Ken Crawford was first educated at Mortimer Road School from 1933, and he moved to the South Shields High School in October, 1939, where he stayed until July, 1946.

On leaving school, he studied at Kings College, University of Durham where, in 1949, he was awarded his BSc (Hons) in Geography, Botany and Geology. He stayed on a further year, leaving in June, 1950, with his Diploma in Education.

He didn't go straight into teaching in the UK. Instead, in June, 1952, he went to work for the Sudan Government's Education Services, where he remained. In January, 1958, he returned to the UK and joined the staff of South Shields Grammar-Technical School for Boys, but after only four months, in April, 1958, he went to teach at the Glossop Grammar School.

He returned to the SSGTSFB in January 1961, leaving in August, 1964, to work in education administration in Rochdale.