Pre-school Education in Britain Before 1900

The Dane schools and others

There is an important fact about pre- school education in Britain which we must discuss before we can go on. This has to do with school for children under- five years. Until the beginning of the 20th century, there was no separate school for children below the age of six years. Provisions for them were included in primary schools. The only exceptions were the four schools set up by the theories and examples of Pestalozzi and Froebel (Kent 1972).


This however does not mean there were no places where children were looked after. As we have already said, some individuals and groups started the struggle for the proper care of children. One of such places where children were looked after in Britain before the 20th century was the Dane schools. The schools according to Maduewesi (1999) were no more than child minding establishments. Some old women, who on humanitarian grounds were running the centres as places to keep children safe while their parents, were away.


Another group that made great efforts in the provision of preschool establishments for children in Britain during this time was the Sunday school movement under the leadership of Robert Raikes. The first school by the group was established in 1780 to cater for children who worked in factories from morning till evening for about six or seven days a week. This education was given to them during their free time at work. By 1803, the number of schools under the Sunday school union had risen to 7,000 with 850,000 pupils of all ages from three upwards (Kent, 1972 P.21). Another person who made efforts in the provision of pre-school education during the period was Robert Owen. He was a socialist who believed that environment entirely determined character and personality. He started an infant school in New Lanark in 1816. His method of teaching was based on securing children's attention through interesting activities and not the rod. Later, one of Owen's assistant, James Buchanan established the first infant school in London with about 150 children (Kent 1972). The Infant school society, which was later formed, was a result of the growing interest in Owen's educational ideas started schools for two to six years old children in different parts of England.

Others who were involved in the development of pre- school education during the period under review include Dr Charles Mayo and his sister Elizabeth who in addition to establishing infant schools also trained teachers for the infant schools. We can not but mention the contribution of Joseph Lancaster and Andrew Bell who organised what they referred to as monitorial system. Older children were used as helpers for teachers. They were taught by teachers and they would deliver the lessons they were taught to smaller group of children. As we discussed earlier on, these individuals and groups who were responsible for the establishment of what could be regarded as real infant schools were motivated by people like Pestalozzi and Froebel. You will still remember that these great childhood educators were particular about the use of play as the best means for making children realize their full potentials if properly used. The expansion of pre-school establishments in Britain even in 20th century was based on the effectiveness of the ideas of these and other childhood educators. We shall say more about them in the other sections of this unit.