Spens Committee on Secondary Education

Minutes, working papers, notes of evidence and draft reports of the Spens Committee on Secondary Education.

Includes typescript list of documents.

The 1899 Board of Education Act established a Board of Education 'charged with the superintendence of matters relating to education in England and Wales' (section 1). It provided for the establishment of a Consultative Committee to keep a register of teachers and to advise the Board 'on any matter referred to the committee by the Board'.

The Consultative Committee produced many reports during its lifetime, including the six Hadow Reports of the 1920s and 30s. Spens was its last: it was replaced following the 1944 Education Act by the Central Advisory Council for Education (CACE).

The Special Collections Reading Room is open Monday-Friday. Opening hours vary, for updates see our Archives Hub repository page.

Researchers are required to book an appointment before their visit, through specialcollections@le.ac.uk or 0116 252 2056.

Donated by Professor Brian Simon (Lady Simon's youngest son) in 1972.

These papers were originally the property of Shena Dorothy Simon (1883-1972) who was a member of the Spens Committee and the wife of the 1st Baron Simon of Wythenshawe.

Prepared by Dr. A. Lacey. Special Collections Librarian, University of Leicester.

'A handlist of the manuscript collection'. Compiled by Brian Burch and Jenny Clark. Leicester : Leicester University Library, 1998.

Simon, Joan, 'The shaping of the Spens Report on Secondary Education 1933-1935 : an insider's view', British Journal of Educational Studies , vol.25. 1977. Pt.1, pp.63-80 and Pt.2, pp.170-185.