By Kenton and Leon

- The first kind of school was a Dame school, this was run by the local women that wanted to educate their children. - In 1844, the working week was expanded to 6 1/2 days in factories. At the same time, Ragged schools were set up to provide the orphans and poor children with free schooling. - In 1870 the Forster Education Act built many schools to create a professional country. - In 1876, the leaving age of children at schools was increased to 8 years old, then in 1880 it was increased to 10 years old, and in 1889 it was increased to 12 years old. - In 1891 free education was introduced for everyone, and ‘schools pence’ was abolished.

“In the nineteenth century many young children worked in the fields. Other poor children laboured in textile factories or in the mines to help with the family income. Gradually new laws such as the Factory Act of 1833 changed all this. Today we would be shocked at the idea of children as young as nine working for twelve hours a day in a mill or a mine or a field – it would be against the law!” - Minds & Machines, published 1999 Punishments - The cane - Tying a pupil to a desk - Putting a naughty pupil in a basket hanging from the roof - Wearing a dunce’s hat