Catalogue description Department of Education and Science and predecessors: Secondary Schools Digest files

Department of Education and Science (DES) and predecessors secondary schools digest files documenting important changes in the accommodation, status and organisation of secondary schools.

Papers regarded by the DES as containing significant information were removed from the original "school file" and placed on a digest file. The files relate to both those secondary schools set up as a result of the 1944 Education Act and to grammar and technical schools already set up at that time. Included are legal orders, information on building projects, a number of statistics and official letters concerning the award of grants to voluntary schools.

They also contain the most recent HMI reports at the time of digesting as earlier ones were not transferred to the digested file. The files for all schools in Bedfordshire to Dorset have been digested and some files from other counties, county boroughs, and London boroughs as files were only digested if called for by DES staff.

Earlier papers relating to secondary institutions can be found in ED 35

A complete series of HMI reports for secondary schools can be found in ED 109

Board of Education, 1899-1944

Department of Education and Science, 1964-1992

Education Department, 1856-1899

Ministry of Education, 1944-1964

An index of counties county boroughs and London boroughs is available. Please speak to staff at the enquiry desk for the precise location.