While the newly devised reformatories, set up under the Reformatory School Act 1854, were doing excellent service it was realised that many of the rising generation might someday lapse into evil ways but were still on the right side of the law, and might with proper precautions be kept there, these were vagrant and neglected children not convicted of theft. They wanted preventive, not punitive treatment, and for them Industrial Schools were instituted. The first Industrial School Act was passed in 1856, (Amended 1866) and applied only to Scotland. Next year its provisions were extended to England, and their growth was rapid. There were 45 schools in the beginning; in 1878 the number had more than been doubled; in 1907 there were 102 in England and Wales and 31 in Scotland. Girls were sent to them from the age of nine to twelve years, and were detained until they were sixteen, and were presumably taught dressmaking, cookery, etc. Boys were sent to residential Industrial Schools from the age of nine to sixteen years, where they were educated and taught subjects such as tailoring, shoemaking, turning, etc. At the age of sixteen they were discharged, and employment found for them.
Day Industrial Schools were also for the children of parents who either could not or would not keep them at school. The children, by order of a magistrate, were compelled to attend from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., during which time they were taught elementary school work. Three meals a day were provided for them, and time not taken up with lessons was occupied with light employment. Some Industrial Schools were day schools and others residential. They were associated with Reformatories, see
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/IS/Stan
