In 1870, a law was passed in Britain requiring children between the ages of 5 and 10 to attend some form of school. The "leaving age" (the age at which a student could leave or be withdrawn from "primary school" was later raised to 11. A wide variety of primary school options existed, including "ragged schools," boarding schools, parish schools, vocational schools, military academies, and schools offered by various charitable institutions. Older children might attend some form of "secondary" school, which was often a boarding school and often referred to as a "college." Many boarding schools also offered classes to local "day students," who returned to their own homes after school.

Education at Owen's College, Manchester (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1875)

Education in Queen's College, London (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1875)

A London boarding school for girls.

A Training School for Sailors, by William H. Rideing (St. Nicholas, 1875)

A Liverpool school for boys training to become sailors.

Education in Merchant Taylor's School (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

Eton College, by H.C. Maxwell (Harper's Monthly, 1876B)

Free Education at Christ's Hospital, by E. Walford, MA (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

Primarily a "commercial seminary" for the education of "fatherless boys," including preparation for university.

The County Schools and Cavendish College (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)

High Schools (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)

A look at a public day school for girls.

Our Foundation Schools (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1880)

Girls' Foundation Schools (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1881)

Free Education in Public Schools, by Eliza Clarke (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1883)

Uppingham [Rutland]: An Ancient School Worked on Modern Ideas, by George R. Parkin (Century Magazine, 1888B)

A Lilliputian Community (Quiver, 1889)

The Chase Farm Schools at Enfield.

Liverpool Working Lads, by Richard Holland (Quiver, 1889)

A school designed to provide poor and homeless boys with general schooling and instruction in various trades.

Ragged Schools, Old and New, by G. Holden Pike (Quiver, 1889)

Church Sunday-Schools, by the Hon. Edward Pierson Thesiger, CB (English Illustrated Magazine, 1890A)

In Great Britain alone, more than 6 million children attended Sunday schools, which was 1 million more than attended day-schools. This article examines the purpose of Sunday schools and how they work.

Some Board School Children, by James Runciman (English Illustrated Magazine, 1890A)

A look at the variety of children attending London's Board Schools in the slums.

The Private School for Girls, by Anna C. Brackett (Harper's Monthly, 1892A)

On the need for both "unity and plasticity" in girls' education.

Some Talk About English Public Schools (Harper's Monthly, 1892A)

A helpful article for anyone confused about the system of British "public" vs. "private" schools.

Westminster School, by Raymond Blathwayt (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1893)

The Royal College of St. Peter at Westminster, for boys.

Work and Play at Charterhouse School, by Raymond Blathwayt (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1893)

A day at a boy's public school includes rifle corps practice!

The London School Board at Work, by Robert Donald (Windsor Magazine, 1896B)

Subtitled "educating half a million children."

• See also Children's Education & School Life in Britain