Stepping Back in Time
11th October 2025
Imagine stepping into the shoes of a Victorian child in the 1840s, feeling the weight of their daily lives and understanding the challenges they faced. This week, the Year 5 class travelled back in time to the Victorian era to explore what life was like for children. Our learning objective was to compare the life of a Victorian child with that of a child today, focusing on the similarities and differences in education and daily life.
To bring history to life, pupils took part in an exciting role-play activity, complete with chalkboards, rote learning and had to follow very strict rules! The children discovered that while education is still very important today, the methods, materials and attitudes towards learning have changed drastically. They were fascinated to learn that Victorian classrooms often had no electricity, that punishments were much harsher and that many children had to work instead of attending school.
To deepen their understanding, pupils compared old and modern school photographs and shared their own reflections on what they appreciate about going to school today. By the end of the lesson, pupils were able to confidently explain how childhood and education have changed over time—and even express empathy for how tough life was for Victorian children.
They all agreed they were very glad to be pupils in the 21st century!
