School records guide

This guide explains the main types of school records and lists some of the sources which you can use to trace the history of a school.

The Norfolk Record Office (NRO) holds the archives of more than 300 local schools, including log books, admission registers and managers' minutes.

The amount and type of material held for each school varies: not all classes of document have survived for every institution.

We also hold archives created by individual schools and their governing organisations.

The records of these governing bodies, which have included voluntary societies, school boards and local authority education committees over the years, can be surprisingly revealing.

They might, for example, give you an insight into educational policies, by-laws on attendance, staffing matters or the progress of school building.

For more information about the records of governing organisations, please see our guide Education in Norfolk.

Arrangement of catalogues

Before July 1991 it was NRO policy to arrange records of closed schools according to their category

For example, log books (C/ED 2), admission registers (C/ED 4) and managers' minutes (C/ED 5).

Some schools chose to deposit their records with us even though they were still open.

These records were listed with the reference Y/ED/S for schools in Great Yarmouth and as D/ED for other Norfolk schools.

Since July 1991, records for individual schools have been catalogued under a unique reference number.

The majority of these schools have been allocated catalogue reference numbers from C/ED 22 onwards.

Some school records contain personal and sensitive information which is not usually open to the general public. Where this is the case, it will normally be indicated on the catalogue entry.

If you think you need access to any closed records, contact us for further information.

School card index and online catalogue

The card index to school archives in our searchroom is the main starting place for a search. It cross-references records from a range of sources.

It is arranged alphabetically by place and then by name of school.

Please note the index contains few references to Nonconformist and Sunday schools. For these, look at records of the relevant church or chapel.

In most cases, the card index will refer you to a catalogue list. You can also search our online catalogue (opens new window).

A list of the schools which closed between 1948 and 1995 is at the front of the C/ED catalogue in the searchroom.

This list, which is arranged by date of closure, can help to establish when a particular school closed and what happened to the building or site.

Trade directories

Printed trade directories give a brief history of the school. They can also help identify the most likely school attended by children from a particular town or village. 

Some directory entries name the headmaster or mistress, give details of school boards and average attendance figures.

Kelly's Norfolk Directory of 1900 provides particularly detailed information about schools. 

However, directories can vary in the depth and quality of information they give.

We hold a number of trade directories for Norfolk, but a more complete set is held by the Norfolk Heritage Centre (NHC).

In particular, the NHC holds Norwich directories from 1783 to 1975 and Norfolk directories from 1836 to 1937 (with gaps).

Local newspapers

Newspapers can be a valuable source of information.

They often report the introduction and activities of school boards established by the Education Act of 1870.

They also give details of events ranging from prize days to high profile disputes, such as the Burston School Strike.

Obituaries of teachers, editorial comment and letters to the editor expressing views on education are other useful sources from newspapers.

They sometimes also include advertisements for teaching posts or to attract pupils to private schools.

In some cases, they may relate to schools which have no surviving records and give an idea of the school's size, fees, curriculum and location.

For further advice about using newspapers and advertisements as a source for school history, see W B Stephens and R W Unwin, Materials for the Local and Regional History of Schooling, 1700-1900 (London, 1987).

For Norfolk, newspapers and newspaper cuttings can usually be located as follows:

• Copies of newspapers for Norfolk and Norwich dating from the early 18th century to the present day are held at the NHC.
• The NRO and NHC hold a select two-volume printed index to local newspapers. C Mackie, Norfolk Annals, (Norwich, 1901) covers the Norfolk Chronicle from 1801 to 1900 and a supplement by H B Jaffa, Norfolk Events (Norwich, 1939) covers 1901-38.
• Many schools, whose records are deposited at the NRO, kept their own files of newspaper cuttings or scrapbooks of articles. These are usually listed with records of the individual school.
• There are files of textual records compiled by the BBC relating to its broadcasts from the 1980s to 2002. They include copies of newspaper cuttings from local and national newspapers, press releases and other publicity material, published reports and working notes and papers, including scripts, cue sheets and annotations. The files covering schools are arranged in an alpha-numeric sequence and are referenced AUD 1/1/1014-1172.

