Year 1 Steps Back in Time: A Glimpse into 19th-Century School and Farm Life

Last week, the Year 1 girls had the opportunity to experience school and farm life as it was in the late 19th century. The girls were immersed in activities that allowed them to step into the shoes of children from the past, thinking how schooling and daily life have changed over time.

Dressed up in period costumes of straw hats and cotton pinafores, the girls began their school day with a salute to the British flag before marching into an authentic 1880s schoolroom. Led by a strict schoolmistress in full character, the girls stood to sing God Save the Queen before settling into their seats for lessons. Using slates instead of exercise books, the girls practised their cursive handwriting, took part in a science lesson, and even tried their hand at sewing.

The day also included a taste of a 19th-century physical education (PE) lesson, with girls participating in an outdoor drill and maypole dancing in the schoolyard.

Then it was time to explore the former working areas of the farm, learning what life was like for children before and after school in the late 1800s. They visited the old milking shed and the beautifully preserved stables built by the Rouse family, learning about the important role of horses in transport and farm work. The girls got to brush the horse saddles, feed the sheep, and even scrub clothes on an old washboard!

It was an exciting way for the girls to connect with the past.

– Bernadette Weston, Elizabeth Astle and Sasha Ross
Year 1 Teacher

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