1

Cetrulo
Arianna Cetrulo

Ms. DeWinne and Mrs. Stoller

Writing and Research-Period 8

16 February 21

School Life in the Elizabethan Era

School life during the Elizabethan era was significantly different than school today, and

when studying it, one comes to understand how much the fundamentals of religion and discipline

defined the curriculum as well as the education system. Who was permitted to go to school, what

subjects was taught, the resources, and the schedule all made for a strict environment for the

students. School during the Elizabethan Era was a stern environment with mostly wealthy boys

(and some wealthy girls) allowed. The goal for school during this time was for boys to become a

religious figure or successful scholar. The teachers were often untrained and the resources used

to teach were handmade, from natural materials. The students were required to go to school for

long hours of the day, and come home to complete more hours of studying which left little to no

time for the students to sleep. There was only one day a week for the students to have off, and

even that day was scheduled with several hours of worshiping the Christian religion. Altogether,

the Elizabethan Era education system made for a strict, religion-based learning environment for

children who could afford to go to school.

During the Elizabethan Era, education was becoming more popular, the literacy rate

increased, and 72 new grammar schools opened (Fletcher). The reason being that very few

children received an education was because the schools required a small fee for attendance.

Poverty was an immense issue during the Elizabethan Era, so most parents could not afford to

pay for their children’s education. The children that were able to attend school were mostly
2
Cetrulo
wealthy, upper class boys. They attended petty schools at the ages of four to seven Then, from

the ages of seven to fifteen, boys attended grammar school. (“Life in Elizabethan England”) For

girls to attend school was very rare, but some wealthy upper-class girls did attend school, which

were Dame schools (Fletcher). However, it was mostly boys who had the privilege to receive an

education during the Elizabethan Era because it was believed that men were to work and earn

money while the women stayed home and cleaned, cooked, and cared for the children. As

explained in the book, A Social History of Education in England, in Elizabethan schools, the goal

of education was to produce religious figures, such as monks and priests. For instance, “Some

twenty or so episcopal and monastic schools are known from the eighth century and there can be

no doubt that their sole purpose was to train monks and priests” (Lawson & Silver 5). This quote

shows how the only reasons for investing time in teaching children was to produce a new

generation of educated religious figures. Altogether, the population of students during the

Elizabethan Era was mostly boys, though few wealthy, upper class girls did go to school. While

the girls stayed home, and learned to cook and clean the boys studied hard in school, preparing to

attend Universities such as Cambridge and Oxford.

The content of the education allowed many of the boys to attend universities such as

Cambridge University and Oxford University. In Elizabethan schools, reading and writing were

some of the main subjects. Religion was also taught, and students learned to worship the Lord’s

prayer. The reason being was because it was wanted for a new generation of Anglicans to come.

Also, the subjects taught in school were controlled by the King and Queen. Whichever religion

that the King and Queen followed was to be taught in the schools. The schools packed an

immense amount of knowledge into the heads of young school children, but teachers were not

forgiving or understanding to the children who could not absorb the material right away. The
3
Cetrulo
boys were expected to converse in Latin, and if anyone was caught speaking English, they would

be punished (“Life in Elizabethan England”). The punishments were harsh, cruel, and painful.

The children would be hit with wooden sticks or whips. This was thought to be effective because

the intimidation aspect was hoped to be motivational for the students. The subjects taught during

the Elizabethan Era were taught with strict morals, and harsh discipline methods were used to

reinforce fear to intimidate the children in hopes that they would perform better academically.

The resources of the Elizabethan Era aided the students in learning and teachers in

teaching the necessary subjects that the students were required to master. To teach the alphabet,

hornbooks were used which were handmade from natural materials. The hornbooks were a piece

of English oak wood shaped with a wooden frame to fit a piece of parchment and a handle was

located at the bottom. These hornbooks were durable, inexpensive and easy to teach and learn

from (“Life in Elizabethan England”). The alphabet as well as the number system were taught

using these hornbooks. Penmanship was another important subject which was hard for the

younger children to pick up because they did not have the necessary hand coordination. The

students used papers, rulers, inks, penknives, and, goose feathers to write with. (Lyon) The

letters “u” and “V” were the same as “I and j”. Also, the numbers were usually given lower case

Roman Numerals with the last I written as a J (“Life in Elizabethan England”). The teachers

were another resource who helped the children learn. However, there was no teaching

credentials like there is today for educators, and often times the teachers were untrained. (Lyon).

