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The Victorian Era Primary Resource

Learn all about this period of amazing inventions and discoveries.

This history primary resource explores Britain’s Victorian period in a fun, colourful comic. Join max the mouse on his time-travelling journey to discover the significant events that occurred during this exciting period in British history. When was the Victorian era? How did the British empire expand during Queen Victoria’s reign? What were the ground-breaking inventions of the Victorian era?

Pupils will learn about the key social, political and cultural changes that occurred during Britain’s Victorian period in this National Geographic Kids history primary resource.

The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for discussion about the Victorian era and 19th century Britain, It could be used as a printed handout for each pupil to read themselves, or for display on the interactive whiteboard, as part of a whole class reading exercise.

Activity : In the same way that Queen Victoria dedicated monuments to her husband Albert, ask pupils to design a monument dedicated to someone they love or feel inspired by. They could also design their own postage stamp/s, inspired by their favourite people, places and things. Once finished, get the children to present their work to the class, or write a short description explaining their designs.

N.B.  The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the  English National Curriculum  and  Scottish Curriculum for Excellence . We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including  South Africa ,  Australia  and  New Zealand . If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email:  [email protected]

This History primary resource  assists with teaching the following  History objectives  from the  National Curriculum :

• Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

National Curriculum Key Stage 1 History objective:   

• Pupils should be taught: significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
• Pupils should be taught: the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements. Some should be used to compare aspects of life in different periods [for example, Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong]

National Curriculum Key Stage 2 History objective:

• Pupils should be taught a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066

This History primary resource  assists with teaching the following  Social Studies Second level objective  from the  Scottish Curriculum for Excellence :

• I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence
• I can compare and contrast a society in the past with my own and contribute to a discussion of the similarities and differences

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The Victorian era

When was the Victorian age?

The time when Queen Victoria reigned is called the Victorian era or Victorian age . She was queen from 1837 to 1901 , and a lot of things happened in Britain during that time.

During the 64 years that Queen Victoria was on the throne, Britain was also going through the Industrial Revolution . Machines for factories were invented that could make things quickly, like textiles – so, there were more textiles around to sell, and more people who wanted to buy them. With the invention of the steam train, the textiles could get to places further away than before.

Life in the Victorian era changed very quickly for a lot of people, and cities became busier and more crowded.

Top 10 facts

• The Victorian era is what we call the time that Queen Victoria reigned: 1837-1901.
• During the Victorian era, the Industrial Revolution was happening – this is when scientific inventions meant that it was easier to make things to sell, and that those things could be sent to places further away than before.
• One big reason why the Industrial Revolution happened was because of steam power – this lead to the invention of steam trains, which made it faster to travel and to send goods.
• A way to make steel from iron was also discovered, which made it easier to make machines for factories and to even build the factories themselves.
• All of these things during the Industrial Revolution meant that lots of products could be made in the same place at the same time – this is called mass production. Before this, it would have been just one tradesman making one thing at a time.
• Also during the Victorian Era, Great Britain became the British Empire . Britain governed many countries, kingdoms and colonies all over the world. Many of these places are part of the British Commonwealth today.
• Before the Victorian era, it took days – sometimes weeks – to travel places. Inventions such as the steam train and the iron steam ship meant that travel took a lot less time, so people started going to places where they wouldn’t have thought to before, like the (modern day) United States of America and India .
• It was also faster to get in touch with other people, even if you were all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. The telegraph and telephone were both invented in the Victorian era , so people didn’t always have to write letters if they had something important to say.
• People started using electricity for the first time in the Victorian Era. The first electrically-lit streetlights, public building and even village were in the UK.
• By 1901, half of all the people who lived in Britain (not including the Empire) lived in cities. This was a huge change because most people had lived in the country around the start of the Victorian era.
• 24 May 1837 Victoria was crowned queen
• 1837 The SS Great Britain, the first iron steam ship, was built and made the Atlantic Ocean crossing

• 30 June 1841 The Great Western Railway from Bristol to London was completed
• 1842 The Mines Act established that women and children younger than 10 years old were not allowed to work in mines
• 1843 Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol and the first Christmas cards were sold
• 1845 The pneumatic rubber tyre was invented
• 1845 London Road in Nottingham was the first road to be paved with tarmacadam (tarmac), which meant roads didn’t have to be covered in cobblestones anymore
• 1847 The Factories Act set limits on the amount of time women and children could work
• 1850 The first public library opened in Manchester – anyone could borrow books for free!

