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Group photo of children and adults outside West Watten Public School, posed in rows against a stone wall. Date 1910.

The Education (Scotland) Act 1872: 150 years of learning

Highland Archive Centre
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Few pieces of legislation can have had such an impact on Scotland’s children as the Education (Scotland) Act 1872.  Following on from the 1870 Education Act in England & Wales, it would revolutionise the education system in Scotland, making provision for a Board of Education for Scotland and the establishment of local school boards across the country.

This was the moment that education became compulsory for children aged 5-13, the training of teachers went into overdrive, hundreds of new school buildings were erected, and thousands of admission registers and school log books were generated as record-keeping was standardised. 

Historic black-and-white photograph showing a group of seven schoolgirls posed outdoors against a large stone wall with two buildings in the background. They are wearing heavy garments with shawls and head coverings, and some have white cloths draped across their shoulders. Taken on St Kilda.

St Kilda schoolchildren, date unknown

Early 20th-century group photo of male and female teachers from Fort William Higher Grade School posed outdoors in two rows, wearing formal suits and long dresses, with a patterned rug in front.

Teachers at Fort William Higher Grade School, 1911

Group photo of children and adults outside West Watten Public School, posed in rows against a stone wall. Date 1910.

West Watten School - Pupils

To mark the 150th anniversary of this transformative act, join us to learn why it was needed, what it meant for our young people, and what the records it generated can tell us about teachers, subjects, holidays, discipline, and other subjects.  Delve into the Highland Archive Service collections to learn about the benefits the Education (Scotland) Act brought, the problems it created, and the legacy we’re all still living with.

Click on the tiles below to explore the exhibition. 

Historic hand-drawn map showing a section of Inverness with streets, rows of buildings, and a river on the right side. The map includes a rectangular plot labeled “A Piece of Ground” with measurements, and a scale marked in feet on the left. Architectural details of buildings and a tower are illustrated along the streets.

Before the Act

A black-and-white photograph of a large group of schoolchildren posed in three rows outside a stone building with three-paned windows. The children are wearing early 20th-century clothing, including dresses, pinafores, and buttoned jackets. Most are seated on a bench in the front row, with others standing behind. Several children have bare feet, while others wear boots. One child in the front row holds a chalkboard sign that reads: “Embo Public School, 1912. 3 171."

The Act

Architectural elevation drawing of a two-story and single-story building with pitched roofs, chimneys, and a scale at the bottom.

Buildings

Open school register from 1875 showing handwritten columns of student names, admission details, and progress records.

Recordkeeping

Early 20th-century group photo of male and female teachers from Fort William Higher Grade School posed outdoors in two rows, wearing formal suits and long dresses, with a patterned rug in front.

Teachers

Handwritten school timetable from 1916 showing subjects and time slots in a grid, with notes and a signature at the bottom.

Subjects

Historic team photo of a school shinty team from the 1980s posed in front of a stone building, wearing matching sports uniforms and holding shinty sticks.

Games, Sport and Play

Handwritten school log book entries from 1873–1874 noting opening day, holidays, attendance, and classroom challenges.

High days and holidays

A Lochgelly tawse, a thick leather strap with two tails, resting diagonally on a wooden stool with a visible wood grain surface.

Discipline

Handwritten school log book entry dated May 21, 1875 noting a holiday for the local market, a ball frame drill, and difficulty teaching English numeration.

Impact on Gaelic

Large group of pupils in maroon and yellow uniforms seated on a gym floor with staff standing at the back; chairs line the left side of the hall.

Legacy of the Act

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