School Records

This page relates to students click here to visit the teacher page.

School records can be a valuable source of information about your ancestors.

They can add information but more importantly help paint a picture of the lives that they led.

Until schooling became compulsory in 1887 schools were provided by the Church or donations by benefactors. From this date onwards Parishes without schools were required to make provision although in the case of small villages a school may be in a neighboring parish.

The Victorians seem to love paperwork and made records of all activity in schools.

Students names, attendance, prizes, discipline, lessons, visits etc are all documented.

Usually the full name, date of birth (if known) date of starting and date of leaving school are all available.

There are two main sets of records - School Logs which were maintained by the Head Teacher and minutes of meetings held by the School board.

A few schools will keep a copy of the older records but in most cases records are held in the local County Records Office.

Many school records will be subject of the 100 years disclosure rule.

Some types of schools you may come across

Dame schools were normally run by one teacher, usually female, in her home for a few pupils. These variety from a good standard of tuition to child minding services.

Workhouse schools were schools run for children in workhouses. These were set up to comply with the law but the ' teachers' were often virtually illiterate and were a cheap way of complying with the law.

Charity Schools were common in the early 1800's as they were set up by a  religious group ,wealthy patron or financed by generous terms of a will. Depending on the finance these often provided a very good education for the poor children whose parents could afford to let them attend the school rather than working.

Ragged schools were founded by Lord Shaftsbury in the 1840's for poor children. They were so called as there were no set standards for pupils dress which meant many poor children wore raged clothes.

Day Schools were fee paying so open mainly to the tradesmen and other middle class who couldn't afford public or private schools.