Cataloguing the Classroom: The Dundee School Archives Project

We hold records for over 120 Dundee schools and nurseries, past and present. You can view catalogues of the records we hold below. To view the records, you will need to visit our searchroom.

These collections may include log books, admission registers, photographs and other items such as magazines, yearbooks, etc. Please note that the records held for each school vary. Find out more about the different records available and the information they contain.  

Please note that admission registers under 100 years old and some other records which contain personal information, are closed to the public. For more information or to find out to how to access them please see our guidance on Information on Individual Pupils. Registers of Admissions up to 1924 have been indexed and can be viewed online on the Friends of Dundee City Archives website.

If you are not sure which school you are looking for, or would like more information about a school, please see our Schools Guide. This includes a map of all schools in Dundee, past and present.

Nursery Schools
Primary Schools
A - I
J - R
S - Z
Secondary Schools
Special Education

Dundee High School

We hold the archives of the High School of Dundee (Ref: GD/DHS). Please note that there are few records relating to pupils before the 1880s. Some later records can be searched on the Friends of Dundee City Archives Website. For more information on the contents of the collection, please contact us.

Please note that some records relating to living individuals are closed to the public. For more information or to find out to how to access them please see our guidance on closed records.

Industrial Schools

We hold the records of the Dundee Industrial Schools – Balgay (Girls) and Baldovan (Boys).

Please note that records that contain personal information are closed for 100 years. Please contact us for further information.

Accessing your own records

If you are looking for records relating to your time at school please see our guidance on Information on Individual Pupils.

Other Records

The Archives also holds records of the Dundee School Board, Broughty Ferry School Board, Dundee (Landward) School Board, Mains and Strathmartine School Board, the Dundee Education Authority and the Education Committees of Dundee Corporation/Town Council, Tayside Regional Council and Dundee City Council. These records relate to the running of the schools. They are unlikely to mention any pupils but may mention staff by name. They will also mention key decisions made about the school, such as budgets and building work.

We also hold many other personal collections which contain school related items, including personal collections of school records, e.g. exercise books, certificates, and photographs. Have a look on our Subject Index (3.2MB PDF) or contact us to find out if we have what you’re looking for.

If you have any school related items that you would like to offer to the archives, please see our guide on depositing school related records.

To view the records you will need to visit our searchroom.

Find out more about the different type of records listed in the catalogues.

You can find information about individuals online.