When was education compulsory

Skip to content. When a child reaches the age of four between 1 September of that year and 1 July of the following year, that child must begin education in September of the following year;. This child must start education in September Where a child reaches the age of four between 2 July of that year and 31 August of the same year, that child does not have to begin education until September of the following year;.

A History of Compulsory Education Laws. Fastback Series, No. Bicentennial Series. Although some critics of public education are now questioning the value of compulsory schooling for all children, this concept is deeply ingrained in American history and social values. The first compulsory education law in this country was enacted in in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Its lobbying led to the Act, which created school boards funded through local rates. The Act also responded to economic and social necessities, recognising the need for an educated workforce if Britain was to retain its industry and competitiveness.

The Reform Act had also significantly increased the electorate, extending suffrage to working class men. Reformers argued the new voting power required a more educated working class. However, many remained hostile to the idea of educating the working class, fearing it could de-stabilise the class system and foment dissent.

Others warned of the indoctrination risk of mass education. The Act also allowed parents to withdraw their children from religious education, potentially undermining the role of the Church. Many families themselves objected to compulsory education, arguing they needed children to earn a wage.

Unsurprisingly the Act also established attendance officers to enforce attendance and parents could be fined for keeping their children out of school. Schools are required to deal with a significantly enlarged student body and this can create logistical problems with staff and classroom numbers. This helped schools manage capacity problems as pupils spent a year longer at primary school and came to secondary school later.

There are now fewer than middle schools in England, concentrated in 22 LEAs. After the Act schools were provided with temporary buildings to house their new final year. These became known as ROSLA Raising school leaving age buildings and were delivered to schools as self assembly packs.

Although not designed for long-term use, many schools continued using them. There is also scepticism that the school leaving age is increased at times when the government wishes to reduce the number of young people seeking employment, and thereby increasing the unemployment statistics. The latest ambitions to increase the education leaving age to 18 have not been without controversy. Former education secretary Alan Johnson defended the proposals. Pointing to a decline in unskilled jobs, he said young people must be equipped to meet the demands of modern employment.