History of Scottish Education

  • 1300

    Medieval

    The Roman Catholic Churches started to organise schooling
  • Period: 1300 to

    History of Scottish Education

  • Jan 1, 1400

    Start of compulsory education

    This was only for the eldest son of the family. church schools places emphasis on singing and literacy which resulted in the foundation fo Glasgow and Aberdeen University
  • Scottish Schools in 17th century

    Not only included literacy and arithmetic but also religious teachings, Latin and PE
  • 18th Century

    Additional subjects such as medical sciences were added to the curriculum
  • 1833

    Factories could not employ children. Workhouses were used instead
  • 1840

    HMIE introduced. This was when the first HM inspector of schools was appointed.
  • 1870

    Establishment of universal elementary schooling up to the age of 13
  • 1872

    School is compulsory and fees are abolished
  • 1880

    Forster Elementary Education Act. Required state funded, board governed schools to provide elementary education. All children between 5 and 10 must attend.
  • 1891

    Free Education Act provided state funded school fees
  • 1902

    Belfour Education Act - Development of grammar in secondary schools. Scholarships available for poor, able children
  • 1902

    Elementary Code - basis of the curriculum at the time
  • 1911

    39% of 14 year old attending school
  • 1912

    200 higher grade schools
  • 1918

    Fisher Education Act - made secondary education compulsory up unit the age of 14
  • 1944

    Butler Education Act - Establishment of the Ministry of Education. Split between primary and secondary at 11. Formed the tripartite system - grammar, technical and secondary modern
  • 1971

    Comprehensive education introduced when public schools for primary and secondary did not take in the biased academic achievements to put them into selective school systems based on their results
  • 1992

    The UNCRC was created which gave children the right to education
  • 1996

    Dunblane School Massacre - Forced school to update security and guns banned in the UK
  • 2020-2021

    Covid-19 pandemic has introduced online learning at home
  • Current day

    All children attending school up until the age of 16 after which they may pursue further education