VPRS 20217 Inspector's Register Books

This series consists of Inspector's Registers, which provide remarks about the school building and grounds, student examination results, and teaching as observed by the Inspector at the time of their visit at Concongella Primary School (School No. 1136) (VA 5459). 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.

本系列档案包含《视导员登记册》（Inspector's Registers），其中收录了康康盖拉小学（School No.1136，档案编号VA 5459）的视导员（Inspector）在巡访期间记录的校舍与校园状况、学生考试成绩，以及其现场观察到的教学情况。1852年至1984年间，维多利亚州公立学校的教育视导员会汇报教师、学生与学校的整体表现，以及教育部门政策的落实情况。除咨询与评估职责外，学区视导员（District Inspector）还负责处理、调查并回应针对教师的投诉与诉求。1852年，根据教育特别委员会（Select Committee on Education）提交的报告，首批视导员正式任命；1853年起，他们直接向全国专员委员会（National Board of Commissioners）负责。1862年起，视导员由教育委员会（Board of Education，档案编号VA 713）任命，并在此后至1904年间向该委员会及其后续机构负责。1862年左右至19世纪末，视导员的报告均记录于《视导员登记册》中；19世纪末起，该登记册被《视导员报告手册》（Inspector's Report Books）取代，直至1984年视导制度终止。此后，学校理事会与校长获得了更大的管理自主权。《视导员报告手册》由教育部门（Education Department，VA 714）及其后续机构发放至所有公立学校。视导员会在手册中记录学校编号、巡访日期与时间、相关意见，并签字确认。部分手册还附有教育部门出具的、针对校长为教材募集捐款的官方收据。这些报告由部门视导员（Departmental Inspector）在年度巡访与补充巡访期间完成，内容涵盖在校学生人数与整体风貌、校园与校舍状况、家具与档案管理情况、学校组织架构、教学水准、时间管理与纪律规范、教师住宿条件，以及对教育部门供应教材的销售情况进行的审计。当地社区会向视导员提供有关学校个别管理与日常运作的背景信息。1864年至1904年间，维多利亚州采用按成绩付酬（payment by results）制度，视导员还会定期对学生进行考试，以评估教师是否符合领取奖金薪酬的资格。视导报告会编制完成并提交至中央行政部门，相关材料将被汇总后以年度报告的形式提交至议会（详见《提交至立法议会的原始文件》，档案编号VPRS 3253）。经编辑的摘要会用于在日报上发表。1984年后推行新的分权管理模式，区域主管（Regional Director）负责监督学校实施的新型问责措施，校长则在学校运营的各方面拥有更大的决策权，从这一意义上来说，校长承担了许多前任视导员的职责。此类决策大多记录于学校年度报告或学校理事会（School Council）会议纪要中。