• 1850 The first workhouses opened, giving poor people a place to live in exchange for their work
• 1851 The Great Exhibition took place at Crystal Palace in London
• 1852 The Victoria and Albert museum opened in London
• 1853 The first post boxes were used – painted green, not red!
• 1853-54 An outbreak of cholera in London killed 11,000 people

• 1856 Scientist Henry Bessemer invented a quick way to convert iron to steel, which helped mass production
• 1857 The National Portrait Gallery opened in London; it was the first portrait gallery in the world
• 1857 The Science Museum opened in London
• 1857 A cable was laid in the Atlantic Ocean, between Ireland and Newfoundland, so telegraphs could be sent between North America and Great Britain; it took a few more years to get it working properly, though!
• 1858 India started to be ruled by Britain
• 1863 The London Underground opened, becoming the world’s first underground railway (steam powered)
• 1867 Voting laws gave all men who paid taxes a right to vote
• 1870 The Houses of Parliament in London were completed (they had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1834)

• 1873 The first chocolate Easter eggs were made by Fry, Vaughan & Co. in Bristol
• 1875 A drainage system in London was completed, which improved sanitation in the city
• 1876 Queen Victoria was named Empress of India
• 1877 The first telephones were sold through a company named after inventor Alexander Graham Bell
• 1877 Thomas Edison made the first recording on a phonograph; Queen Victoria was recorded on a phonograph in 1888
• 1878 The first electric streetlights were installed in London
• 1878 The Salvation Army was founded by William Booth to help the poor
• 1880 The Education Act decreed that all children aged 5-10 had to go to school
• 1881 Godalming in Surrey was the first town in the world to have an electricity supply available for everyone to use; also that year, the Savoy Theatre was the first public building in the world to be entirely lit by electricity
• 1882 Thomas Edison opened the world’s first steam-powered electricity generating station in London
• 1883 The first electric railway was built in Brighton
• 1885 The standard bicycle (like the ones we use today) was invented
• 1885 The first motor car was built in Germany by Karl Benz
• 1887 The gramophone was invented by Emile Berliner
• 1887 Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee
• 1891 A law was passed that established every child age 5-13 should have access to a free education
• 22 January 1901 Queen Victoria died and Edward VII became king

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Did you know?

• The Victorian era is named after Queen Victoria, who was queen from 1837-1901. People who lived during the Victorian era are called Victorians .
• Before the 19th century it used to take people 12 hours to travel between Birmingham and London if they were riding in a horse-drawn coach. Steam trains meant they could make the journey in under six hours!
• The police force was set up during the Victorian era by a man called Robert Peele (which is why we sometimes call the police "bobbies"!).
• Electric light bulb
• Steam and electric trains
• Rubber pneumatic tyres
• Sewing machines
• Postage stamps
• Chocolate Easter eggs
• Christmas cards
• In 1851 the Great Exhibition was a huge collection of all kinds of inventions and art from Britain as well as places like America and Russia . The money that was made from people paying to see the Great Exhibition was used later to build museums in London, like the Science Museum.
• the first electric street lights were in London
• the first building lit with electric lights was a theatre in London
• the first village to have its own access to electricity was Godalming in Surrey.
• At the beginning of the Victorian era in 1837, more people lived in the country than in cities. By the end of the Victorian era in 1901, half of the British population lived in cities. Find out more about life under Queen Victoria.

See if you can spot all the following in the gallery below:

• Queen Victoria
• Alexander Graham Bell
• Joseph Wilson Swan
• Volks Electric Railway in Brighton
• A steam engine used in a factory
• A map of the British Empire in 1897 (all the red areas)
• People riding a penny-farthing bicycle
• The SS Great Britain ship (Photo Credit: mattbuck via Wikimedia Commons)

When the Victorian era began, Britain was going through the Industrial Revolution. Scientists had learned how to use steam to create power, and from that came a whole list of other inventions that used steam power to make machines operate.

One of these machines was the steam train, in the early 1800s. It meant that travelling was a lot faster than using a horse and carriage, and that goods could be transported much more quickly than using the canal system.

This was good because more and more goods were being made! For instance, the textile industry was growing thanks to the invention of machines that could do the spinning and weaving instead of people, meaning it took much less time to produce. This is called mass production , and it was a key factor in the Industrial Revolution. It wasn’t a case anymore of just one person making one item – machines could do the same job in a fraction of the time.

While all this was going on, Britain was becoming bigger. The British Empire was the term used to describe all of the places that were under British rule, and during the Victorian era, this got so big that one poet said ‘the sun never sets on the British Empire’ (meaning that wherever the sun was shining at the time, it would be shining on something that belonged to Britain). Many countries that were part of the British Empire are now part of the Commonwealth.

