Our History topic in Year 4 this half term is, ‘How have children’s lives changed?’ We have been looking at what childhood meant in different eras, such as Tudor times and Victorian times. Both were very different from children’s lives today! Interestingly, we found out that children as young as seven left home to become apprentices in the past. In return for their work, their master provided them with food, accommodation, clothing and taught them a trade. These jobs could range from working in coal mines, to sweeping chimneys, to bakery and butcher work. We read several sources and did lots of research, we even hot-seated one of the apprentices to see what life might have been like for them. It didn’t sound very fun! We will be learning about Lord Shaftesbury next and the changes he brought about.
