Historical Saturday#1- Tudor Education

Tudor Education

Ever wonder what education was like in Tudor times? Well today is your lucky day, because I’m going to tell you all about it.

                             (An Example of a Tudor school)

 

During the Tudor period, not many children attended schools. The majority consisted of the rich and occasionally the middle classed.

As some of you may know, boys of the wealthy and middle class went to school at the age of four and went to a grammar school. The girls on the other hand usually helped their parents in household work or sent out for work, and very few managed to get an education.

The system at that time was for boys to be focused on educated for work, and girls for marriage and household.

Tudor Education for Girls

I’m sure all of us must be curious to what the education were for the girls than the boys. Well, Tudor education for the girls mainly focused on non- academic subjects, such as sewing, embroidery, dancing, music, archery and etc.

Lower classed girls on the other hand were strictly on household duties. These included, learning how to manage the house, skilled housewife duties and preparation for marriage.

Tudor girls were normally taught obedience and respect in the family. They were expected to follow the commands made by the male members of the family, and carry them out without question.

 Tudor Petty Schools

Tudor Petty Schools were of the equivalent of

today’s elementary school level. Do not be fooled by the word schools, as the teaching was done in the tutor’s house. The teaching done in Petty schools consisted of reading, writing and behavior.

Some schools were conducted by well-educated housewives, and were referred to as Dame schools. These schools were presumably taught to be an equivalent of a nursery.

Tudor Grammar Schools

Tudor Grammar schools were the equivalent of today’s secondary schools. The children taught there consisted of the ages between 10-14. The tutors that were hired were usually the local guilds, people who were craftsmen and were well educated.

              

The subjects taught there were mainly focused on several different languages. English and Latin at that time were very common to learn and spoken of. Other subjects included History, Astrology, Greek, Religious education and etc.

Hungry For More? Check out: Tudor Education - Tudors andTudor Children and Schools - Woodlands Junior School Kent