Initial accreditation
Accreditation authorises a non-government school in NSW to nominate candidates for the award of the School Certificate and/or the Higher School Certificate.
The main purpose of accreditation is to ensure that the requirements for the School Certificate and/or the Higher School Certificate are being, or will be, met.
Applications for initial accreditation to present candidates for the School Certificate and/or Higher School Certificate are made using Form 1. Applications must be made no later than 31 March in the calendar year before the year that school intends to commence operation.
A school that is provisionally accredited may provide teaching/learning programs from Board syllabuses including:
- Board Developed courses
- Board Developed Life Skills courses
- Content Endorsed courses
- Board Endorsed courses
for the purpose of presenting candidates for the School Certificate and/or Higher School Certificate.
To be provisionally accredited, a proposed new school must demonstrate that it can meet the requirements for provisional accreditation. The current Certificate of Initial Accreditation must be displayed in the entrance to main school building or in some other conspicuous place at the school.
It is an offence to conduct or knowingly permit or assist in the conduct of a school for the education of candidates for the School Certificate or the Higher School Certificate if the school is not accredited.