Victorian schools

Victorian schools.
what happened to Victorian children at schools
very good for year 6

1. Victorian SchoolsVictorian Schools
By By
Amena AmirAmena Amir

2. What do you think schools would have been like in Victorian
times. Watch the clip and study this picture and think of 3 words to
describe what life would have been like for Victorian school
children.  Extension task: how bad was life? Rate it out of 5 and explain why
 starter activity 

3. Victorian schoolsVictorian schools
Nearly every Victorian Nearly every Victorian
children went to school. children went to school.
They might have had a They might have had a
classroom like this.classroom like this.
The children would have The children would have
sat extremely still sat extremely still
because they were scared because they were scared
to get hit with the cane. to get hit with the cane.

4. The TeachersThe Teachers
The teachers were not The teachers were not
exactly nice. They carry exactly nice. They carry
the cane everywhere. So the cane everywhere. So
the children are goodthe children are good
They also used to give They also used to give
other punishmentsother punishments

5. The CaneThe Cane
The cane was used to The cane was used to
give punishment to give punishment to
naughty children which naughty children which
hurt a lot.hurt a lot.
The teacher would carry The teacher would carry
it around all the time!it around all the time!
If you were naughty you If you were naughty you
might have had to might have had to
choose which cane you choose which cane you
would be hit with. would be hit with.
The teacher might break The teacher might break
the cane by bending it if the cane by bending it if
they were really crossthey were really cross
Instead of the cane some Instead of the cane some
children had the slipper children had the slipper
or the ruler across the or the ruler across the
hand, or fingers. hand, or fingers.

6. The Head teacher!The Head teacher!
The head teacher was The head teacher was
normally the worst and normally the worst and
the scariest! Sometimes if the scariest! Sometimes if
you were bad you had to you were bad you had to
write hundreds of lines, write hundreds of lines,
on your hands and knees! on your hands and knees!
They normally look like They normally look like
giants to the children.giants to the children.

7. Children at SchoolChildren at School
Children were very good Children were very good
and never spoke unless and never spoke unless
they were asked. They they were asked. They
normally were scared and normally were scared and
frightened about going to frightened about going to
school!!school!!

8. In the classroomIn the classroom
There were desks for There were desks for
children to sit at.children to sit at.
Children never talked in Children never talked in
lessons, because they lessons, because they
were scared to get were scared to get
caught.caught.

9. Playtime!Playtime!
At playtime it was the At playtime it was the
only time when children only time when children
were allowed to make were allowed to make
some noise. some noise.
The teachers were always The teachers were always
watching though, waiting watching though, waiting
with the cane!!with the cane!!

10. LessonsLessons
The lessons were based The lessons were based
on the three on the three R’sR’s witch witch
were were RReading, weading, wRRiting iting
and aand aRRithmetic (maths).ithmetic (maths).
The children would have The children would have
been on the spot to ask been on the spot to ask
questions.questions.
The teacher would point The teacher would point
to the child and the child to the child and the child
would stand and answer would stand and answer
the questions.the questions.

11. Continue Continue
If you got the answer If you got the answer
wrong you would either wrong you would either
be called stupid or given be called stupid or given
the dunce cap. If you the dunce cap. If you
kept getting the answer kept getting the answer
wrong you could get the wrong you could get the
cane, slipper or ruler! cane, slipper or ruler!

12. Do you think the sorts of things boys learned was different from
the girls?

13. Answer Answer
Girls and boys learned together in primary Girls and boys learned together in primary
schools, but were separated in secondary schools, but were separated in secondary
schools. Both boys and girls learned reading, schools. Both boys and girls learned reading,
writing, arithmetic, spelling and drill (PE). writing, arithmetic, spelling and drill (PE).
Children were often taught by copying and Children were often taught by copying and
repeating what the teacher told them. Lessons repeating what the teacher told them. Lessons
included teaching in right and wrong, and the included teaching in right and wrong, and the
Christian religion. Christian religion.

14. Continue Continue
Boys learned technology: woodwork, maths and Boys learned technology: woodwork, maths and
technical drawing, to help with work in factories, technical drawing, to help with work in factories,
workshops or the army when they grew up. workshops or the army when they grew up.
Girls had lessons in cooking and sewing, to Girls had lessons in cooking and sewing, to
prepare them for housework and motherhood. prepare them for housework and motherhood.

15. Leaving School!Leaving School!
When the children were When the children were
about 10-12 years old about 10-12 years old
they would have left they would have left
school. They then go to school. They then go to
work.work.
They would have They would have
probably been happy to probably been happy to
leave school then, but leave school then, but
they were going to go they were going to go
into a far more into a far more
dangerous life!dangerous life!

16. Improvements in educationImprovements in education
Dame schoolsDame schools – run by local women – run by local women
1844, children working in factories given 6 ½ days schooling a 1844, children working in factories given 6 ½ days schooling a
week. week. Ragged schoolsRagged schools set up to provide free education for set up to provide free education for
orphans & poor childrenorphans & poor children
1870, Forster Education Act, schools built to pro country1870, Forster Education Act, schools built to pro country
1876, school became compulsory for children up the age of 81876, school became compulsory for children up the age of 8
1880, leaving age increased to 101880, leaving age increased to 10
1889, increased to 121889, increased to 12
1891, ‘schools pence’ abolished, free education for everyone 1891, ‘schools pence’ abolished, free education for everyone
introducedintroduced

17. The 3 R’s

18. Think about it?Think about it?
Which of the following was a punishment Which of the following was a punishment
recorded in Victorian schools?recorded in Victorian schools?
The caneThe cane
Tying a pupil to a deskTying a pupil to a desk
Hanging logs around a pupil’s neckHanging logs around a pupil’s neck
Putting a naughty pupil in a basket hanging from Putting a naughty pupil in a basket hanging from
the roofthe roof
Wearing a dunce’s hatWearing a dunce’s hat

19. They all were!

20. Writing materialsWriting materials
Copy books for older pupils, using
metal- nibbed pens dipped in ink pots
Slates for everyone else

21.  Your taskYour task
You are a teacher at a Victorian school in Folkestone. You are a teacher at a Victorian school in Folkestone.
Write a set of class rules & guidelines for your new Write a set of class rules & guidelines for your new
pupils. Include the following:pupils. Include the following:
Methods of teachingMethods of teaching
Information about the sorts of lessons girls & boys will Information about the sorts of lessons girls & boys will
receivereceive
What to expect to find in a typical classroomWhat to expect to find in a typical classroom
Rules of behaviour, e.g. how to address your teacher, Rules of behaviour, e.g. how to address your teacher,
how to enter the classhow to enter the class
PunishmentsPunishments

22.  Extension taskExtension task
Do you think Victorian schools were better or Do you think Victorian schools were better or
worse than schools today?worse than schools today?

23. Write your own set of class rules.Write your own set of class rules.