VPRS 20203 Teachers' Time Book and Absence Registers

Full description

This series comprises records documenting teacher attendance and leave during their employment at Aberfeldie Primary School (School No. 4220) (VA 5449). While not a full individual work history, the ‘Teachers’ Timebook’ and ‘Absence Register’ provide a snapshot of staff at the school at a moment in time and provide supplementary information detailing which teachers taught where and at what time.

These records were used by schools from the early 20th century until the early 2000s.

From the 1980s, schools began transitioning to the Computerised Administrative System Environment in Schools (CASES) database, a centralised digital enrolment system maintained by the Education Department (VA 714) or its successors. Initially not widely used, the then Department of Education (VA 3098) introduced an updated CASES21, which became the mandatory system of record for financial information and reporting for all Victorian government schools from 2006. While CASES21 was also used for student and school administration processes, schools were permitted to utilise other third-party software to meet their needs in conjunction with the system.

Teachers’ Timebook

The Teachers’ Timebook is a standardised register used at each school to log the daily arrival and departure times for teachers.

Inside the front cover are instructions for teachers to follow, regarding time of arrival and departure, hours of duty, hours of instruction, instruction of student teachers, and school cleaning.

Inside the book are four tables per page, one table per work week, with space to record the date. Below are columns to fill in the names of teachers in level of seniority, their position, and then details of their hours worked Monday to Friday, including the day, date, hour and minute of their arrival and departure.

Absence Register

The Absence Register is a standardised register used at each school to record details of teachers’ absence from work. ‘Absence Register’ is printed on the front cover, with spaces to fill in school number and name.

Inside the front cover are rules and procedures regarding absences and instructions on the proper use of the register.

Inside the volume, each page includes a section to record the year and "Roll No." (the meaning of "Roll No." remains subject to further research). Below this the teachers documented details of their absences, with fields for the record number, name and position of the teacher (e.g. "H.T" for Head Teacher), date and cause of absence, number of times absent since January 1st of the given year, and any additional remarks.