The Great Exhibition in 1851 celebrated not just great accomplishments from around the world, but also within Britain and the British Empire.

Names to know:

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) – a famous engineer who build steam ships, bridges, tunnels and even helped with the Crystal Palace used to house the Great Exhibition James Watt (1736-1819) – a Scottish engineer who invented an improved steam engine used in factories and mines Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) – most famous for inventing the telephone Thomas Edison (1847-1931) – an American inventor who made the phonograph and helped Joseph Wilson Swan (1828-1914) in Britain create the first electric light bulbs. Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) – Prime Minister in 1868 and again from 1874-1880 William Gladstone (1809-1898) – Prime Minister four different times between 1868 and 1894, which is more than any other prime minister; he supported laws that allowed more people to vote W. H. Fox-Talbot – an inventor who found ways to take photographs using negatives Robert Peel (1788-1850) – Prime Minister from 1834-1835 and 1841-1846, who set up the Metropolitan Police Force in 1829.

Related Videos

Just for fun...

• Quiz yourself on the Victorians!
• Watch a Horrible Histories video about the Victorian age:  Queen Victoria - British Things Song
• Read English Heritage's Kids Rule! guide to Victorian England magazine to learn all about the Victorians
• Travel back in time to a Victorian house
• Print out some Victorian scenes to colour in
• Did  life really improve in Victorian times ?
• Follow along with loads of Victorian recipes 
• Listen to a radio play about Prisoner 4099 , 12-year-old William Towers who was caught stealing two rabbits (possibly for food for his family) in 1872 and sent to Wandsworth prison

Best children's books about the Victorians

Find out more:

• A children's guide to Victoria's reign , with information about the Queen Victoria's family , the  British Empire , Victorian architecture and Victorian cities
• Watch a  BBC Bitesize clip about the history of the steam engine
• A guide to some  great Victorians  and their lives
• See a BBC Bitesize introduction to the British Empire
• Read fiction books set in Victorian times
• Victorian Britain  information and links from the National Archives
• A BBC bitesize introduction to The Victorian Era
• Understand the impact of the steam engine on Victorian life
• Life in the workhouse, including a guided tour
• Read about workhouses in Victorian times
• Find out about  crime and punishment in Victorian times
• Information about Victorian prisons
• Watch a BBC Bitesize video about the Industrial Revolution and what life was like in Britain before, during and after industrialisation
• Find out about famous Victorian author, Charles Dickens
• Read about the Great Exhibition , which embodied Prince Albert's desire to showcase the wonders of industry from around the world
• Look closely at William Powell Frith's painting Ramsgate Sands (Life at the Seaside) , 1852-4, to see an image of Victorian life
• Consult a Victorian inventions timeline (1837 to 1901)
• Read about Victorian transport in Preston , including trams and stem engines
• Explore posters, newspapers, illustrations and more that showcase Victorian Britain

See for yourself

• Look at an online collection of Victorian objects , including carbolic soap, candle snuffers, clothes wringers and oil lamps
• See posters, British Exhibition tickets and other items from the height of the British Empire at the Museum of London
• Learn more about the amazing inventions around the Victorian Era at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester
• Walk around Buckingham Palace in London to see evidence of Victorian life: a route map highlights all the places of interest
• At York Castle Museum, Kirkgate is a recreated Victorian cobbled street with a schoolroom, police cell and Hansom cab
• At Blists recreated Victorian Town  you can meet some "real" Victorians in their authentic shops and cottages, buy Victorian goods and watch tradespeople in action  

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Lessons - The Victorians

The Nuffield Primary History project developed a range of approaches and techniques for doing history with children, between and 1991 and 2009. The resources produced by the project are all real lessons which have been taught by real teachers. They include guidance on teaching and examples of children's work. Many of the lessons have been developed by teachers as part of their continuing professional development. A narrative style was used to describe the lesson and what happened. Read more

The project was developed by Jon Nichol, formerly of the School of Education, University of Exeter, Jacqui Dean, formerly School of Education and Professional Training, Leeds Metropolitan University, Ray Verrier, the late John Fines and others. Sarah Codrington coordinated the project from the Nuffield Foundation.

In 2011, the Nuffield Foundation passed the Nuffield Primary History resources to the Historical Association for continued dissemination to primary teachers.

EYFS Medium Term Plan - Toys and Games

This EYFS Medium Term Plan is based around the theme of Toys and Games. It is designed to give teachers and early years practitioners different starting points for learning about the past, across all areas of learning. The activities could be led with a whole class or as small group...

