- About this Archives in Brief
- Online indexes to school records
- Historical Background
- 1788-1848
- 1848-66
- 1866-80
- 1880-c.1979
- Other Sources
About this Archives in Brief
This AIB outlines the main records relating to schools, covering the period 1788-1979. Other records may be identified in Archives Investigator. For information on teachers researchers should also consult Archives in Brief 19: Teachers 1788-c.1979.
Item lists and microform copies of the records are available in both reading rooms.
Researchers using uncopied material should contact State Records prior to their visit to confirm the current location of the records.
All of the records listed in this AIB are open to public access (OPA). For records less than 30 years old please contact:
Department of Education and Training Records Management UnitLevel 1, 35 Bridge Street Sydney NSW 2000
Postal: GPO Box 33 Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: (02) 9561 8012
Fax: (02) 9561 8881
Online indexes to school records
The Index to School records, 1876-1979 is available to search. We will be progessively adding other school-related indexes to the website.
Other online indexes may also be of interest when researching schools. These are discussed in more detail below.
Historical Background
The earliest government assisted schools in the colony were established to provide literacy skills, religious instruction and domestic or industrial training for destitute children and those whose parents could not afford to provide them with a basic education.
The Female Orphan School was established in Sydney in 1801 under Governor King and the Male Orphan School in 1819 under Governor Macquarie.
The growing number of government assisted schools established under Governor Macquarie were supervised by clergy of the Church of England. The relationship between church and government was reinforced by the establishment of the Clergy and School Lands Corporation in 1826. The building and maintenance of schools and the salaries of schoolmasters were drawn from the proceeds of land controlled by this corporation.
1848
During the period 1848-66 education in New South Wales came under the joint control of the Board of National Education and the Denominational School Board. The Board of National Education was responsible for the establishment of the public school system, teacher training and classification and the setting up of model schools. The Denominational School Board was responsible for the distribution of government subsidies to church schools.
1866
In 1866 the Council of Education was established to assume responsibility for the centralised administration of government schools in New South Wales. The Council of Education controlled expenditure and government grants, the establishment and maintenance of public schools and the appointment, training and examination of teachers. Both provisional schools and half-time schools were created under the Council of Education. The school sites, buildings and furniture for these schools were provided by the parents of enrolled pupils.
1880
In 1880 the Minister for Public Instruction assumed responsibility for education in New South Wales. The Public Instruction Act, 1880 provided for the establishment of Public Schools, Superior Public Schools, Evening Public Schools, Provisional Schools and separate high schools for boys and girls. The Department of Public Instruction was responsible for both the introduction of compulsory education and the withdrawal of government funding from denominational schools. The Department of Public Instruction changed its name to the Department of Education in 1915, and on 15 December 1989 the name changed to the Department of School Education. On 3 December 1997 the Department of School Education was amalgamated with the Department of Education and Training Coordination to form the new Department of Education and Training.
