Ever since the first Education Act of 1870 the British school system has sought to bring knowledge and learning to children from the age of 5. Previous to this Act there was no legal ruling on the education of the young. Indeed there was even a lot of disapproval towards it for social and economic reasons. The upper classes did not want education of the working class and the working class often put their children to work at a very young age so did not want school to interfere with this income. The government at the time was quite happy to extradite itself from the education system and leave it in the hands of private enterprise specifically the church which was deeply involved in providing education resulting in many parents’ objections on religious ground to their children being educated in a secular manner.
The British government looked to other countries success and realised that to progress as a society the youth must be educated. If political stability and financial prosperity were to be achieved then education must become available to the people of all classes and wealth. The Education Act in 1870 was the cornerstone of today’s modern scholastic system and established school districts and elementary schools to supplement existing education given by the church. Education became free to the masses with the passing of the 1892 Education Act. The government and educational system today enforces the education of the young and to keep your child from a recognised and accepted education is illegal.
The British government looked to other countries success and realised that to progress as a society the youth must be educated. If political stability and financial prosperity were to be achieved then education must become available to the people of all classes and wealth. The Education Act in 1870 was the cornerstone of today’s modern scholastic system and established school districts and elementary schools to supplement existing education given by the church. Education became free to the masses with the passing of the 1892 Education Act. The government and educational system today enforces the education of the young and to keep your child from a recognised and accepted education is illegal.