Mr Kavanagh's primary education was at the Startforth Morritt Memorial School in Barnard Castle, from 1927 to 1933, following which he had a grammar-school education at Barnard Castle School until 1940.

He does not appear to have studied for a degree, but did a two-year Teaching Certificate course at Bede College, Durham University.

His first teaching post as at West Boldon Church of England School, from 1947 and, in 1951, he transferred to South Shields High School for Boys.

At Easter, 1957, Mr Kavanagh took up a post at an un-named secondary modern school in Hertfordshire.