Upper-class Education:
- Boys from wealthy families typically received a classical education, which included Latin, Greek, literature, history, philosophy, and rhetoric.
- They might start with a private tutor at home and then progress to a grammar school or a university, such as Oxford or Cambridge, if their families could afford it.
Middle-class Education:
- Boys from the middle class might also attend grammar schools, where they would learn reading, writing, arithmetic, and some basic Latin.
- Some middle-class families hired private tutors for their children, while others sent them to apprenticeship programs to learn a trade or craft.
Lower-class Education:
- Children from lower-class families often did not have access to formal education.
- Some learned basic literacy and numeracy through apprenticeship programs or charity schools.
- Many lower-class children worked from a young age to support their families, leaving little time for schooling.
Girls' Education:
- Education for girls was generally limited and focused on practical skills such as reading, writing, and needlework.
- Wealthy families might hire private tutors for their daughters, but many girls did not have access to formal schooling.
It's important to note that these are broad generalizations, and there were exceptions and variations within each social class. Shakespeare himself is believed to have received a grammar school education, possibly at King's New School in Stratford-upon-Avon, but the full extent of his formal education is not definitively known.