How to access class photos
Schools produce formal class photos annually, to create a visual record of each grade or year level at the school in that academic year.
Members of the public may request access to any class photo that is more than 30 years old.
For class photos less than 30 years old, access is limited by privacy and safety laws.
You can only receive access to a class photo less than 30 years old if you attended the school, and then only for the years you were enrolled.
If you are looking for a class photo, start by checking the school’s directory listing to see where the school’s records are held.
If the records are held by the school, contact the school directly. If the records are held by the Department of Education, contact the department’s records team to ask about access.
Older historical class photos may be available through the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). PROV holds collections of Victorian government school photographs from 1890 to 1993.
How to access photos of school buildings
If you are looking for historical photographs of school buildings, you can search collections held by the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) and the State Library Victoria:
- PROV – Digitised photographs of schools and other education buildings
- State Library of Victoria – Researching the history of school buildings
Schools may also hold their own photograph collections, including images of school buildings.
How to access other school photos
Photos from team sports, school events and other activities are often found in school newsletters or yearbooks, rather than kept as separate records.
Start by checking the school’s directory listing to see where the school’s records are held. If the records are held by the school, contact the school directly. If the records are held by the Department of Education, contact the department’s records team to ask about access.
Some of these records may also be stored at PROV and could be available on open access. Search for a school’s records at PROV to find if there are any available.
Local historical societies or libraries may also hold collections of formal or informal school photographs.
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