The Middle Ages
		The aristocracy in the Middle Ages were educated in hunting and manners, rather than reading and writing. They were sent away from their own homes to live with other landed families to acquire this "learning". Girls were not normally educated except that often they too were sent away from home to learn how to behave and care for a household. The Middle Ages were definitely not child-centred in their approach to education and children often complained about the cruel punishments they received.

An Italian visitor to England noted that "the want of affection in the English is strongly manifested towards their children. For after having kept them at home till after they arrive at the age of seven or nine years at the utmost, they put them out, both males and females, to hard service in the houses of other people,.... And on enquiring the reason for the severity, they answered that they did it in order that their children might learn better manners. But I for my part ,believe that they do it because they like to enjoy all their comfort themselves." (Quoted from Christopher Hibbert) The idea of sending children away from home to be educated existed long before boarding-schools became established institutions and even today many parents feel that only by sending their children away from home can they give them a “proper” education.