The record books kept by Victorian schools have many entries which show how much harder life was for almost everyone, including children at school, in those times.
This entry from the Log Book of Ynscedwyn Board School shows that many schools had no lighting at all, apart from daylight coming through the windows. In the middle of a typical Welsh winter this often didn't amount to much light at all !
The entry shown below was written in December, 1876, and it reads:
"Owing to the shortness of the days and the absence of illuminating facilities I have determined to open school at 1.30 pm and close at 4 pm thus securing as much daylight as possible".

The "absence of illuminating facilities" is an old-fashioned way of saying that they didn't have any kind of artificial lighting.
Perhaps many children today would like the idea of only being at school when it is light enough, but how about having no heating, and having to walk miles to school in the rain !

More about life in Victorian schools...