Elementary Education Act 1870

E322654

The Elementary Education Act 1870 was a landmark British law that established the framework for compulsory, state-supported primary schooling in England and Wales.

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All labels observed (2)

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom
education law
addressedIssue insufficient school places for children
uneven provision of elementary education
allowedCreationOf board schools
elected school boards
allowedLocalAuthoritiesTo enforce school attendance
appliesTo England
Wales
controversy conflicts over religious instruction in schools
country United Kingdom
createdInstitutionType school board
educationLevel elementary
primary
followedBy 1902 Education Act
surface form: Education Act 1902

Elementary Education Act 1880
Elementary Education Act 1891
geographicalScope England and Wales
historicalSignificance first piece of legislation to provide for state involvement in elementary education in England and Wales
laid the foundation for compulsory education in England and Wales
impact expanded access to schooling for working-class children
increased literacy rates over time in England and Wales
introducedBy William Edward Forster
introducedInParliamentBy First Gladstone ministry
surface form: Liberal government of William Ewart Gladstone
languageOfText English
legalStatus amended
partly repealed
legislativeBody Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
surface form: Parliament of the United Kingdom
longTitleIncludes An Act to provide for public Elementary Education in England and Wales
namedAfter William Edward Forster
partOf development of the British welfare state
permittedFundingFrom central government grants
local rates
policyShift from voluntary religious schooling to state-supported schooling
politicalContext First Gladstone ministry
surface form: first Gladstone ministry
politicalPartySupport Liberal Party (UK)
surface form: Liberal Party
precededBy voluntary system of church and charitable schools
primaryPurpose to establish a framework for elementary education
to move towards compulsory elementary education
to provide state-supported primary schooling
regulated attendance at elementary schools
relationshipToReligion introduced non-denominational board schools
maintained role of denominational schools
royalAssentDate 1870-08-09
shortName Forster Act
subjectMatter elementary education
primary schooling
typeOfEducationProvided public elementary education
yearEnacted 1870

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

1902 Education Act precededBy Elementary Education Act 1870
Science and Culture influencedBy Elementary Education Act 1870
this entity surface form: Victorian educational reforms