School education prior to 1873
Prior to 1873 primary and secondary education was provided principally by the Church of Scotland, other religious denominations and charitable organizations. In many Scottish towns, burgh schools were operated by burgh councils. Many families, who could afford to do so, paid for the services of private tutors. Records created by schools themselves for this period are very few, but details of their administration can often be extracted from the minute books of bodies which ran or supervised them, such as kirk sessions, presbyteries and burgh councils. Family papers may include records relating to private schooling (both at fee paying schools and by private tutor within the home).