1788-1848
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Surviving correspondence concerning schools is to be found under the headings: Schools and Education. This index is also available in both reading rooms. | |||
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Returns of the Colony, 1828-57 |
Fiche 446-613 |
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Listed under Education, the returns cover both Sydney and country schools. | |||
Surveyor General
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Many plans for the sites of early schools c.1831-1853 are listed under the headings Church Lands and Church and School Estate. The Select List and Supplement is also available in the reading rooms. | |||
Clergy and School Lands Corporation
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Letters received from clergymen, catechists and schoolmasters, 1825-33 |
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This series of correspondence covers a broad variety of subjects concerning the day to day running of the early government assisted church administered schools. | |||
1848-66
Board of National Education
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Miscellaneous Letters Received, 1848-66 |
Reel 4001-4038 |
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This series includes correspondence concerning the establishment of government schools, the provision of teachers etc. | |||
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Letters and Blank cover Memoranda received by the Secretary from the Chief Inspector, 1862-63 |
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These letters and memoranda are arranged chronologically with indexes at the front of the volumes. | |||
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Blank cover memoranda received by the Secretary from District Inspectors, 1862-66 |
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These memoranda are largely concerned with inspectors' reports as to the suitability of land for school sites. | |||
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Fair Minute Books,1848-58, 1863-66 |
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Indexes to these minute books are available at NRS 638. | |||
Denominational School Board
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Inspectors' Reports, 1856-66 |
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These reports are of inspections of Roman Catholic primary and high schools and Church of England primary schools. | |||
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Minute Books, 1856-66 |
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These minute books contain minutes of weekly and special meetings of the Denominational School Board. | |||
1866-80
Council of Education
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Miscellaneous letters received, 1867-75 |
Reels 1784-96, 1798 |
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This correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of school. | |||
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Letters and memoranda received from Inspectors, 1867-74 |
Reels 1798-99 |
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The arrangement of this series is alphabetical by district and then chronological. | |||
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Abstracts of quarterly and annual returns of public and denominational schools, 1867 |
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These returns are arranged alphabetically by school district and then chronologically. | |||
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Copies of letters sent, 1868-80 |
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These volumes are arranged chronologically with indexes at the front of each volume. | |||
Government Architect
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Plans and Specifications of Schools and School Residences, 1861-1910 | NRS 4338 |
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The listing gives location of school, description of plan and date. Arrangement is alphabetical by school. | |||
Surveyor General
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Catalogue of plans of land for national and public schools, 1849-87 | NRS 13875 |
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This catalogue is in rough chronological order. | |||
1880-c.1979
Department of Education
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Schools files, c.1876-1979 |
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A listing of these files is available in both reading rooms. The publication Government Schools of New South Wales is a useful companion to these files. See also the online index to Schools and related records. | |||
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Subject files, 1875-1948 |
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See Short Guide 6: Department of Education Subject files, 1875-1948. | |||
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Photographic collection |
NRS 15051
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Most photographs show school buildings, pupils, teachers, or educational activities. | |||
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Copies of letters sent, 1880-1915 |
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These letters cover administrative areas such as the establishment of new schools, buildings and their upkeep and general financial matters. | |||
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Copies of letters sent concerning the administration of public schools, 1880-1896 |
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This series contains correspondence concerning general administrative matters such as applications from teachers and promotion and classification of teachers, as well as admission of children into the orphan schools. | |||
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Copies of letters sent by the Chief Inspector, 1890-96 |
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School sites
The following selection of records may provide useful information for those researching particulars of school sites.
| Title | Series | Copy | *ARK |
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Registers of deeds of school sites, 1850-96 |
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These registers are arranged by name of school. They give a description of the site, a sketch plan and date of deed. A good site plan normally accompanies the entry. | |||
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Register of school sites, 1900-68 |
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This register gives name of school, location of site, area and portion, date of acquisition and how obtained. | |||
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Card catalogue of leased properties, 1923-49 |
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This catalogue provides the name of school, type of building, area of site, name and address of lessor, term of lease, expiry date and annual rental. | |||
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Site register cards, 1930+ |
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These cards record details of school sites purchased and disposed of after 1880. Some give details of buildings constructed and generally include a site plan. | |||
Other Sources
The following sources are available for use in both reading rooms:
Archives Investigator,,
for the
Agency No. 88 Department of Public Instruction
and successor; and
Agency 401 Trustees of the Clergy and School Lands.
- The Administration of Education under Two Boards, 1848-66 (now out of print)
- Council of Education, 1866-1880 (now out of print)
- Government schools of New South Wales, 1848-1998: 150 Years, Open Training and Education (OTEN) - Distance Education, New South Wales Department of Education and Training, Sydney, 1998.
*ARK signifies that a copy of the record or guide is part of the Archives Resources Kit and is held by the community access points.
© State of New South Wales through the State Records Authority, 2003.
This work may be freely reproduced and distributed for most purposes, however some restrictions apply. See our copyright notice or contact us.