Depending on the school there may be a wikipedia page or for current schools the school website. Some schools still store their old documents and especially old school magazines.

Peter Higginbotham’s Children’s Homes website covers many types of school set up to look after paupers and criminals, check under “All About…” on the left hand side menu, or search for a specific school. Check out this short video for how to explore the website and the range of information shown.

One-Place Studies (OPSs) may have detailed information about a school and its pupils and teachers. Some OPSs focus entirely on the school – for example this study of an orphan school in Hull

Check out some blogs eg Children in Victorian Times, this one on Schooldays or short videos, consider visiting local museums with a focus on education to get an idea of the desks and equipment used in the past.

Newspapers add colour and many different types of information regarding events, fund raising, absences, advertisements for teachers or other staff, regional teachers meetings, retirements, marriages of women teachers (which usually meant they stopped work), appointments of governors or managers, awards won, scandals, changes to the buildings. etc.

The National Archive and county or more local archives may well have more specific advice leaflets regarding how to research the school and teachers in their area and sources available.

The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick, houses teacher’s union resources and National Union of Students information. Remember to check nearby University Archives too.

There is also a register of teachers 1914-1948

What you really want, are school admission registers, punishment books and minutes. These are usually found in the archives. There its usually a ban on accessing those records for 96-100 years.

More specific information about Sticklepath School follows …