Changes in schooling

* From August 1833, parliament voted sums of money each year for the construction of schools for poor children. The money was distributed by the Treasury, and it was the first time the state had become involved with education in England and Wales, though in Scotland a tax was introduced in 1633 to fund the programme of universal education.

* A meeting in Manchester in 1837 led to the creation of the Lancashire Public Schools' Association. The association proposed that non-sectarian schools should be funded from local taxes.

* In 1839 government grants for the construction and maintenance of schools were switched to voluntary bodies, and became conditional on a satisfactory inspection.

* In 1840 the Grammar Schools Act expanded the Grammar School curriculum from classical studies to include science and literature.

* Before 1870, however, education was still private, with wealthy parents sending their children to fee-paying schools.

* The Forster Elementary Education Act 1870 required partially state funded school boards to be set up to provide primary education in areas where there was not enough education available. Board schools were managed by elected school boards. However, you still had to pay to go to school. The previous government grant scheme established 1833 ended on December 31, 1870.

* Under the 1880 Elementary Education Act, education became free and also compulsory from the ages of 5 to 10.

* The 1893 Elementary Education (School Attendance) Act raised the school leaving age to 11 and later to 13. The Elementary Education (Blind and Deaf Children) Act of the same year extended compulsory education to blind and deaf children, and made provision for the creation of special schools.

* The Voluntary Schools Act of 1897 provided grants to public elementary schools not funded by school boards.

* From April 1900 higher elementary schools were recognised, providing education from the age of 10 to 15.

And just after Victorian times..

* The 1902 'Balfour' Education Act created local education authorities (LEAs), who took over responsibility for board schools from the school boards. Grammar schools also became funded by the LEA. It allowed for all schools to be funded through rates, including religious foundation (church) schools.