Resources for courses: ideas for your history curriculum

In times of tight budgets and with the new financial year on the horizon in April, now might be a good time to look at different ways to resource your history curriculum effectively. Alongside all the resources for teachers available from Primary History and the HA website, the following list...

Victorian Britain: short lessons and exemplars

Please note: these resources pre-date the current National Curriculum and some content may be outdated. A series of lessons, exemplars and guides to help you teach your students about Victorian Britain.

Victorian Britain: a brief history

Victorian era | Questions | Industrial revolution | Social reforms | Empire | Teaching the Victorians | Citizenship | Victorian achievements | Key concepts < This resource is free for everyone For access to hundreds of other high-quality resources by primary history experts along with free or discounted CPD and...

Introducing the Empire through coins

This coins lesson introduces children to the complex and controversial subject of the British Empire in a practical, hands-on way. (These resources are attached below) The lesson can stand alone or form an introduction to an in-depth study of empire, immigration and emigration. It overlaps usefully with geography and citizenship....

Investigating Victorian mining disasters

Please note: these free resources pre-date the 2014 National Curriculum.  In this series of lessons about two mining disasters, I integrated learning in history, literacy and ICT. As the children are an able group, I intended to challenge them to explore primary written sources, to identify differences between them, to...

Brunel and Clifton Suspension Bridge

Please note: this free resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. For a more recent resource, see our Primary scheme of work on Brunel. The focus for this literacy hour lesson was a picture, used as a text. The literacy hour genre was non-fiction. In it we studied a specific Victorian, the engineer...

Famous People: Florence Nightingale (KS1)

The life of a famous person from the past and why she acted as she did Florence Nightingale: her life, why she went to the Crimea, and what happened as a result of her work. Cross-curricular work: this lesson stretches and challenges all children, regardless of their ability, whilst teaching...

Victorian child labour in textile factories

Please note: this free resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. For more recent resources see: Victorians (Primary History article, 2014) Scheme of work: Sarah Forbes Bonetta Scheme of work: Brunel What was life like for workhouse children in the early nineteenth century? The aims of the lesson were for children...

Victorian child labour: slate mining

Please note: this free resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. For more recent resources see: Victorians (Primary History article, 2014) Scheme of work: Sarah Forbes Bonetta Scheme of work: Brunel Download Resources 1 and 2 as well as the teachers' notes.  Resources 1 gives you the paragraphs for the children to cut...

Children in Victorian Britain: Down the Mine

This resource is free to everyone. For access to hundreds of other high-quality resources by primary history experts along with free or discounted CPD and membership of a thriving community of teachers and subject leaders, join the Historical Association today Please note: this free resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum....

Houses: Artefacts from the past (KS1)

Please note: this resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. In these lessons we investigated real objects from late Victorian times. The aim was to enable the children to become more independent in their learning and to extend their literacy. The two lessons described formed part of a Year 1 topic...

Detectives: what were schools like in the past?

In this lesson we asked what clues (objects and pictures) can tell us about the past. How were schools in the past different from ours? (Resources attached below.) The objectives were: To introduce the children to the idea of history as detective work. To help the children to make comparisons...

Grace Darling

I taught a short history topic on Grace Darling, using a painting as the main focus, to encourage evidence-based learning. The painting depicts Grace and her father rowing towards the rocks where the remains of the Forfarshire are resting, with the lighthouse in the distance. The speaking and listening elements...

Local study: Fulwell Windmill

Please note: This article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content and references may be outdated. The lesson formed part of a local study of Fulwell and Fulwell Windmill in Sunderland. It could also be taught as part of the Victorian Britain Study Unit. The children had already looked at maps and...

Children in Victorian Britain: Henry at boarding school

Please note: this free resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. For more recent resources see: Victorians (Primary History article, 2014) Scheme of work: Sarah Forbes Bonetta Scheme of work: Brunel In this lesson children pursued an historical enquiry, raising questions and using original sources. They gained an understanding of conditions in early...

Ten Teaching Ideas About The Victorians

Wednesday 22nd may 2019.

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday Queen Victoriaaaaa! Happy birthday to you!  

Did you know that 24th May 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth? Did you also know that her first name was not Victoria? And did you know that Queen Victoria was barely five feet tall?

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The Victorians Homework Tasks

Subject: History

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

3 February 2015

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Homework is an important part of your child's learning.

On this page

Types of homework, how you can help, homework in secondary school, questions or concerns about homework.

Homework gives your child a chance to:

• work through the things they have learnt at school
• strengthen their long-term understanding of the topic or activity
• develop study skills that they will use for the rest of their life.

