Safe and supportive environment - welfare of students undertaking distance education
A registered non-government school must have policies and procedures that are appropriate to ensure the personal and social development of students who are undertaking all or a significant part of their courses of study by means of distance education.
The Education Act 1990 makes provision for students to undertake all or a significant part of their courses of study by means of distance education where the school has in place policies and procedures that are appropriate to ensure the personal and social development of its students.
Evidence of capacity to comply
If a proposed school intends to deliver all or a significant part of the curriculum by means of distance education to its students, the proposed school must provide additional documentation that includes:
- evidence that it will make available to stakeholders in a student's education and welfare the school's guiding principles and general organisation including statements about
- school aims
- enrolment policies
- student welfare policies
- staff roles and responsibilities
- communication mechanisms and processes for handling complaints
- learning and social support services provided for students
- assessment policies and procedures
- procedures to monitor students' personal and social development
- policies and procedures that will be appropriate to ensure the safety and welfare of students undertaking 'residential school' sessions where the students will be required to be accommodated away from home and the facilities/accommodation for such sessions will be provided by the proposed school itself or by contractual arrangement (excluding brief school trips and 'home stay' accommodation). Such policies and procedures must meet the standards for the safety and welfare of boarders.
- details of the proposed school's programs that focus on personal and social development
- structured experiences that focus on personal and social development at the 'residential school' sessions
- details of the proposed school's support personnel such as a counsellor who will assist with issues related to personal and social development as needed.