System Registration

The department uses a range of processes to ensure schools monitor and implement the required curriculum and policies in every school. These important processes give the department, as a school system, the assurance that all schools meet certain requirements.

Some of these processes are built into the School Planning and Reporting Online (SPaRO) software platform, managed by Strategic School Improvement, whilst others are monitored by other business units and teams in the department.

Curriculum and policy monitoring

Curriculum and policy monitoring (CPM)

Curriculum and policy monitoring (CPM) meetings are an internal assurance process of the department regarding the implementation of policy and curriculum in schools. CPM looks at compliance within a school improvement context and provides opportunities for professional dialogue and sharing amongst schools.

The Registration Process for the NSW Government Schooling System Manual provides the requirements for curriculum and policy implementation underpinning CPM.

Generally, the department follows the pattern of focus areas identified in NESA’s 5 year plan. The department may vary this schedule if additional areas are identified as priorities.

A sample of schools reflective of the diversity of the department are selected to participate each year.

Each CPM meeting will focus on a specific key learning area (KLA) and stage as well as a specified number of policy implementation areas from the Manual.

The Director, Educational Leadership hosts the meeting and will work with each school to address any recommendations identified in the report.

Visit Curriculum and policy monitoring webpage for more information.

Primary and RoSA Curriculum Self-assessment Surveys

The voluntary Primary and Record of School Achievement (RoSA) curriculum self-assessment surveys provide professional development opportunities to assists schools to strengthen their internal monitoring processes as well as understanding more about the curriculum and policy requirements of the department and NESA.

All schools with K-10 cohorts are invited to participate including central schools, community schools and Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs).

For more information regarding the Self-assessment surveys, go to:

• Primary Curriculum Self-assessment Survey
  
• RoSA Self-assessment Survey.

Internal monitoring

HSC monitoring

All schools offering HSC courses must complete the HSC Section 3 monitoring confirmation each year in the School Planning and Reporting Online (SPaRO) software to ensure students will be awarded their HSC.

Schools deliver programs of study, including Life Skills and VET courses, that comply with the requirements of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) syllabuses for the HSC including indicative hours of study. Stage 6 Life Skills courses provide options for students who are unable to access regular course outcomes.

In Term 4 of each year, school’s access HSC monitoring guidelines on the department’s Stage 6 webpage which includes details of what schools must and should do to comply with DoE policy and provisions and NESA requirements and links to additional resources.

View the HSC monitoring webpage for more information.

Policy monitoring

Each year, Directors, Educational Leadership (DELs) and principals confirm that there are policy monitoring processes relating to safety and wellbeing in place in NSW schools.

The annual policy monitoring confirmation process is designed to provide to support to all schools in meeting mandatory policy requirements. It directly supports principals and DELs to monitor, review and ensure ongoing compliance with specific policy areas. This monitoring process also allows the department to confirm all schools are policy compliant, in addition to the annual sample of schools visited by NESA or school auditors each year.

Principals confirm they have reviewed, and where necessary updated, the school processes and practices that monitor and support compliance consistent with the policy implementation requirements contained in the modules.

After a discussion with the school and consideration of school processes and available evidence, the DEL then confirms that monitoring processes are in place, and that documentation is available at the school to demonstrate that these requirements are being met.

The timeframe for policy monitoring confirmation aligns with the usual start of year staff consultations and reviews of processes, prompting principals and DELs to test and verify ongoing compliance, and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our students.

Visit the Policy monitoring support webpage for more information.

External monitoring

NESA Short notice inspections

NESA conducts short notice inspections to monitor compliance with a small subset of requirements in from NESA's Registration Process for the NSW Government Schooling System Manual (The Manual).

NESA will inspect schools selected in relation to two policy areas and two curriculum areas.

If selected, an inspector will contact the school principal (or equivalent) at least ten days in advance of the inspection. The inspector will outline details of the inspection and what the school will need to provide. This information will also be provided in writing.

Visit the department's NESA short notice inspections webpage or NESA advice on schools selected randomly for inspection for more information.