Homework is also a chance for you to get involved and help your child’s learning.

The type of homework set for your child will depend on:

• the subject
• the school’s homework policy
• their teacher.

These things will also influence the length of the homework and the level of difficulty. 

Practice exercises

Practice exercises are things like:

• math problems
• essay writing
• practising words and phrases learnt in another language
• practising sports skills
• playing a musical instrument
• other creative tasks.

Practice exercises give your child the chance to:

• apply new knowledge
• understand and go over what they have learnt in school.

Homework that introduces a subject or topic

This type of homework gives your child the chance to learn about a topic before their teacher covers it. This helps your child prepare and understand future lessons.

Examples of this type of homework include:

• reading about history
• reading English texts so that the class can talk about them together
• researching topics for class work
• collecting newspaper articles
• watching the news.

Homework that builds on what they already know

This type of homework is sometimes called extension work or extension assignments.

This type of work helps your child to build on what they already know. It also allows them to do this in their own way.

Examples include:

• writing a book review
• making artwork
• completing science experiments or investigations
• researching local news
• finding information on the internet.

There are lots of ways you can help your child with their homework. 

Find resources on the home work topic

Use the FUSE website  to find teaching materials and resources that can help with homework.

Encourage a homework routine

Help your child to do their homework at the same time everyday.

Some children concentrate better in the mornings. Some are better in the afternoons. Choose a time that works best for your child.

Having a regular homework time will set your child up with good study habits. This will help them throughout school and beyond.

Set up a comfortable space

Your child will find it much easier to do their homework if they have a comfortable space.

This could be a space in their bedroom, in your study or in the family room. If you don't have a space at home you could think about going to a library.

A good homework space:

• is comfortable – not too hot, not too cold and has plenty of fresh air
• has good light – use a good lamp or overhead light if the space is dark
• has all the things they need to do their work: think about stationery, a computer, a printer
• is free from distractions such as the television or computer games.

Think about a study group

Some children study better with others. If you think this would help your child you could start a study group with a few of their friends.

Take turns hosting the group at each house.

Talk to your child about their homework

Don't be afraid to talk to your child about what they are learning.

• what is easy
• what is difficult
• what they find interesting about it

By starting a conversation you will be able to help them plan their homework and suggest resources they can use to help with their work. Encourage them to tackle the difficult work first while they are fresh.

Celebrate their successes and achievements

Attend school events, productions or award ceremonies your child is in. Show them your support.

Your child's homework will become harder and more frequent in secondary school. 

You can help your child create a homework timetable so they can keep track of their work. This should be a task you do together.

Use a diary or a calendar and:

• enter the dates and times of your child's non-homework activities, like sport activities, house work, reading time
• get your child to list all their homework tasks for the week and when they are due
• ask your child to estimate how long each task will take to complete
• break up big tasks into small chunks
• colour-code each subject so that your child can see at a glance what they will work on
• allow 10–15 minute breaks for every hour of study
• allow breaks for mealtimes and encourage your child to eat with the rest of the family – this should be away from their desk or workspace.

Talk to your child's teacher or school if you have questions about homework or you believe your child needs extra help.

Updated 11 December 2023

Education researcher calls for primary schools to have 'courage' to rethink homework

When Estelle Trueman was growing up, homework was par for the course.

But now her two daughters are in primary school at Townsville in north Queensland, homework isn't mentioned.

"There's no pressure," Ms Trueman said.

"If we get home and want to prepare a meal together, or spend time together outside before bed, we can, and don't have to hope that we won't get in trouble tomorrow because we haven't done the reader."

Across Australia, there's anecdotal evidence a growing number of primary schools have introduced no – or low – homework policies since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to University of Melbourne Emeritus Professor of Education John Hattie.

Professor Hattie said while there was some evidence homework benefited high-school students, there was no need for it in primary schools.

"The evidence is pretty clear that homework in primary school has a very low to zero effect," he said.

In a bid to modernise the education system, .

Professor Hattie said Poland's move sent an important message, but it would take a "brave" politician to rattle the cage in Australia because of widespread views among parents here.

"There are parents who think homework is critical and essential for their children's future, which is not true," he said.

Homework out, reading in

In Townsville in north Queensland, Belgian Gardens State School has scrapped compulsory homework in favour of reading, practice, and play.

"[Worksheet saturation] does not foster parent engagement, neglects the individual needs of students and in some cases leads to drawbacks including disengagement and frustration," principal Ryan Pedley said.

Students were given the option to undertake "practice" or "study habits" at home.

