Initial registration requirements for member schools
Provisional registration applies to new schools and new Year(s) of schooling in their first year of registration. This first period of registration is initial registration.
Newly registered non-government schools and schools that have added new Years of schooling must meet the requirements of the Act upon commencement of operation.
It may not be possible for a proposed new school to provide evidence of compliance with all sections of the Act prior to commencement. It is expected, however, that the applicant will provide evidence of policies and procedures that are appropriate to ensure compliance of the school with the requirements of the Act should the application be successful. If the application for initial registration is successful, the new school is required to meet all the registration requirements and must, throughout its period of initial registration, maintain evidence of compliance with those requirements.
Based on the registration requirements, evidence of the capacity to comply with the requirements for initial registration is required for proposed new schools and schools proposing new Years of schooling to be considered for initial registration.
Any difference in the description of initial registration requirements in this section and those for registration is only intended to take account of the fact that compliance with some requirements cannot be demonstrated until the school begins operation. On commencing operation, the registration requirements for established schools apply.
NESA may specify matters, in addition to but not inconsistent with the requirements listed in Section 5, that NESA and the Minister may have regard to in determining whether the requirements for registration will be complied with at or in relation to a non-government school.
Section 53A of the Education Act states that the registration of a non-government school is subject to such conditions relating to the requirements for registration as the Minister may impose (whether at the time the school is registered or at any later time). Any such conditions will be specified in the school’s certificate of registration. The Minister may not impose a condition on the registration of a non-government school unless NESA has made a written recommendation to the Minister that the condition be imposed.
Quality of teaching and student learning
In deciding whether the requirements of the Education Act are being complied with in relation to a registered non-government school, NESA will have regard to matters relating to the quality of student learning. Under the Education Act, such matters may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- the standard of teaching of courses of study provided at the school,
- student engagement in learning at the school,
- any matters identified in a risk assessment conducted by NESA in relation to the school.
The standard of teaching of courses of study in a school will be assessed in relation to evidence demonstrating school-wide consistent practice in areas identified by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Some of the possible ways the standard of teaching of courses of study could be demonstrated by the system and/or each member school include:
- records to demonstrate that the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and other policies of NESA as provided by the Teacher Accreditation Act 2004 are being met by teachers at the school
- the consistency between the various elements of the school’s curriculum including
- syllabus outcomes
- scope and sequence of learning/units of work
- teaching programs and learning activities, and
- samples of student work
- records of teacher evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching programs, including teaching and learning strategies, in terms of student learning
- the implementation of strategies to improve student learning and target specific needs
- records of the school’s analysis of student achievement data, including the results of external testing, diagnostic and summative assessments and the progressive achievement of students over time, to inform teaching and learning and evaluation of practice
- the implementation of literacy, numeracy and ICT strategies to support learning across all courses of study
- staff qualifications, experience and expertise in delivering the curriculum for which the school is registered
- the school’s practices for the induction, mentoring, professional development and accreditation of teachers
- documented processes in relation to the standard of teaching at the school with specific reference to the school’s expectations for a standard of teaching, how the standard of teaching is monitored and strategies to improve the standard, as relevant.
Some of the possible ways student engagement in learning could be demonstrated include:
- teaching strategies and programs designed and implemented to meet specific learning needs of students across varying student backgrounds and learning abilities
- evidence of learning progress over time
- student work samples
- rates of student attendance and retention/attrition, including trends in student suspension and expulsion rates
- student performance in internal and external assessments and examinations
- student evaluation and self-reporting instruments and teacher reflection/evaluation of teaching and learning activities to inform the development and revision of teaching programs
- strategies for effective classroom management and respectful teacher-student relationships.
In conducting a risk assessment in relation to the quality of student learning, NESA will have regard to a range of matters relevant to determinants of student learning such as, but not limited to, the following:
- the accreditation and experience of teachers
- the standard of teaching
- the quality of the educational program
- recent school history
- enrolment and attendance
- changes to and complexity of the management and operational context of the school.
Evidence of compliance
Documentation or evidence to be maintained by the system and/or by each member school includes:
- the expectations of the system/member school for a standard of teaching, how the standard of teaching is monitored by the system/school and how the system/school implements strategies to improve the standard of teaching, as relevant
- processes for assessing and improving student engagement in learning, as relevant.
The system and/or each member school will maintain records to demonstrate the quality of student learning including records in relation to the standard of teaching and student engagement.