Guides and databases: Education (Theory and Practice): Special Collections

Special Collections: Educational theory and practice

The Special Collections at the Institute of Education Library contain a wide range of resources related to educational theory and practice. Among them:

The History of Education Collection includes material on all aspects of education, published before 1940. Although the majority of these resources are from the 19th and 20th century, we also hold books published in the 16th, 17th and 18th century.
The School Exam Papers Collection refers to public examinations for pupils aged 16 and 18 and includes publications by the main examining boards.
The Schools, Colleges and Universities Histories Collection focuses on the history of individual schools across the UK, told by parents, pupils, academics, local researchers and many others.

These resources (as well as the other special collections at the IOE) can only be accessed for reference and an appointment needs to be arranged in advance. Please contact the Institute of Education Library in the first instance.

UCL Institute of Education Archives

Part of UCL Special Collections, the UCL Institute of Education Archives consists of deposited and donated archive collections. Material ranges in date from the late 18th century to the present day. The collections cover all levels of education from pre-school and school through to further, higher, teacher and adult education, in formal, informal and experimental settings. The Archives have collections on research, practice, policy and thought in education and related areas. They provide a rich resource for the study of education and wider social policy worldwide.

UCL Records look after UCL’s institutional archive, books and other printed material connected with UCL’s history. The institutional archive consists of UCL’s records from its foundation in 1826 to the present day. Collected material includes architectural drawings, card indexes, governance records, staff and student files, and records of general administration.

Archive collections relevant to the study of educational theory and practice include:

Papers of Amelia Fysh (nee Bullen) (AF)
Fysh was a nursery teacher who specialised in teaching children with disabilities. She pioneered inclusive education for all children long before the publication of the Warnock Report (1978) and advocated the importance of creative and stimulating learning - particularly learning through play.
Records of the Institute of Education 1902-1949 (IE/1)
Records relating the work of the London Day Training College (from 1932 the University of London, Insitute of Education) from 1904 until the re-establishment of the Institute in response to the recommendations of the McNair Committee in 1949.
Papers of Susan Isaacs (1885-1948) (SI)
Susan Isaacs was a teacher and trained psychoanalyst. From 1924-1927 she was Head of Malting House School, an experimental school which fostered the individual development of children. In 1933 she became the first Head of the Child Development Department at the University of London, Institute of Education where she established an advanced course in child development for teachers of young children.
Papers of the White family (WF)
The collection comprises the papers of three generations of the White family. Winnie Nicolls was a teacher who, in 1916-1917, founded The Garden School, which was based on principles of love, freedom, brotherhood, cooperation and service. Her sister, Mary Louisa White worked as a music teacher and invented the 'Letterless Method' of teaching music to beginners.
Papers of the Woodcraft Folk (YMA/WF)
The Woodcraft Folk is an educational movement for children and young people, with historical ties to the Co-operative Movement, the International Falcon Movement and the Socialist Educational International. This collection spans from 1910-1975, and includes yearbooks, administrative material, tests and badges, correspondence and photographs.

Special Collections

UCL Special Collections is one of the foremost university collections of manuscripts, archives and rare books in the UK. Our holdings span the 4th century to the present day and cover a vaste range of subject areas and disciplines. The strengths of the collections include language, literature and poetry from the 15th to the 21st centuries, 20th and 21st century small-press publishing, politics and social policy, History of Science, Mathematics, Latin American history and economics, Hebraica and Judaica, Education, the history of London and the history of UCL.

UCL Special Collections

Digital Collections

Digital Collections
UCL Digital Collections is home to the Library's digitised materials and research data. You can search the collections, or browse an overview of all our holdings.

Visiting Special Collections

Anyone with a need to consult our collections is welcome to do so. UCL Special Collections is reference only. It is essential to book in advance to make sure of a reading room place and that the items requested are available. Please contact us at least two weeks before you intend to visit. Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate drop-in visits.

Visiting Special Collections

Archives and manuscripts - search the catalogue

Search the catalogues for collections held across:

UCL Special Collections comprising UCL Archives, UCL Records and the Institute of Education (IOE);
School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES);
Queen Square Archives comprising the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (UCLH) and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

Search UCL Archives