A dame school was early form of private elementary school in English-speaking countries usually taught by women. These schools were often located in the home of the teacher.

Dame schools were quite varied - some functioned primarily as day care facities, overseen by illiterate women, while others provided their students with a good foundation in the basics.

The first school in Australia was a dame school started in 1789 in which children were taught basics by a convict, Isabella Rossen.

School types

Dame School