1861 - The Royal Commission on the Present State of Popular Education in England reported that many elementary subjects were badly taught; that attendance in the rural schools was extremely irregular, many children not attending at all; most boys left school at the age of ten or eleven; and there were insufficient places for all children in the country. The Commission recommended the creation of local boards of education with power to collect a school rate and to build schools.

1870 Education Act  (Forsters Act) attempted to provide elementary education for all children; permitted school boards to be set up where voluntary school places were insufficient; the boards could build schools and compel attendance, but many boards did not use this power; fees of a few pennies per week were charged, with exemption for poorer parents. This was the first major education act .

1876 Elementary Education Act (Sandon’s Act) placed a duty on parents to ensure that their children received elementary instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic; created school attendance committees, which could compel attendance, for districts where there were no school boards; and the poor law guardians were given permission to help with the payment of school fees.