Scottish Blog

The Education Act of 1496 made schooling compulsory in Scotland.

The education Act of 1496 was established and passed by the Scottish parliament of the time, under the monarchy of James IV. Often it is actually listed or referred to as the Education Act of 1494, this is due to a clerical error in the parliamentary records, leading to the Education Act of 1496 being labeled as 1494.

Although it would technically it would be correct to state that the Education Act of 1496 made schooling compulsory, it would be slightly misleading. The schooling was made mandatory only for the oldest son of a baron. While this may seem archaic today, the intention was impressive at the time. The sons were required to be educated in Latin, until they reach a “perfect” understanding of the language. At this point they were then sent to be educated in law or art, for the next three years. Failure to follow these laws would result in a fine of £20 Scots.

The Education Act of 1496 states that the purpose of this act was to allow anyone who is likely to be in a position of power, such as a sheriff or judge, to be able to dispense true justice when required.