Census records

The censuses will record pupils and staff present in a school on census night.

It is therefore a particularly useful source for boarding and public schools, although in such cases the census will not include any day pupils.

For households in general, census returns can indicate the number of children in a family classed as scholars.

However, the term 'scholar' appears to have been applied quite loosely and its application became increasingly vague over time.

Children classed as scholars may also have been working in some capacity.

Some parents avoided disclosing details of child employment to the census enumerators at a time when it was increasingly limited by legislation, particularly following the introduction of compulsory education.

For more information on how to use the census for researching a school, see E Higgs, Making Sense of the Census Revisited (London, 2005), pp43-47 and pp104-06.

For general advice on accessing census returns, see our guide Tracing your Family Tree.

School log books

Central government issued a Revised Code of Regulations in 1862.

This required schools which were inspected and eligible for state grants to keep a log book giving a regular account of activities in the school.

Many schools did not initially meet the criteria for a government grant, which included employing a certified headteacher and having suitable school premises. Therefore their log books often start at a later date.

The 1862 code specified that the school log book should be a bound volume of more than 500 pages, into which the headteacher made daily entries. From 1871, weekly entries were acceptable.

Once an entry had been made, it could only be amended by a new entry and could not be deleted or changed.

His or Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI) checked the log book during a visit to the school and a summary of the inspection report was copied into the book by the headteacher.

Log books are the primary source for the history of a school, but they can vary in content and the level of detail is often dependent on the headteacher making the entries.

However, the type of information they give can include details of the school's academic progress, inspection and teaching methods or materials used.

Log books often give the names of staff and their status, sometimes with brief details of employment.

Most information about pupils is administrative, but in cases of exceptionally good or bad behaviour, sickness or lateness, names are sometimes given.

The log book might also indicate details of any school fees paid.

Since government grants depended on pupil attendance, log books often record the effects of bad weather, employment of children or epidemic diseases.

Some log books also give information beyond school matters which might include details about the local community, wartime or significant national events.

Many school log books held by us are available on microfilm.

• For log books of closed Norfolk schools, see C/ED 2/1-313
• For log books of closed Norwich schools, see N/ED 1/1-135
• From July 1991, log books are listed with the records of individual schools

Some log books and admission registers, c. 1870-c. 1914, are available to view online at www.findmypast.co.uk (opens new window).

For a detailed history of log books and their uses, see P Horn, The School Log Book, in Short Guides to Records: Second Series, ed. K M Thompson (London, 1997).

School admission registers

Registers of pupils admitted to a school were usually kept from the 1870s, but some schools maintained such records before this date.

They usually record the child's name, dates of birth and admission, plus parents' or guardians' names.

Some include information on the standard attained, job taken on leaving and details of transfer from or to another school.

In cases where school admission registers have not survived, daily class attendance registers have been kept where they are available.

Many school admission registers at the NRO are available on microfilm.

• For admission registers of closed Norfolk schools, see C/ED 4/1-124
• For admission registers of closed Norwich schools, see N/ED 8/1-155
• From July 1991, admission registers are listed with the records of individual schools

Some log books and admission registers, c. 1870-c. 1914, are available to view online at www.findmypast.co.uk (opens new window).

Punishment books

It was required that a separate book should be kept for each school, detailing all corporal punishments administered.

From 1900, HMIs examined the school punishment book during their visit.

These books usually record the pupil's name, date of punishment, nature of the offence and type of punishment given.

• For punishment books of closed Norfolk schools, see C/ED 10/1-16
• For punishment books of closed Norwich schools, see N/ED 13/1
• From July 1991, punishment books are listed with the records of individual schools

School manager's minutes and governors' minutes

Meeting minutes of school managers contain details of the administration of the committee, its membership and duties.

