1. What were the key features of education in Elizabethan England?

2. Learning objective – to be able to explain the changes in education in the Elizabethan era.
I can describe the key reasons why the education in the Elizabethan era changed.
Grade 3
I can explain the key reasons why the education in the Elizabethan era changed.
Grade 6
I can explain and assess the reasons why education in the Elizabethan era changed.
Grade 9

3. What were attitudes towards education?
There was no national system of education but there was a growing sense of its importance in society. However, what did not change was its view on the purpose of education – to prepare you for your expected role in society. Education did not nurture ambition and talent or allowed social mobility.

4. What new influences were there in Elizabethan education?
The growth of humanist thinkers and writers saw more people arguing that education was valuable and not a way of pigeon holing people into specific roles in society.
Protestants argued for better education as they believed people should be able to read and interpret scripture for themselves.
The growth of the printing press meant that books became less expensive and more people had access to books.
The growth of trade required people to be competent in English and maths if they were to be a success.

5. What type of education did the nobility receive?
Children from the nobility gained a broad education in the classical subjects, such as Latin and History.
Girls received a level of education, focusing on such skills as horse riding.
Both girls and boys were educated at home but separately from the age of 7.
To finish their education, noble children were sent to another family, mainly to network.

6. How did grammar schools develop in Elizabethan England?
The number of grammar schools increased significantly in Elizabethan England. They were independent of the Church and charged fees. The level of fees were based upon property ownership., although scholarships were available for poorer boys who showed academic promise.
Grammar schools were for boys only from the middling classes.
Holidays were limited to Christmas and Easter and the school day lasted almost ten hours and subjects were heavily biased towards the classics. Although a more practical curriculum was offered to boys from merchant and craftsman families. However, some craftsman families preferred to send their boys on an apprenticeship.

7. What alternatives to grammar schools were there?
Boys aged up to 10 years old from gentry and merchant families were offered petty schools, which were run in teachers’ homes. Harsh in punishments with a curriculum that focused upon reading, writing and arithmetic.
Dames Schools were for girls from middling families. Run by wealthy women in their own homes, the type of education they offered focused around domestic skills.

8. What education was on offer to those children from poorer backgrounds?
Most children had no formal education as they were from labouring and agricultural backgrounds. They learned what they needed from their families.
In many cases, children were sent out to work at an early age as the family needed the income.
In some cases, Parish Schools were available to yeomen and farming families which offered a basic education up to the age of 10.

9. What level of higher education was on offer?
Only two universities were on offer – Oxford and Cambridge – and attendance could start from the ages of 14 or 15.
It offered a broader, more specialised curriculum, including subjects such as Medicine and Geometry.
The highest qualification on offer was the doctorate.

10. How far did schools change Elizabethan England?
It was estimated that there was a 10% increase in literacy in boys and no increase for girls during Elizabethan England.
The main barrier to education was cost – not only with fees but also down to loss of family income if children were not working.
There was an increase in education provided by private bodies rather than the Church.

11. Task
Complete the table below including information about what students learned, where they went to school and how long they went to school.
Boys
Girls
Rich
Well-off
Poor

12. Knowledge questions
Complete the following questions in full sentences.
Account for the main reasons why there was a growing emphasis on education in Elizabethan England.
What type of education was offered at
Grammar Schools
Dames Schools
Parish Schools
Petty Schools
What changed and what stayed the same in education during the Elizabethan era?

13. Plenary
Compare and contrast education now with education in the Elizabethan times. List at least three differences and three similarities.