the relevant years for her school but I'm waiting for a reply from Tower Hamlets Archives in case they've got any records.

                            Thanks for the offer of the log book Jill but as its not for Grandma's school I'll leave it for now.
                            Sue

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                            • #15
                              Pedant's corner - child is a noun of non specific gender, so perfectly proper to use "it" in relation to the word child.

                              Not proper to use "it" in relation to girl, boy, son, daughter etc.

                              OC

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                              • #16
                                OK, OC you stand in the Pedant's Corner and I'll stand in the Dunce's!!!!
                                ~ with love from Little Nell~
                                Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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