ABSTRACT
In the early part of the nineteenth century elementary schools were provided either by private individuals or by one of the religious societies, notably the non-denominational British and Foreign Schools Society (BFSS) and the National Society, which was formed by the Church of England. Young men, appointed as assistant inspectors, were given their Letters of Instruction, assigned to a full Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI) and, with minimum guidance, were sent to inspect the schools in the less congenial parts of his district. HMI was an elderly clergyman, a little man with an immense paunch and tiny grey eyes like gimlets. The period 1895–1939 was one of reorganisation and consolidation, when HMI moved away from the Revised Code era and adapted to changing circumstances. At national level, HMI played some part in educational policy development, retaining considerable influence over the elementary school curriculum.
