1960's
I think that the main big difference was discipline. If you did something wrong at school as a 60's kid and were found out, you could easily expect a slap over the hand or leg with a ruler, cane or sometimes even a shoe. Harsh punishments weren't uncommon and it often led to very well behaved classes. If you were lucky enough to get away without a slap though, 5000 word essays or a letter home to your parents were next in line.
It wasn't just the punishments that were different. There were no state pre-schools or nurseries meaning that a child's first day at school as a 5 year old was often there very first day away from their mothers. This led to a very emotional start to school life.
But things were quickly improved with daily activities like the 'music and movement' programme, where children would leap, dance and sing to commands given on the radio. There was also the 'sing along' programme which included songs like "Oh solder, solder, won't you marry me' and 'Michael Finnegan"
There was no PE kit in 1960's schools, all sport would be done in their pants and vests making it very different from today. However school milk and fruit was provided for younger children which some schools still do today.
It wasn't just the punishments that were different. There were no state pre-schools or nurseries meaning that a child's first day at school as a 5 year old was often there very first day away from their mothers. This led to a very emotional start to school life.
But things were quickly improved with daily activities like the 'music and movement' programme, where children would leap, dance and sing to commands given on the radio. There was also the 'sing along' programme which included songs like "Oh solder, solder, won't you marry me' and 'Michael Finnegan"
There was no PE kit in 1960's schools, all sport would be done in their pants and vests making it very different from today. However school milk and fruit was provided for younger children which some schools still do today.
Today
Today, teachers and the government have a very different approach to children at school. Teachers and children have a much better relationship, with most schools providing help and counselling for outside of school as well as inside.
Classes are still very similar to the size they were in the sixties, around 30 children to a teacher. However discipline is very different. Teachers are no longer allowed to hit or use physical punishment, so the most a naughty child can get is a break or after school detention or suspension, expelling in the worst case. In some junior schools, children are still encouraged to sing, especially in assemblies and PE and games lessons often still include the leaping and dancing side of things. However, every school now has a PE kit, usually made up of a plain black or white t-shirt and black shorts. We also have nurseries and pre-schools. This can most likely be put down to the increasing number of mothers that work today compared with the 1960's but it definitely helps with the start of school emotions. |