Elizabethan Education

The importance of education became increasingly known during Elizabeth’s reign.

• From a young age, most children were taught basic education and how to behave properly at home
• Boys - work skills
• Girls - housework

Petty Schools - taught reading, writing and a little maths

• Small local schools
• Usually ran by the local parish priest unless they were set up by an individual
• Lessons usually had a strong religious focus
• No set age to begin, but children left when they could read and write

Grammar schools - upper class only

• Some bright boys from poorer classes could go there - but then didn’t have the time as they had to work
• Taught Latin, maths, reading, writing, literature, and sometimes Greek
• Very rare for girls to go
• Usually started at age 7

Further education - Oxford or Cambridge

• University courses were taught in mostly Latin
• Men learnt Greek, advanced Latin, arithmetic, geometry, philosophy, music, and astronomy
• After this, some would go to specialise in a course like law etc.

Hornbook - wooden board showing the alphabet and Lord’s prayer

Sunday school:

• At age 6, all children went to Sunday school
• They learnt the Lord’s Prayer, 10 Commandments, and the Creed