The Monitorial System was developed in the 19th century by Andrew Bell and Joseph Lancaster. The system relied upon the grouping pupils by ability. The children in the top group were taught by a qualified teacher but would also spend time teaching children in the lower groups. Bell used to say: "Give me twenty-four pupils today and I will give you twenty-four teachers tomorrow". It was claimed that this system not only proved low-cost education but helped to train working-class children for responsible jobs in the future.

Two religious organizations were formed to provide this education. Andrew Bell received support from the Church of England and its National Society for the Education of the Poor (1811) and Joseph Lancaster, a Quaker, was funded by the Nonconformist organisation, the British and Foreign Schools Society (1814).