But some teachers such as Ushers taught the younger boys ages seven to ten. The classrooms

were not a warm environment filled with comfort; they were the complete opposite. For

example, “Elizabethan classrooms were big drafty spaces, often converted from chapels; they

were noisy and dirty, freezing in winter, and dark at both ends of the school day” (Lyon). This
4
Cetrulo
quote explains what the environment of a school classroom was like, and how little funding a

school received to maintain the cleanliness of the rooms. Altogether, resources of the schools

during the Elizabethan Era were handmade with natural materials. These resources as well as the

unexperienced teachers taught the students learn their alphabet, numbers, and most importantly,

the Christian religion.

The Elizabethan schools had grueling schedules, which left no lime for relaxation or

sleep. The students attended school from the hours of six in the morning to five at night with a

two hour break in between. During the winter time, when it grew dark earlier, classes started at

seven in the morning and ended at four in the evening. But the studying did not end at the school,

students were expected to complete hours of studying and writing which would take hours away

from their well needed sleep. Sometimes, the boys would be so exhausted from lack of sleep that

they would fall asleep on their desks. (Lyon). The students attended full days of school five days

a week, with a half day on Thursday. This continued for 40-44 weeks of the year which meant

students spent 2,000 hours in school (Lyon). The article, “Life in Elizabethan England” explains

how the weekly schedule of the schools reinforced the values of discipline. For example,

“Elizabethan Education was based on repetition and constant examinations” (“Life in

Elizabethan England”). This quote explains the how foundation for Elizabethan education, was

influenced by the weekly schedule. On Mondays, the students would be examined based on the

Sunday’s sermon. Then, on Tuesdays through Thursdays, the basic curriculum was taught. On

Fridays more examinations and punishments were to follow. Lastly, on Saturday’s catechism and

arithmetic were taught (Lyon). Overall, the schools during the Elizabethan Era packed many

hours of learning and studying into the children’s life, and had little consideration for their sleep

and overall health.

5
Cetrulo
To summarize, school life during the Elizabethan Era was based on the ideas of being

strict and religious. The main population of students were wealthy boys, but some girls did

attend school though it was rare. Boys were meant to go to colleges like Oxford and Cambridge

universities and then become educated religious figures. The girls where to stay home and learn

to cook and clean. Most families could not afford education because of the poverty that swept

through England during the years of the Elizabethan era. The children that could afford school

were taught the alphabet and roman numerals in their early years of education. Religion and

penmanship were subjects that were taught and the students’ progress was closely examined each

week. If the children could not keep up, they were disciplined with harsh methods such as a

beating whip. The classrooms were dirty and drafty in the winter and the teachers were often

unexperienced. The students had to attend school from the hours of six in the morning to five at

night and in in the winter, seven in the morning to four in the evening. They had school every

day expect for Sunday, which was a day of worship. The school week consisted of review, basic

curriculum, and then punishments and examination at the end of the week. Studying continued

after school, which meant a lack of sleep for the students. Schooling in the Elizabethan Era

focused on discipline as the main foundation which taught a strict moral code to the students

while schooling in current times focuses on teaching students so they can grow up and pursue

their dreams.
6
Cetrulo
Works Cited

Alchin, Linda. Elizabethan Education, www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-education.htm.

“Education - Life in Elizabethan England - Edexcel - GCSE History Revision - Edexcel - BBC

Bitesize.” BBC News, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z3nqsg8/revision/4#:~:text=In

%20Elizabethan%20England%20there%20was,improved%20through%20education

%20and%20learning.

Fletcher, Adele. “Early Elizabethan England – Education.” Early Elizabethan England –

Education – CLF Online Learning, 28 Apr. 2020, learn.clf.uk/lesson/history/gcse-history-

early-elizabethan-england-education/.

Lawson, John and Harold Silver. A social history of education in England. Routledge, 2013.

Lyon, Karen. “Educating Ben Jonson - What School Was like for Elizabethans.” Shakespeare &

Beyond, 30 Aug. 2019, shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/2019/09/03/ben-jonson-school-

elizabethan-education/.