Ministry of Education and Department of Education and Science: HM Inspectorate: Information...

ED 179

1948-1976

Three publications of the Ministry of Education and Department of Education and Science: The Inspectors' Bulletin, the Information Series and the Information Gazette. These publications circulated to and among the inspectors contain information and opinions relative to their work.

The Inspectors' Bulletin covered a wide field of general interest - conferences, visits and education systems abroad, youth services and schemes, curriculum developments, teaching methods etc. The bulletin gradually moved away from the presentation of facts in brief towards the more informal expression of personal views, experiences and proposals by inspectors themselves.

The Information Series was initially concerned primarily with practical schemes and projects relating to curriculum development, examinations and organisation of schools, but following changes in the nature of the bulletin and the discontinuation of the gazettes, the scope broadened to include theoretical and policy matters.

The Information Gazette gave news in brief of international conferences and developments, ministry, inspectorate and other government and non-government projects, and current staff activities at home and abroad, including the work of the panels. It also gave book reviews and an extensive bibliography of recently published books and articles related to education.

Public Record(s)

English

• Department of Education and Science, HM Inspectorate (England), 1964-1973
• Department of Education and Science, HM Inspectorate (Wales), 1964-1973
• Department of Education and Science, HM Inspectorate of Schools (England), 1973-1992
• Department of Education and Science, HM Inspectorate of Schools (Wales), 1973-1992
• Ministry of Education, Inspectorate (England), 1944-1964
• Ministry of Education, Inspectorate (Wales), 1944-1964

29 file(s)

Subject to 30 year closure

Topics

International

Official publications

Education

The Inspectors' Bulletin was introduced in 1949 as a revival of a pre-war series which has not survived. Its object was broadly "to present in compact form to all inspectors items of current educational interest from all kinds of sources." It was not intended as a vehicle for conveying instructions (since these were covered by Memoranda to Inspectors, Circulars and Administrative Memoranda for the LEAs and the Ministry's Monthly Reports) and there was no pre-arranged programme as its stated aims were "to meet current needs in ways which seemed currently appropriate." There were to be three issues a year, variable according to need, printed and intended for binding as a means of reference.

One of the uses of the Inspectors' Bulletin was in keeping inspectors informed of discussions and views of panels and providing a platform for individual Inspectors to express their view.

In 1959 the Information Service was launched, including the distribution as often as seemed necessary of material useful to the Inspectorate in keeping abreast of educational thought and in producing topics for discussion at meetings. The series aimed to convey information, but also to raise topics and air ideas which were still in the process of development.

As a further development of the Information Series, the Information Gazette was introduced in 1960, aimed at providing Inspectors at reasonably frequent intervals with factual background information useful to their day to day work.

In 1976 it was decided that a six-monthly anthology was inadequate for communicating matters of interest at the appropriate time and the Gazette was discontinued in favour of a greater use of the Information Series and Personal Notes. The latter were issued only very infrequently and copies have not survived.