Many educators in eighteenth century England believed that a the level of a child's instruction should be determined "by the station and rank of life in which the child is born and placed by the providence of God" ² Thus, it is not suprising that poor children often recieved some of the worst education. For lower-class girls this either meant no instruction or a girls' charity school. These institutions were usually established by a wealthy pious community member or by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The Society was established by Quenn Anne in 1696. The instruction was highly focused on religion and improving the moral character of these disadvantaged girls. Reading, writing and mathematics were also taught.

However, for most of lower-class little girls, learning was only a small portion of their activities at these charity schools. They also had to work. During a large part of the day, the girls labored. They spun, sewed, wove, made lace and did fieldwork. Sometimes, a child would spin yarn from six o'clock a.m. to eight o'clock p.m. with little time for meals and breaks.

There were charity schools that provided schooling only, but it was difficult to convince parents to send their children to them. When children were old enough to be of use, parents wanted them to work. After leaving the charity schools, girls often became maids in aristocratic households.

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