School records held by the Highland Archive Service include Admission Registers, Log Books, feu charters, photographs and minute books. They come from hundreds of schools, school boards and school management committees across the Highlands.
Date and location coverage
All four of our archive centres hold school records. Many start in or around 1873, following the Education (Scotland) Act of 1872., the Act which established compulsory state education for children aged 5-13. Dates and locations covered vary depending on what records (if any) survive and whether records have been deposited with the Highland Archive Service.
What can these records be used for?
- Admission Registers detail the name, parent/guardian, address, and date of birth of pupils.
- Log Books reveal the day to day life of the school and are a good source of social history.
- School Board or Management Committee minutes record the appointment of teachers and details regarding the condition of school buildings.
These records can be used:
- to find out if/when someone attended school
- to discover what lessons were taught
- to establish who provided the land for a school to be built
- to trace a teacher
- to learn about the social history of the Highlands
- to witness the impact of world events on school children
Access and restrictions
Due to the personal information within Admission Registers access is not given to those created less than 100 years ago, except in certain circumstances. Access is not given to Log Book entries created less than 50 years ago. If you require access to a closed record, please contact us.
Copies and photography
Both photocopying and photography of these records are permitted. Charges may apply.
What next?
If you’ve found a relevant address in a school Admission Register why not have a look in a Valuation Roll to learn more about the others who lived in that area?
