Education for Youths in the UK during the Early 1900s: A Class-Based Structure
In the early 1900s, the education system in the United Kingdom (UK) was quite different from today. This article explores the schooling and university attendance patterns of the young generations during this period, highlighting the class-based structure that prevailed.
Compulsory Education and School Leaving Age
The introduction of compulsory education began in 1870 with the Education Act, which required children to attend school from ages 5 to 10. However, the Education Act of 1880 further mandated that children remain in school until they were 10 years old (approximately). Despite these laws, many children from working-class families were expected to leave formal education to contribute to the family income. They typically left school at around 12 to 14 years of age to work on farms, in mines, or on trawlers. For those who were lucky, apprenticeships in trades like being a grocer, butcher, or carpenter were available.
Higher Education Access and Enrollment
Access to higher education was limited, and it was primarily available to the upper and middle classes. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, universities began to expand, but the majority of university students came from wealthier backgrounds. University education typically started at around 17 to 19 years of age, with a degree course usually lasting two to three years.
Public School vs High School
For those who could afford it, public schools and high schools offered structured education. In public schools, a preparatory school (prep school) was attended from ages 12 to 13, after which students were examined for admission to a main school. Main schools prepared students for one of the professions: the Church, Medicine, The Law, or the Army. Navy academies were also available for those interested in the military.
High schools were less expensive and typically aimed towards preparing students for apprenticeships in commerce or further university education. These schools, known as "high schools," ran until age 16 and focused on subjects such as mathematics, English, a foreign language (often French), history, geography, art, and science. Students were also examined by statutory boards and received a school certificate, qualifying them for apprenticeships in areas like engineering, law, or banking.
For university, students could enter a 'Sixth Form' in high schools if they wished to specialize in science or arts. At the end of this form, they were examined for a 'Higher School Certificate,' which could lead to either commerce or university. This route was more common for middle-class families who could not afford the costs of public school. Scholarships, both private and state-based, were available for those who demonstrated exceptional intelligence or excelled in the HSC exams.
University Education and Specialization
University education in the early 1900s required students to specialize in one subject or a closely associated group of subjects. Common subjects included physics, modern languages, geography, Greek, Latin, and philosophy, or philosophy, politics, and economics. A degree course usually lasted two to three years, with an Honours degree being the more advanced option. Honours degrees were graded as 'Summa cum Laude,' 'First,' 'Magna cum Laude,' 'Second,' or 'Cum Laude.' By the time a student completed a degree, they were 21 years old. A 'First' class Honours degree could lead to opportunities for advanced research, such as a PhD, which allowed graduates to teach in any university in Christendom, though they were not obligated to do so.