Catalogue description Ministry of Education and Department of Education and Science: 1944 Education Act, Schemes for Divisional Administration, Registered Files (G Series)

Section 6 and Part III of the First Schedule of the 1944 Education Act provided for the setting up of new machinery for the local administration of the state system of education in county areas. The functions of Local Education Authorities could be delegated to divisional executives by schemes of divisional administration relating to primary and secondary education, extendible to cover further education at the discretion of the Minister. The object was to secure that while, within the framework of national policy, the education service in county areas was administered under the general control and supervision of the Local Education Authority, it would not lose the inspiration to be derived from more immediate local interest and initiative. It was not intended that every county would be so divided.

Divisional executives were generally to be composed of representatives of the local education authority, persons nominated by district councils within the divisional area, and other persons of experience in education, or acquainted with the educational needs of the area. Where the divisional area coincided with a borough or urban district the council of that district might form the divisional executive.

The Ministry of Education provided detailed guidance on the preparation and submission of schemes of divisional administration in Circular 5 of 15 September 1954.

Under Section 52 of the Local Government Act 1958 the Minister of Education was empowered to consider fresh claims for 'Excepted District' status from boroughs and urban districts. This status was given automatically, on application, to boroughs and urban districts with a population below 60,000 or rural districts of any size could be accorded excepted district status only if the minister was satisfied that special circumstances justified it.