Bill Hunter started his education at Stanhope Road Elementary in 1918 from where, at the age of 12, he moved to Westoe Secondary School. On leaving school in 1931, at the age of 18, he took a place at Armstrong College (Durham University) where he studied Maths and Physics, with Chemistry and Botany as subsidiary subjects.

He gained his BSc in 1934 and carried on an extra year to take his Diploma in the Theory and Practice of Teaching, where he spent his three months' teaching practice at Jarrow Central School.

In February, 1936, he took up a place at Laygate Lane Boys Juniors where he stayed until he left in September, 1940 (presumably for his war service). And in February, 1946, he joined the staff of the South Shields High School for Boys. It isn't known when he left the school, but he was still there in the late 1960s.