Manager's minutes often deal with issues such as:

• Supplies and tenders
• Staff appointments, resignations and salaries
• The school building (including alterations and maintenance)
• Letting of school property
• Fire protection and insurance

The minutes sometimes give details of school hours, term dates and preparations for events such as jubilees, fetes and wartime.

• For managers' minutes of closed Norfolk schools, see C/ED 5/1-73
• For managers' minutes of Norwich schools, see N/TC 35/5/2-16, N/TC/35/6/7, N/TC/35/13/1-33, N/ED 12/1-19, 31-34
• From July 1991, managers' minutes are listed with the records of individual schools

All state schools now have a governing body, which can include parents, staff and representatives from the local authority and community.  Governors do their work voluntarily, but they may be paid expenses.

Governors are responsible for providing strategic management and leadership.

They are also involved in appointing the headteacher, managing certain school budgets and reviewing exclusions of pupils from the school.

In schools which act as their own admissions authorities, including some voluntary aided schools and academies, the governors are responsible for setting the admission policy and making decisions about admissions.

Many public schools also have a governing body, but they usually set their own criteria for its composition.

School governors' minutes, and other documents, are usually listed with records of individual schools.

School managers' portfolios

These distinctive black folders contain paperwork including inspectors' reports, grant applications and correspondence with central government and the Norfolk Education Committee.

Complete portfolios, or their partial contents, survive for very few schools and they are often incomplete.

Where they survive, they are usually listed with the records of individual schools.

Parish records

There are sometimes managers' minutes and other records for Church of England or parochial schools among the ecclesiastical parish records.

These can include deeds to the school premises and correspondence with the Local Education Authority (LEA). See PD lists.

Accounts and financial records

We hold accounts for some, but not all, schools and very few accounts survive which detail the building of a school.

Stock books, which record the purchase of school equipment and its value, sometimes also survive. 

They are usually listed with the records of individual schools.

We do not hold the current or semi-current financial records of schools.

Maps and plans

Ordnance Survey (OS) maps at the Norfolk Heritage Centre (NHC)

Checking maps of different dates to see if the school is marked can help identify when it was built.

It can also show changes in the size and shape of the building over time.

The earliest OS maps date from the mid to late 19th century and are available at the NHC.

Department of Education and Science Building Grant plans

We hold a small but significant series of school building plans and drawings from the Department of Education and Science.

The Public Record Office, now The National Archives (TNA), gave these plans to us in 1965 and their reference is P/BG 1-140.

The records in this series are plans, elevations, sections and sketches of new or additional school building schemes.

These were submitted to the Department of Education and Science in the hope of attracting grants for the proposals.

Many were successful in attracting funding, but others failed to meet with approval. In these latter cases, no grant was made and no buildings were constructed in the form submitted.

The responsible architect or builder usually signed the plans, which cover both successful and failed proposals.

They mostly date from the 1840s to the 1870s in about 140 city and county parishes.

They are often accompanied by ancillary documents, including sketched details of fixtures and fittings and notes of costings.

The School Inspectorate

Inspection of elementary schools was made a condition of government grants from 1839 and, at first, the inspectorate was organised by religious denomination.

The denominational nature of inspection was abolished in the 1870s and replaced by a system based on territorial districts. 

From this date, HMIs did not have to comment on religious instruction.

For a detailed history of the inspectorate, and information about records held centrally at TNA, see A Morton, Education and the State from 1833 (Kew, 1997).

HMI reports

Reports of HMIs are usually found with the records of individual schools. A summary of the report was also copied into the school's log book, by the headteacher.

They usually give a brief history of the school and comment on its general and academic progress.

• For HMI reports on Norwich schools, 1948-65, see N/ED 4/1-112
• For HMI reports on schools in Great Yarmouth, 1904-65, see Y/ED 694-714
• From July 1991, inspectors' reports are listed with the records of individual schools

Diocesan inspector's reports

The Diocese of Norwich also inspected religious education in Church of England Schools.

Reports of the diocesan inspectors give details of the type and standard of instruction. 

