Education in sixteenth century England was mostly available at schools in even the small towns and villages, although frequently only for rudimentary instruction, if the parents and children desired to avail themselves of it. In these schools the curriculum and hours of study were carefully prescribed. School would often begin at six o'clock in the morning, going until five o'clock in the afternoon, six days each week, with no summer vacations. There the young students would face six hours of Latin and Greek before lunch and another four hours in the afternoon. On Sunday the only requirement was that the young scholars should take notes on the preacher's sermon, discussing and translating it into Latin prose or verse in school the following day. For good conduct, or for special occasions, the students might receive a one-half holiday on Thursday.
Children were often admitted to the grammar schools conducted by the chantries or to the monastery schools without charge. Primarily, the schools and private education were for the benefit of the "men-children" However, it was neither unknown nor uncommon for girls to be admitted to the gramn.ar sch9ols or for them to receive a private education.
