Staff
What qualifications do teaching staff need?
The NSW Institute of Teachers sets and administers professional teaching standards. www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au
The overall capacity of a school's teaching staff to deliver the curriculum for which the school is registered will be considered in assessing a schools compliance with these requirements.
What steps should a school take in accessing outside tutors to deliver courses of study to students at the school?
When accessing an outside tutor, a registered non-government school must have guidelines that outline the process used by the school to:
- verify an outside tutor's capacity to teach a course
- ensure that in approving an outside tutor the school continues to comply with the mandatory employment requirements under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998.
For each outside tutor approved by the school to conduct courses of study with students, a school must maintain documentation that records:
- evidence that originals of the outside tutor's qualifications and/or evidence of relevant experience and/or expertise have been sighted by the principal or the principal's authorised delegate
- evidence that the school has sought and obtained satisfactory reports from referees concerning the outside tutor's suitability as an outside tutor
- details of the process undertaken by the school to verify the outside tutor's capacity to teach the course and the outcomes of that process
- a signed and dated declaration by the principal or an appropriate person with the principal's delegated authority that a satisfactory screening process has been undertaken under the commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 in relation to the outside tutor and the outcome of that process
- the procedures in place to ensure that requirements are being met and will continue to be met for the course(s) of study delivered by the outside tutor
If the school is accredited, it must maintain records:
- to demonstrate that each student's pattern of study meets the requirements of the School Certificate or Higher School Certificate
- of a written statement that the course will be taught in accordance with the Board of Studies syllabuses
- for each School Certificate and Higher School Certificate course a written statement that the assessment program for the course will meet the requirements of the ACE Manual.
The school must also have policies and procedures appropriate to ensure the safety and welfare of such students and to promote their personal and social development.
What obligations does a school have when outsourcing particular courses/subjects to external providers?
When outsourcing to an external provider, a registered non-government school must maintain documentation that records:
- how the school defines a 'minority' of a student's pattern of study
- that any external provider accessed by the school complies with the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 in relation to each person directly involved in the delivery of an outsourced course
- the student(s) undertaking the course(s)
- the suitability of the external provider(s) accessed by the school to deliver the course(s) including, where relevant, evidence of certification of the provider(s) by appropriate agencies
- the agreement with each external provider including identification of the respective responsibilities of the school and the provider
- the procedures in place to ensure that the requirements are being met and will continue to be met for the course(s) of study delivered by each external provider.
If the school is accredited, it must maintain records:
- to demonstrate that each student's pattern of study meets the requirements of the School Certificate or Higher School Certificate
- of a written statement that the course will be taught in accordance with the Board of Studies syllabuses
- for each School Certificate and Higher School Certificate course a written statement that the assessment program for the course will meet the requirements of the ACE Manual.
The school must also have policies and procedures appropriate to ensure the safety and welfare of such students and to promote their personal and social development.
What do schools need to do when employing people who will have direct contact with children where the contact is unsupervised?
A registered non-government school must have policies and procedures in place to:
- ensure that staff who have direct contact with students are informed of the legal responsibilities related to child protection, mandatory reporting and other relevant school expectations
- ensure that requirements to notify and investigate allegations of reportable conduct in compliance with the Ombudsman Act 1974 are made known to staff
- ensure that the school meets the employment screening and notification requirements of the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998
- ensure that all staff, volunteers, outside tutors and external providers are informed of their obligations under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998
- respond to reportable matters in accordance with legislative requirements
- ensure that all staff who are mandatory reporters under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 are informed of their obligations and the process that the school has in place in relation to mandatory reporting.