Catalogue description Ministry of Education and Department of Education and Science: HM Inspectorate: Information Series, Information Gazette and Inspectors' Bulletin

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.