Mr Pedley said parents were highly engaged, through regular information sessions, about what was being taught at school. 

St Benedict's Catholic School in the city's west is similarly taking a minimalist approach.

"We couldn't really see the benefits for doing homework … but we do require our students to be reading at home each night," assistant principal Aleesha Rockemar said.

"It [homework] can become a nightmare for families to get done."

For 10-year-old Keira Warren, it was a pleasant surprise when she transferred to the school this year.

"I was very relieved, I hated having to go home and do more work," she said.

"I didn't like having to either get in trouble because I didn't go to sports, or get in trouble because I didn't do homework."

What are the rules on homework?

In Queensland, there is no one-size-fits all approach; it's up to each school principal to decide their homework rule book.

The Department of Education said it did not collect data on the state's 1,264 public schools' policies.

Instead, it stipulated principals needed to determine what worked for their individual school communities and to ensure any homework was meaningful.

"Schools work collaboratively with students and families to make sure to allow sufficient time for family, recreation and, community and cultural values," a department spokesperson said.

Brisbane Catholic Education, which oversees 146 schools across south-east Queensland, said it did not have a mandated homework policy, but any homework should complement students' learning and wellbeing.

Pros and cons

Professor Hattie has been researching teaching and student learning since the 1970s.

His latest publication in 2023 analysed more than 130,000 studies worldwide on what helps students learn. 

Professor Hattie said the research found homework in primary school – if at all — should be kept short, review what had already been learned at school and not require parental surveillance.

"Don't get [children] to do a project unless you want to see what the parents contribute," he said.

"You've got to seriously question why you need homework at all. I want to give some courage to [primary] schools to drop it, if parents don't get upset.

"There's no need for it in primary school."

Lecturer in early childhood education Amanda Hoffensetz, from James Cook University, said homework was a difficult topic to research and there were too many variables for conclusive evidence.

"Schools vary greatly in quality, quantity, and the amount of support that children are getting at home," she said.

For Scott Wiseman, the chief executive of P&Cs Qld, the peak body representing state school parents and communities, homework had traditionally played an important role in helping parents engage in their child's learning.

"Everyone learns differently and for some kids, doing the sight words or the fact sheets may actually be really important to reinforce their schoolwork," he said.

"It needs to be a consultation process between the school and parents and the community as to how they want education to work in that particular school."

Family impacts

At Townsville's Marian Catholic School, principal Kylie Helmore said changing its homework policy in 2023 had resulted in more student engagement in class and less stress on working families.

"We're not getting the reports that 'my child is refusing to do anything'," Ms Helmore said.

But reading at home is still required and senior students must complete a passion project each term.

For mum-of-two Estelle Trueman, home life was more manageable without the burden of homework.

"Our kids are only little once," she said.

Fight for 'spiritual home' of Guildford as residents gear up to save 108yo general store as community co-op

Residents in the central Victorian hamlet of Guildford know how to fight for what they love.

In two years they've saved the local pub and primary school from closure.

Now they're battling to save the town's 108-year-old general store which began life as the Commercial Hotel in 1865 before becoming a shop in 1916.

Guildford's main intersection, known as crossroads, dominates the town halfway between the regional cities of Bendigo and Ballarat.

On one side of the crossroad is the Guildford Family Hotel that residents rallied around and helped find a new publican in 2021 .

Directly opposite is the Guildford General Store.

Its doors are shut, but just a few months ago it was the bustling hub of the town.

It was a place to catch up over coffee, swap gardening tips and homegrown herbs, or collect the bread, milk, and papers.

At age 90, Heather McGivern starts crying when she talks about the store — where she's spent countless hours with family and friends — being closed.

She's proudly known as the town's matriarch, or "Shop Nan".

"I've been Guildford Nan ever since I came up here. It's the greatest privilege on Earth, I think, that people care enough for you to call you that. Because in all our lives nans are very important," Ms McGivern said.

She described fond memories of running the Guildford Store with her family and playing run rabbit run around the town's famous Big Tree.

"The happiest times of my life were here," she said.

Her daughter Janet "Zeppy" worked in and then ran the shop  with her family for about 30 years, before she sold it to new owners . 

"It is very sad for us. We all used to meet for coffee and have a laugh, and it was so social. In most places it's a hotel where people go, but here it's the shop," she said.

"The general store is the spiritual home of Guildford," said Lisa Daniel, a tree changer who fell in love with the town in part due to the general store.

But the store's doors have been closed for nine weeks, leaving locals with nowhere to go for their morning coffee or their essentials.

The previous owners struggled to make a profit and eventually closed up completely.

