About Us
The School Archives & Records Association (SARA) was created in 1998 when a handful of archivists working in independent schools gathered at Lancing College to share their experiences and exchange views. From this initial meeting a series of annual conferences has been hosted in subsequent years at a variety of members’ schools and at The National Archives.
Regional and theme-specific workshops for members are also convened each year.
The group remains a valuable resource for those looking to share ideas, learn from best practice within the field and enhance their own professional understanding and development. The current membership includes representatives of over 440 state and independent schools mostly, but not solely, in the UK.
The group is steered by a Committee of ten archivists, a Chairman and a lifetime President. The Committee as well as other experienced school archivists are available to offer support through a Mentor Scheme . Since 2012, the Discussion Forum has allowed members to share questions, suggest answers and discuss ideas among the whole membership.
Each year resources created for the annual conference as well as documents addressing changes in professional practice are added to the website. This useful library of information is a helpful aid on a variety of topics spanning GDPR and conservation, to volunteer management and funding applications. The site also contains a list of useful Links .
