This information guide provides details about school and college records, for the current county of Durham and the borough of Darlington, held at The Story.

The requirement for schools in England to keep a daily log book was introduced in 1862 under the ‘Revised Code of Regulations’ issued by the Committee of Council on Education. Schools seeking government grants were required to maintain a log book recording the day-to-day running of the school.

The 1862 Code specified that the headteacher was to make regular entries recording significant events affecting the school. These include notes on the curriculum for different classes, staff appointments and resignations, attendance (particularly if affected by bad weather, illness or local need, such as harvests), and celebratory or significant historical events. HM Inspectors would examine the log book during inspections. 

This requirement to keep a log book was strengthened after the 1870 ‘Elementary Education Act’.  From 1871, weekly entries, rather than daily, were permitted.

While teachers’ names appear frequently in log books it is rare for individual pupil names to be included.  When they do appear, it is often connected to a noteworthy moment in that pupil’s school career.

To comply with data protection legislation, access to school log books is restricted for at least 30 years and up to 100 years from the date of the last entry in the record and is dependent on the type of information included by the headteacher.  For example, a 1950 log book that provides a detailed account of a named pupil’s poor behaviour would not be available to view, while another for the same date that contains no named pupil or staff information, would be viewable.

The Story holds log books for the current county of Durham and Darlington from 1863 onwards.  Check our online collections search for more information.

For log books covering areas formerly in County Durham:

• see Tyne & Wear Archives for schools now in Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland.  
• see Teesside Archives for schools now in Stockton and Hartlepool.

Log books covering the period 1863-1914 were digitised as part of a National Schools log books and admission registers project to make these school records more widely available.  They are available to view on FindMyPast.  A subscription may be required to view or access is free at The Story.

The requirement to keep school admission registers dates from the early 1870s after the implementation of the Elementary Education Act (1870), an act that created school boards and dramatically increased the availability of state education. Admission registers at The Story begin in 1870.

The registers usually give:

• The child’s full name.
• Date of birth.
• Admission date.
• Parents' names.
• Last school attended.

They also often record the date of leaving and the pupil’s destination.

To comply with data protection legislation, access to school admission registers is restricted for a 100 years from the date of the last entry in the record.  If you need to access school information about yourself, or a deceased person to whom you are directly related, please email us at collections@thestorydurham.org for advice. 

The Story holds admission registers for the current county of Durham and Darlington from 1870 onwards.  Check our online collections search for more information.

For admission registers covering areas formerly in County Durham:

• see Tyne & Wear Archives for schools now in Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland.  
• see Teesside Archives for schools now in Stockton and Hartlepool.

Admission registers covering the period 1863-1914 were digitised as part of a National Schools log books and admission registers project to make these school records more widely available.  They are available to view on FindMyPast.  A subscription may be required to view or access is free at The Story.

For information about current schools in County Durham and Darlington, see:

Durham County Council – Find a school or college

Darlington Borough Council – School finder

The Story holds records of the College of St Hild and St Bede, commonly known as Hild Bede, a college of the University of Durham.

Hild Bede was formed in 1975 by the merger of two single-sex teacher training colleges. The College of the Venerable Bede, for men, was founded in 1839 and was associated with the University from 1892. St Hild’s College, for women, was founded in 1858 and was associated with the University from 1896.

To comply with Data Protection legislation, access to some of the records is restricted for up to 100 years from the last date in a volume or file.  Access to student records is restricted for 85 years. Contact us at collections@thestorydurham.org for advice about access to student and staff records.

Check our online collections search for more information about this collection.

Items can be viewed by booking an appointment in our collections room.

The Story holds some records of Darlington College of Education. The College, founded by the British and Foreign School Society, was a teacher training college from 1876 to 1978. In 1978 the building became Darlington Arts Centre and is now owned by Darlington Borough Council.

Some of the records are of a confidential nature and access is restricted for up to 100 years from the last date in a volume or file, to comply with Data Protection legislation. Access to student records is restricted for 85 years. Contact us for advice about access to student and staff records.

To comply with Data Protection legislation, access to some of the records is restricted for up to 100 years from the last date in a volume or file.  Access to student records is restricted for 85 years. Contact us at collections@thestorydurham.org for advice about access to student and staff records.

Check our online collections search for more information about this collection.

Items can be viewed by booking an appointment in our collections room.