Buy-in offer to save store

Determined to see the general store reopened, and inspired by other town's community cooperatives, local Liz Monty is spearheading a local campaign to buy the store for $1 million and reopen it as a community cooperative.

"Owned and run by the community, and the community make the decisions for the store," she said.

"It's very important for the community. It was important for the younger kids to get their first job as well as the old residents to have social connection."

But for the store to be viable, members need to buy $5,000 shares, which could include multiple people or groups buying a share. 

"At the moment we're hoping to get around 200 and at this point in time we have 60 to 70," Ms Monty said.

School reopening provides hope

Local musician and resident Jeremy Meadan campaigned to reopen the Guildford Primary School in 2022.

Just as the town got its groove back through the reopening of the pub, new families moved to the area and the demand for a local school returned . 

"I think everybody in the community recognises that these sorts of hyperlocal institutions are what is the glue of any community," Mr Meadan said.

"If they go, so does the community."

Nearby co-op provides inspiration

One hour north of Guildford is the farming town of Colbinabbin, population 285.

Four years ago, residents raised enough money to take over the general store and avoid its closure by forming a co-operative.

It followed on from examples in Sea Lake, Nandaly, and nearby Lockington where residents formed a co-op to save their pubs .

The Colbinabbin Co-Op's current chair, Liz Fraser, said the co-operative has found it challenging to break even.

"I'm not going to lie, it's been hard. I can't say we're making a profit but we're keeping our heads above water," she said. 

They've had to change the size of orders, find new suppliers, cut the paid hours of some of its staff, and continue to ply passing traffic between Shepparton and Bendigo to make its bottom line.

Ms Fraser said sometimes people come in and volunteer their time for an hour, or volunteer to cook, paint, or get supplies.

"We're constantly working on how we can save money without compromising the quality of the product and the way we run the store," Ms Fraser said.

Back in Guildford, the ABC got access to the closed Guildford General Store.

The power is still connected and the light switches work.

The tables and chairs are stacked, and there is still food in the fridge.

Old kerosene bottles, recipe books, and cooking pots line the shelves.

There's an old Weetbix tin, old Coca-Cola bottles, and artwork on display.

There's just no-one behind the counter to serve customers.

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May 21, 2024 8:40 AM | Updated: May 24, 2024 4:47 PM

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Welcome to the GPB News Election 2024 blog! Bookmark this page for live updates on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, and visit  GPB.org/elections  for additional coverage and live results here .

The office of the georgia secretary of state will present periodic updates beginning at 10 a.m. on gpb.org . be sure to tune in to  gpb radio  for more., check here after polls close for live results. , 5 p.m., may 21, 2024, secretary of state brad raffensperger held a brief press conference update. a few key points:.

• The average wait time remains at 1 minute.
• On track to have 1 to 1.1 million total voters today.
• Raffensperger says no excuse absentee voting has been smooth but the challenge is with the United States Postal Service. “They’re really are going to have to step their game up coming in the fall,” he said.

Click here to watch.

3:29 p.m., May 21, 2024

Gpb's sarah kallis updates from georgia's 6th congressional district:.

Valerie Beaty explains her No. 1 issue is gun control.

LISTEN: Voter Valerie Beaty explains why gun control is the most important issue for her when voting.

Juliana Laurie lists her most important issues when voting, including women's rights.

LISTEN: Voter Juliana Laurie explains the most important issues to her.

2 p.m., May 21, 2024

Georgia secretary of state’s chief operating officer, gabriel sterling, gave the second update of the day:.

Sterling discussed the MyVoterPage website having an 45-minute outage caused by more people visiting the site than the office anticipated. He says the site has since been restored and is back up and running. He also shared the secretary of state's office confirms that there have been over 800,000 votes cast and the numbers are "well on the path to break a million."

Secretary of State COO Gabriel Sterling gives a second primary election update at 2:00 p.m. on May 21, 2024. Credit: Screenshot

1:04 p.m., May 21, 2024

Gpb's benjamin payne reports from savannah, ga.:.

Savannah voter Ann Curry, in front of her polling place at First Presbyterian Church. Credit: Benjamin Payne/GPB News

Ann Curry explains the importance of voting to her.

LISTEN: Voter Ann Curry explains what the right to vote means to her.

Benjamin Payne Savannah voter Mike Crow, in front of his polling place at First Presbyterian Church. Credit: Benjamin Payne/GPB News

Mike Crow says he votes out of concern for the lack of voter turnout.

LISTEN: Voter Mike Crow explains why it is important for him to vote and discusses the issues that matter for him in the primary election.

