The progress of productive forces has made some areas mainly engaged in commodity production and exchange activities grow and develop, thus forming emerging cities. Handicrafts and businessmen engaged in production and trade activities became the first batch of emerging citizens.

Medieval city citizens became the forerunners of the bourgeoisie. They have their own special economic interests and the needs of political struggle, so they also have their own educational needs. In the past, the schools founded by the church gradually declined because the knowledge taught was too frequent and unrealistic.

According to their professional requirements and wishes, emerging citizens spontaneously organize, establish and manage schools, forming an urban school education system. Strictly speaking, city schools are not schools, but the general name of schools run by the children of emerging citizens. Similar to the spontaneous organization of guilds, it is also called "Guild School".

The content of teaching in city schools abandons the unrealistic religion and theology of church schools, and teaches practical knowledge such as reading, writing and calculation closely related to citizens' lives, as well as various natural disciplines related to handicrafts and commerce. The rise of urban schools has transformed school education from pure religious rule to serving people's real life.

Although the language used by urban schools in different places, the subjects taught and the composition of teachers are different, the education system, which is the birth of a new class, also has some unified characteristics.