In 1798 a young man called Joseph Lancaster opened a small
school in Southwark, London, offering education for free—though
"those who do not wish to have education for nothing may pay for
it if they please." He was a member of the Society of Friends
(a Quaker), but he believed strongly that education should be
Christian, but not constrained by any denomination.
Finding it difficult to afford to employ teachers, he introduced
the monitorial system where one teacher taught a small group of
older pupils, who in turn taught younger ones.
Within a couple of years he had over 1,000 pupils, and the
school's fame had reached as far as King George III.
In 1808 the running of the school was taken over by three men
who formed the Royal Lancasterian Society to help found other
schools on similar lines. The society was later renamed the
British and Foreign School Society. By 1851, around 1500 "British Schools" had been set up.
Further information:
http://www.bfss.org.uk/index.html
and
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RElancaster.htm
National Schools
"National Schools" were similar to "British Schools" in being
based on the monitorial system, but in this case the movement
was specifically denominational. In 1811 members of the Church
of England set up The National Society for the Education of the
Poor in the Principles of the Established Church.
The Society's aim was that "the National Religion should be
made the foundation of National Education, and should be the
first and chief thing taught to the poor, according to the
excellent Liturgy and Catechism provided by our Church".
By 1851
there were 17,000 National Schools.
Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_school
and
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?education/early.shtml
Board Schools
The 1870 Education Act made it possible for the ratepayers of each Poor
Law Union or Borough to petition the Board of Education to investigate
educational provision in their area. If there was found to be a substantial
shortage of school places compared with the number of children of school age
(5-12 inclusive), a school board would be created.
Board Members were elected by the ratepayers, with female householders
being able both to vote and to stand for office, unlike in national
elections of the time.
Parents had to pay fees for their children to attend school, though the
Boards would pay the fees of poor children.
Boards had the power to make school attendance compulsory by by-law and
within 3 years of the Act, 40% of the population lived in compulsory attendance
districts.
Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_Education_Act_1870
Compulsory Education
In 1880 compulsory education between the ages of five and ten
became the law throughout England and Wales.
Factory owners lost the cheap labour of children, but they gained in
having a workforce about to read and make measurements.
It was not until 1891 that elementary schooling became free in both board
and church schools.
It was even later that compulsory education for deaf and blind children
was introduced (1893) along with provision for the creation of special
schools.
Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_England