Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new…
Full specification wording
Paper 3, Option 34.1: Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new society - 2 The world of childhood: Changes to children’s lives, 1759–1928: the impact of government action (key developments: Factory Act 1802, Mines Act 1842, Agricultural Gangs Act 1867, Children’s Act 1908); the initiatives of employers and philanthropists, including Robert Owen and Dr Barnardo; improvements in education (key developments: the 1833 government grant and Education Acts in 1870 and 1918).
Children's lives shifted from mainly family and workplace control towards state regulation.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 2
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Children's lives shifted from mainly family and workplace control towards state regulation. The Factory Act 1802 set minimum standards for parish apprentices in cotton mills; the Mines Act 1842 removed women and young boys from underground work; the Agricultural Gangs Act 1867 regulated gang labour; the Children's Act 1908 consolidated protection law. Employers and philanthropists also acted: Robert Owen's New Lanark provided schooling and shorter hours, while Dr Barnardo's homes rescued destitute children. Education advanced through the 1833 government grant to church schools, the 1870 Education Act creating board schools, and the 1918 Education Act raising the school leaving age. Together these measures gradually made childhood a protected, schooled phase of life.
What earns the marks
- Explains the Factory Act 1802 as early regulation of parish apprentice children in cotton mills, noting limits of enforcement.
- Explains the Mines Act 1842 and Agricultural Gangs Act 1867 as targeted restrictions on child labour in specific industries.
- Explains the Children's Act 1908 as consolidating earlier child protection legislation.
- Explains Robert Owen's New Lanark initiatives and Dr Barnardo's philanthropic homes as non-government action.
- Explains the 1833 government grant, the 1870 Education Act and the 1918 Education Act as stages in state-funded and compulsory schooling.
- Judges the relative impact of government action versus employer and philanthropic initiative across the period.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating the Factory Act 1802 as applying to all child workers.
Put it right by noting it covered parish apprentices in cotton mills.
Assuming the 1870 Education Act made schooling compulsory.
Put it right by noting it created board schools and the 1880 Act later enforced attendance.
Crediting only government with change.
Put it right by including Owen and Barnardo as employer and philanthropic agents.
Exam tips
- Anchor each named Act to its date, target group and main provision in one sentence.
- Use Owen and Barnardo as evidence of voluntary action, contrasting with state legislation.
- Link education developments to changing attitudes, not just to school buildings.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 3, Option 34.1: Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new society - 2 The world of childhood: Changes to children’s lives, 1759–1928: the impact of government action (key developments: Factory Act 1802, Mines Act 1842, Agricultural Gangs Act 1867, Children’s Act 1908); the initiatives of employers and philanthropists, including Robert Owen and Dr Barnardo; improvements in education (key developments: the 1833 government grant and Education Acts in 1870 and 1918). lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
How did the 1833 government grant change the provision of education for children in Britain?
Listen
Children's lives shifted from mainly family and workplace control towards state regulation. The Factory Act 1802 set minimum standards for parish apprentices in cotton mills; the Mines Act 1842 removed women and young boys from underground work; the Agricultural Gangs Act 1867 regulated gang labour; the Children's Act 1908 consolidated protection law. Employers and philanthropists also acted: Robert Owen's New Lanark provided schooling and shorter hours, while Dr Barnardo's homes rescued destitute children. Education advanced through the 1833 government grant to church schools, the 1870 Education Act creating board schools, and the 1918 Education Act raising the school leaving age. Together these measures gradually made childhood a protected, schooled phase of life. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the Factory Act 1802 as early regulation of parish apprentice children in cotton mills, noting limits of enforcement. Explains the Mines Act 1842 and Agricultural Gangs Act 1867 as targeted restrictions on child labour in specific industries. Explains the Children's Act 1908 as consolidating earlier child protection legislation. Explains Robert Owen's New Lanark initiatives and Dr Barnardo's philanthropic homes as non-government action. A common slip: Treating the Factory Act 1802 as applying to all child workers. Instead, noting it covered parish apprentices in cotton mills. Exam tip: Anchor each named Act to its date, target group and main provision in one sentence.
See it
Put the events in order
Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.
- 1. Mines Act removed women and young boys from underground work
- 2. Agricultural Gangs Act regulated gang labour
- 3. Education Act created board schools
- 4. Government grant given to church schools
- 5. Factory Act set minimum standards for parish apprentices in cotton mills
- 6. Children's Act consolidated protection law
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
State intervention in childhood
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Child labour regulation
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Philanthropy and employer paternalism
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Expansion of schooling
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- State intervention in childhood
- Government action through named Acts gradually made childhood a protected, schooled phase of life rather than one controlled mainly by family and workplace.
- Child labour regulation
- Targeted restrictions on child labour in specific industries, including the Factory Act 1802, the Mines Act 1842 and the Agricultural Gangs Act 1867.
- Philanthropy and employer paternalism
- Non-government action such as Robert Owen's New Lanark, which provided schooling and shorter hours, and Dr Barnardo's homes, which rescued destitute children.
- Expansion of schooling
- Education advanced through the 1833 government grant to church schools, the 1870 Education Act creating board schools, and the 1918 Education Act raising the school leaving age.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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Test your understanding of Paper 3, Option 34.1: Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new society - 2 The world of childhood: Changes to children’s lives, 1759–1928: the impact of government action (key developments: Factory Act 1802, Mines Act 1842, Agricultural Gangs Act 1867, Children’s Act 1908); the initiatives of employers and philanthropists, including Robert Owen and Dr Barnardo; improvements in education (key developments: the 1833 government grant and Education Acts in 1870 and 1918).
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