1957-1970: The Scottish Education Department
Before 1957 independent schools were not subject to registration or inspection by the Scottish Education Department. However . . .
On 20th February 1957 John Aitkenhead received a letter from SED (Scottish Education Department) referencing SED Circular No.350:
‘Proprietors of independent schools will be advised in due course how to apply for the registration of their schools.’
Government had passed legislation requiring all independent schools to be registered and therefore become subject to inspection. Kilquhanity House School was subject of a first inspection on 2oth June and 10th July 1957 which resulted in the following letters:
The newspapers picked up on the inspection report with the following articles appearing in December 1957
John Aitkenhead submitted an application for registration of Kilquhanity in February 1958:
This form required other information including number and sex of children as well staff details.
The form notes: 14 boarding boys and 4 boarding girls and no day pupils.
The staff identified as:
John Aitkenhead
Bet Kelso appointed 1942 Montessori trained, Norland Institute of Nursing, Diploma Glasgow School of Art.
Keta McKinnon appointed 1956 Froebel Training (Berlin)
William McKinnon appointed 1956 uncertificated
The first inspection focussed on premises and health and safety concerns. The saga of conflict between the SED Inspectors and the school over such issues continued for at least a further 13 years.
One notable correspondence refers to the installation of a toilet in the Lodge accommodation. Originally the toilet had been located in an outhouse. The inspectors required a toilet inside the Lodge. One letter from the inspectors notes they were pleased to see a new toilet but had expected it to be coupled up to a drainage pipe!
The school was granted final registration in April 1970. John noted at the foot of the letter:
‘Is this a record! Provisionally registered since ’52)
SED inspections continued periodically. I visited the National Archive of Scotland which reveals many internal memoranda between SED inspectors and officers (many of which I copied long-hand and typed up later):
12.10.67 J.W. Sinclair, Registrar of Independent Schools to Mr Forbes HMCI (Chief Inspector): ‘on educational grounds, does this seem to be a school which should continue to be accepted for registration or is it one which should possibly be closed?’
On 8th of February C. Murray (Inspector) wrote to Mr Forbes: Comments on the Registration of Kilquhanity:
By 1968 the registration of Kilquhanity was beginning to be thought of as politically sensitive:
I noted the following comment with regard to ‘O’ Grade examinations (source author unknown):
This saga continued with premises and health and safety inspectors pretty much intent on closing Kilquhanity whilst the inspectors of education supported the school.
Prior to final registration in 1970 the school was inspected by HMI Forbes who submitted the following report on 27th March 1969:
The relationship between John Aitkenhead the health and safety representatives of HMI continued on a ‘sticky wicket’; however, those Inspectors of Education who visited the school, up until 1996, were always positive about this educational experiment.