VPRS 20492 Inspector's Report Books

Full description

This series consists of Inspector's Report Books which provide a detailed examination of the school building and grounds, student activities and teaching as observed by the Inspector at the time of their visit to Fish Creek and District Primary School (School No. 3028) (VA 5480).

School Inspectors reported on teacher, student, and school performance and the implementation of Department policies at Victorian government schools from 1852 until 1984. Outside of their advisory and assessment duties, District Inspectors oversaw fielding, investigating and responding to complaints and concerns regarding teachers. 

Inspectors, collectively known as the Inspectorate, were first appointed following a Report from the Select Committee on Education in 1852, and from 1853 were directly accountable to the National Board of Commissioners. From 1862, they were appointed by the Board of Education (VA 713), and from then until 1904 were accountable to the Board and its successors.

Reports were made by the Inspector in Inspector’s Registers from approximately 1862 until the late 19th century, when they were replaced by Inspector’s Report Books until end of the Inspectorial System in 1984 after which greater accountability was given to school councils and principals.  

The Inspector’s Report Book were issued to all schools by the Education Department (VA 714) and its successors. The Inspectors recorded the school number, date and time of visit, comments, and signed the books. Some books also contain official Departmental receipts for donations collected from the head teacher for textbooks.

Reports were created by Departmental Inspectors during annual and supplementary visits to government schools. Inspections (and comments) were made regarding the number of pupils present and their general appearance, the condition of the school grounds, buildings, furniture and recordkeeping, school organisation, standard of instruction, time and discipline, teacher accommodation and audits of the sale of textbooks supplied by the Education Department. Background knowledge about individual school management and routines was provided by the local community to the Inspector. During the ‘payment by results’ system adopted in Victoria from 1864 – 1904, Inspectors also conducted regular examinations of pupils to assess the teacher’s eligibility for bonus pay.

Inspection reports were prepared and forwarded to central officials, where the material was aggregated and presented in an annual report to parliament (See Original Papers Tabled in the Legislative Assembly, VPRS 3253). Edited summaries were made available for publishing in daily newspapers.

In the new decentralised model after 1984, regional directors were to oversee the new accountability measures administered by the schools, and the principal assumed greater authority for decision-making in all aspects of school operations and in this sense, assumed many of the duties of former inspectors. Many of these decisions can be found recorded in the school’s annual report, or the minutes of the meetings of the school council.