12:36 p.m., May 21, 2024

Gpb's amanda andrews hears from buckhead voters:.

MaryLin Hembree in Buckhead, Atlanta, Ga., on May 21, 2024. Credit: Amanda Andrews/GPB News

MaryLin votes as a way for her voice to be heard.

LISTEN: Voter MaryLin Hembree explains why it is important for her to vote.

Rick Hearn in Buckhead, Atlanta, Ga., on May 21, 2024. Credit: Amanda Andrews/GPB News

Rick Hearn explains his priorities for the primary election.

LISTEN: Voter Rick Hearn discusses the topics that are most important to him in Georgia's primary election.

Heather Cooper in Buckhead, Atlanta, Ga., on May 21, 2024. Credit: Amanda Andrews/GPB News

Heather Cooper explains the issues important to her.

LISTEN: Voter Heather Cooper discusses the most important issues to her when voting.

11:17 a.m., May 21, 2024

Gpb's sarah kallis checks in from georgia's 3rd congressional district:.

Danny and Lane Camp in Villa Rice, Ga., on May 21, 2024. Credit: Sarah Kallis / GPB News

Danny and Lane Camp said they vote together in every election.

LISTEN: Voters Danny and Lane Camp talk about why they voted in Georgia's May 21, 2024 primary election.

Jennifer Kincade explains why voting is important to her.

LISTEN: Voter Jennifer Kincade talks about why she voted in the 2024 primary election.

Erin Wilbanks shares her top priorities for the 2024 election.

LISTEN: Voter Erin Wilbanks talks about her motivations to vote in the 2024 primary election.

Russell Ross grew up in the 1950s and honors his right to vote:

LISTEN: Voter Russell Ross talks about his right to vote in the 2024 primary election.

10:20 a.m., May 21, 2024

Georgia secretary of state brad raffensperger gave his first update of the day:  .

Sec. Raffensperger said no voting issues or problems had been brought to his attention yet today. He estimated lines and wait times at polls to be around two minutes long.

Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger gives a primary election update at 10:20 a.m. on May 21, 2024. Credit: GPB

Click here to watch.   

9:06 a.m., May 21, 2024

Sarah kallis reports from villa rica, ga.:  .

Voters in line at a precinct discuss which issues have brought them to the polls. 

Cathy Barry said she is voting for conservative values:

LISTEN: Voter Cathy Barry discusses why she is voting in Georgia's primary election on May 21, 2024.

A precinct in Carroll County on May 21, 2024. Credit: Sarah Kallis/ GPB News

Herschel Barthe said he has been voting since the 1960s and does it for the future generations:

LISTEN: Voter Herschel Barthe discusses why he is voting in Georgia's primary election on May 21, 2024.

8:50 a.m., May 21, 2024

Thank you for joining our election day blog tune in for the georgia secretary of state's first update of the day at 10 a.m. on gpb.org ., secondary content, about the author.

GPB News provides in-depth coverage of issues and stories that affect individuals and communities in Georgia and surrounding southeastern states. Stand with the facts.

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Tuesday on Political Rewind : Hundreds of documents from the January 6th Committee outline Georgia's importance to the effort to overturn the 2020 election. The Fulton County election probe may soon recommend criminal charges. And proposals to eliminate Georgia's runoff system continue.

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Why were workhouses feared by the poor and old?

The government, terrified of encouraging 'idlers' (lazy people), made sure that people feared the workhouse and would do anything to keep out of it.

How did they do that? What were workhouses like?

Women, children and men had different living and working areas in the workhouse, so families were split up . To make things even worse they could be punished if they even tried to speak to one another! The education the children received did not include the two most important skills of all, reading and writing, which were needed to get a good job. The poor were made to wear a uniform . This meant that everyone looked the same and everyone outside knew they were poor and lived in the workhouse. Upon entering the workhouse, the poor were stripped and bathed (under supervision). The food was tasteless and was the same day after day. The young and old as well as men and women were made to work hard , often doing unpleasant jobs. Children could also find themselves 'hired out' (sold) to work in factories or mines.

Dr Thomas Barnardo and orphan children

Dr Thomas Barnardo felt that workhouses were the wrong places for children and so from 1867 onwards, he led the way in setting up proper children’s homes.

More information

Did the treatment of the poor improve after the 1834 Poor Law? www.learningcurve.gov.uk

Rules of a workhouse

What did they eat in Workhouses? Food menus from six different workhouses

©Copyright Mandy Barrow 2013 primaryhomeworkhelp.com

Follow me on Twitter @mbarrow

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