By the 1860’s the Government had increased its interest and involvement in schools mainly due to the increase in the number of schools, the number of pupils attending them, the value placed on schooling to address ‘child labour’, concerns about criminal activity by young people, the increased appreciation education contributed to ‘good’ citizens and and the increase in grant values. As a result of this in 1862 the Government legislated by producing Standards in Education that became known as the ‘Revised Code’.
The term “Revised Code” refers to a specific set of educational regulations, not a general term. The Revised Code, also known as ‘Lowe’s Code’, significantly changed how Elementary Education was funded and assessed in England and Wales. It was called “revised” because it altered previous practices and the funding system for Elementary Schools. The code focused on payment-by-results, meaning schools received funding based on student performance in standardized tests. This system was a departure from previous methods of funding and inspection, and thus the term ‘revised’ reflects the change it introduced. It stipulated that every scholar for whom grants were claimed must be examined according to one of six ‘standards’ in reading, writing and arithmetic. However, the rigid monitorial system, rote learning practices, and its emphasis on passing examinations rather than quality education, though economical, came to be viewed by inspectors as limited.
The weaknesses and criticisms of this 1862 approach resulted in the publication of The Revised Code of 1872. This was not a replacement of the 1862 Revised Code, but rather a revision and modification of it. The 1872 revisions aimed to address some of these criticisms, introducing changes to encourage a broader range of subjects and improve the quality of education.
| Revised Code 1862 | ||
| STANDARD I | ||
| Reading | Narrative in monosyllables | |
| Writing | Form on blackboard or slate, from dictation, letters, capital and small, manuscript. | |
| Arithmetic | Form on blackboard or slate, from dictation, figures up to 20; name at sight figures up to 20; add and subtract figures up to 10, orally, from examples on blackboard. | |
| STANDARD II | ||
| Reading | One of the Narratives next in order after monosyllables in an elementary reading book used in the school. | |
| Writing | Copy in manuscript character a line of print. | |
| Arithmetic | A sum in simple addition or subtraction, and the multiplication table. | |
| STANDARD III | ||
| Reading | A short paragraph from an elementary reading book used in the school. | |
| Writing | A sentence from the same paragraph, slowly read once, and then dictated in single words. | |
| Arithmetic | ||
| STANDARD IV | ||
| Reading | A short paragraph from a more advanced reading book used in the school. | |
| Writing | A sentence slowly dictated once by a few words at a time, from the same book, but not the same paragraph | |
| Arithmetic | A sum in compound rules (money). | |
| STANDARD V | ||
| Reading | A few lines of poetry from a reading book used in the first class of the school. | |
| Writing | A sentence slowly dictated once by a few words at a time, from a reading book used in the first class of the school. | |
| Arithmetic | A sum in compound rules (common weights and measures). | |
| STANDARD VI | ||
| Reading | A short ordinary paragraph in a newspaper, or other modern narrative. | |
| Writing | Another short ordinary paragraph in a newspaper, or other modern narrative, slowly dictated once by a few words at a time. | |
| Arithmetic | A sum in practice or bills of parcels. | |
| Revised Code 1872 | ||
| STANDARD I | ||
| Reading | Read one of the narratives that comes after monosyllables in an elementary reading book used in the school. | |
| Writing | Copy in manuscript handwriting a line of print, and write from dictation a few common words. | |
| Arithmetic | Simple addition and subtraction of numbers of not more than four figures, and the multiplication table to multiplication by six. | |
| STANDARD II | ||
| Reading | Read a short paragraph from an elementary reading book. | |
| Writing | Write a sentence from the same book, slowly read once, and then dictated in single words. | |
| Arithmetic | The multiplication table, and any simple rule as far as short division. | |
| STANDARD III | ||
| Reading | Read a short paragraph from a more advanced reading book. | |
| Writing | Write a sentence slowly dictated once by a few words at a time, from the same book. | |
| Arithmetic | Long division and compound rules (money). | |
| STANDARD IV | ||
| Reading | Read a few lines of poetry or prose, at the choice of the inspector. | |
| Writing | Write a sentence slowly dictated once, by a few words at a time, from a reading book, such as is used in the first class of the school. | |
| Arithmetic | Compound rules (common weights and measures). | |
| STANDARD V | ||
| Reading | Read a short ordinary paragraph in a newspaper, or other modern narrative. | |
| Writing | Another short ordinary paragraph in a newspaper, or other modern narrative, slowly dictated once by a few words at a time. | |
| Arithmetic | Practice and bills of parcels. | |
| STANDARD VI | ||
| Reading | Read with fluency and expression. | |
| Writing | Write a short theme or letter, or an easy paraphrase. | |
| Arithmetic | Proportion and fractions (vulgar and decimal). | |