They are usually located with the records of individual schools or sometimes in the parish records.

Summaries of the reports were often entered into the school's log book.

There are also minutes of the Norwich Diocesan Religious Instruction Committee, 1930-45, which includes annual meeting minutes of the Diocesan inspectors. See DN/DBF 2/73.

Ofsted reports

Ofsted took over from HMI in 1992 and their inspection reports are usually listed with the records of individual schools.

For some schools, copies of Ofsted inspection reports can be found in the files of textual records, compiled by the BBC relating to its broadcasts from the 1980s to 2002. The files covering schools are arranged in an alpha-numeric sequence and are referenced AUD 1/1/1014-1172.

Some records concerning Ofsted inspections are also held by TNA (opens new window).

For current reports on individual schools, please refer to Ofsted's website (opens new window).

School publications

The official school prospectus, magazine and newsletter can be valuable sources for researching the history of a particular institution.

They often give a broad variety of details including:

• Lists of staff
• Lists of pupils
• Sports teams
• Term dates
• Building alterations
• General information about the school's culture

In some cases, they may contain contributions from the children themselves and many give information about the wider community.

They are also a useful source for pictures and photographs of the school.

For some schools there may also be unpublished histories, commemorative books produced for anniversaries, and programmes for sports days, concerts or other events.

School publications are usually listed with records of individual schools.

Photographs

Photographs can help to build up a picture of the school and comparing them can provide evidence of changes over time, as well as documenting events and past pupils.

We hold a variety of school photographs and they are usually listed with records of individual schools.

The NHC also holds a substantial collection of photographs, which includes pictures of schools. Many of their photographs are available through the Picture Norfolk (opens new window) archive.

For further advice about using photographs as a source, see W B Stephens and R W Unwin, Materials for the Local and Regional History of Schooling, 1700-1900 (London, 1987).

Pupils' work

It is less common to find surviving examples of pupils' work than administrative records created by schools about their pupils.

However, where they survive, records of pupils' work, such as exercise books, can help to give researchers a fuller picture of the school, enhancing knowledge about the curriculum and teaching methods.

We hold a variety of pupils' work, which is usually listed with records of individual schools.

In other cases, individuals have deposited schoolwork in their possession, which is usually listed with their personal or family records.  ]

Please refer to the card index to school archives and the online catalogue (opens new window).

Surveys were compiled by Norfolk County Council's Education Department in 1903 and 1944. They contain returns from schools which came under the department (so do not include schools in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn).

The 1903 survey gives names of staff and has been indexed; it also includes a sketch plan of each school. For details of each survey see series C/ED 183. For a census and survey of school population in Great Yarmouth, 1936-1937, see Y/ED 150.

• S J Curtis and M E A Boultwood, An Introductory History of Education since 1800 (London, 1966)

• E Higgs, Making Sense of the Census Revisited (London, 2005)

• P Horn, The School Log Book in Short Guides to Records ed. K M Thompson (London, 1997) pp 104-108

• P Horn, The Victorian and Edwardian School Child, (Gloucester, 1989)

• H B Jaffa, Norfolk Events, 1901-38 (Norwich, 1939)

• A Longcroft and S Wade-Mardins (eds), Building an Education: An Historical and Architectural Study of Rural Schools and Schooling in Norfolk c1800-1944, Journal of the Norfolk Historic Buildings Group, volume 5 (2013)

• C Mackie, Norfolk Annals, 1801-1850, (Norwich, 1901)

• C Mackie, Norfolk Annals, 1851-1900, (Norwich, 1901)

• A Morton, Education and the State from 1833 (Kew, 1997)

• J Richardson, The Local Historian's Encyclopaedia, (New Barnet, 1993), pp141-146

• W B Stephens, Education in Britain, 1750-1914 (Basingstoke, 1988) - a copy is available through the Norfolk Library Service

• W B Stephens and R W Unwin, Materials for the Local and Regional Study of Schooling 1700-1900 (London, 1987)