ABSTRACT
Lancaster, Joseph (1778-1828) was arguably the founder of universal schooling in the UK. He became an enthusiastic teacher of poor boys (‘poor’ because their needs had been neglected, and ‘boys’ because a girl’s place was in the home, back then) and opened his first school in 1798. Because he couldn’t find suitable teachers, he developed the MONITORIAL system (with older students teaching and supervising the younger ones – mentors-cum-teaching-assistants, maybe?). And as many of his older students wanted to become teachers, he opened a teacher training college. In 1808 The Lancasterian Society was formed (renamed the ‘British and Foreign School Society’ (BFSS) in 1814) which set up schools and teacher training institutions on nonsectarian principles, providing both staff and support. The LANCASTERIAN SYSTEM aimed to provide a basic education for as many children as possible.
