EDWARDIAN EDUCATION

One important change in this Era was within "Education." The introduction of compulsory education until the age of 14 started to make a big difference, especially for the working classes. Children were no longer allowed to work under a certain age. The whole education system started to look at what was being taught and now Reading, Writing and Arithmetic became compulsory for everyone. Sewing lessons were tailored for girls and physical education was added tot he school curriculum.

At this time, there was a gulf between the education of boys and girls. Boys were given a more efficient education, girls were expected to marry and were educated accordingly.

In 1906, the Schools Meals Act was passed and schools were allowed to serve dinners for the poorest children who were often malnourished. This was not compulsory though, and not all schools provided free meals because money for these meals had to be raised from local taxpayers. Dinners served to these hungry children were heavy and filling. A typical school meal was a thick pea soup with bread and dripping. For dessert, a fruit pudding. For the children from the poor working classes, this would have been their only daily meal.