Recent policy updates – Term 2 2023 to Term 2 2024
The following policy documents were updated between Term 2 2023 to Term 2 2024.
The ‘Changes since previous update’ section on individual policy pages provides for more details on changes to policy documents.
If you have questions about the policy, refer to the contact details on individual policy documents.
| Policy area | Policy document | Change | Publication date |
|---|---|---|---|
Anti-racism |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted to the new template and improved readability. Procedure updated to better reflect whole-of-department applicability and clarify the roles and responsibilities of leaders, education staff, school staff and all. |
10/05/2024 |
|
Asset management |
Asset management policy statement Appeals for demountable accommodation Responding to planning notifications |
Major update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, this policy is consolidated with the Joint Funding of Capital Works in Schools and Demountable Accommodation for Schools policies. The Development Application Notifications for Neighbouring Developments (responding to) policy now sits alongside this policy. Policy converted into the new template and updated content to improve clarity. New policy documents - Procedures on maintenance call outs and change in future school operation were developed to present existing instructions provided in websites, systems and training materials. |
13/05/2024 |
Child protection |
Child protection – responding to and reporting students at risk of harm policy statement Child protection – responding to and reporting students at risk of harm procedures |
Major update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, this policy is consolidated with the Out of Home Care policy. Policy converted into the new template, and improved readability. New policy document - Procedure developed outlining actions necessary for compliance with the Child protection policy. Consolidated instructions from web pages, including removing out-of-date content. Major update - Consolidated instructions previously provided in the Out of Home Care in Government schools policy and Out of Home Care in Government Schools Education Plan Procedures. |
09/05/2024 |
Complaints handling |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template, consolidated existing instructions, and improved document readability. |
14/05/2024 |
|
Cyber security |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, name changed from Information Security policy to Cyber security policy, converted into the new template, and improved readability. Clarified and expanded roles and responsibilities in alignment with the NSW Cyber Security Policy. New policy document - Cyber security procedures added. |
13/05/2024 |
|
Digital devices, services and information – staff use |
Digital devices, services and information – staff use policy statement Digital devices, services and information – staff use procedures |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, policy name changed from Digital Devices and Online Services – Staff Use to Digital devices, services and information – staff use. Converted into the new template, and improved readability. Added requirements for taking or accessing department devices, systems and information from overseas. |
10/05/2024 |
Multicultural education |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, including conversion into the new template, and improving readability. New policy document - Added the Multicultural education procedures, with consolidated instructions previously provided in English as an additional language or dialect: Advice for schools and Interpreting and translation services: Guidelines for schools. This new procedure consolidates mandatory information from the 5 multicultural education programs including culturally inclusive schools, interpreting and translation, EAL/D education, intensive English support for newly arrived students and support for students from refugee backgrounds. Clarified the roles and responsibilities of principals, teachers and other relevant staff. |
09/05/2024 |
|
Procurement |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, conversted into the new template, consolidating existing instructions, and improving document readability. New policy document - purchasing and procurement procedures added to consolidate mandatory instructions previously provided in Procurement manuals and guidelines (for goods and services only) webpage and the Finance in Schools Handbook (FISH). |
10/05/2024 |
|
Religious education and special education in ethics |
Religious education and special education in ethics policy statement Special religious education and special education in ethics procedures |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template and improving readability. This policy is consolidated with the Special Education in Ethics policy and converted into new template. |
10/05/2024 |
School excellence |
School excellence policy statement |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, this policy consolidated with the Professional Learning for Teachers and School Staff policy. Updates include conversion into the new template, consolidating existing instructions, and improving document readability. The School excellence procedures and external validation procedures consolidates instructions previously provided in External Validation Guidelines. |
14/05/2024 |
Social media |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template, and improving readability. Clarified reporting requirements, departmental use and personal use. Noted that Twitter (X) is no longer a supported platform for schools. |
10/05/2024 |
|
Workplace learning for secondary students |
Workplace learning for secondary students in NSW public schools policy statement Workplace learning for secondary students in NSW public schools procedures |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template and improving document readability. New policy document - developed a new procedure consolidating existing instructions and improving clarity and readability. The procedure consolidates information previously provided on the Career and Vocational learning website and the Workplace Learning Procedures and Standards document. |
09/05/2024 |
| Digital devices and online services - staff use | Expectations for digital communication procedure | New policy document - developed under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program. | 21/03/2024 |
Commercial arrangements, sponsorship and donations |
Commercial arrangements, sponsorship and donations policy statement Commercial arrangements, sponsorship and donations procedures |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into new policy template and improved readability. Updated the unsuitable product list to include vapes and simplified processes to reduce administrative requirements. |
15/03/2024 |
Sharing of school facilities |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template, reformatted the document, removed duplicated information and update contact details. |
15/03/2024 |
|
Enrolment of students in NSW Government schools |
Enrolment in selective high school and Opportunity Class placement procedures |
Major update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, these procedures were consolidated and streamlined the Selective education and opportunity class placement policy and intranet instructions. |
15/03/2024 |
School attendance |
School attendance policy statement |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into new policy template, minor updates to language to reduce duplication and moved roles and into the relevant procedures. |
15/03/2024 |
Aboriginal education |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template, and improved document readability. New policy document - Developed a new procedure document to clarify existing instructions on complying with the policy. |
14/03/2024 |
|
Inclusive education for students with disability |
Inclusive education for students with disability policy statement |
Update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, converted into the new template, and improved readability. New policy document - Developed a new procedure document, Personalised learning and support procedures, to reinforce existing obligations under the Disability Standards for Education (2005) and consolidate existing instructions about the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability and the department’s internal website. |
14/03/2024 |
Technology in schools |
New policy documents - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, new policy statement and procedure developed consolidating and clarifying mandatory requirements previously provided through department web pages. |
14/03/2024 |
|
| Enrolment of students in NSW Government schools | Distance education enrolment procedures | Routine update - annual update to the procedures document | 04/03/2024 |
| Code of conduct | Workplace sexual harassment prevention and response | New policy document - developed under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program. | 01/03.2024 |
| Student behaviour | School behaviour support and management plan | Major update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, the document refers to the revised Student behaviour policy. The SBSMP implementation due date has been extended to the start of Term 1 2025; school anti-bullying strategies are to be embedded into the SBSMP; updated template and addition of exemplars to improve clarity; added a definition for ‘behaviour of concern’; removed references to outdated or removed information and updated links to new information or revised documents. | 21/02/2024 |
| Student behaviour | Student behaviour policy statement Detention and time-out procedures Suspension and expulsion procedures |
Major update - Under the 2023 Policy and procedure review program, updated to reflect the department’s focus on positive behaviour approaches, safe practices and inclusive education. Clarifies definitions and expectations for students and staff. Added definition of bullying and wording to reflect the consolidation of the Bullying of Students - Prevention and Response policy into the Student behaviour policy. | 30/01/2024 |
Excursions |
Routine update – updated language and links to reflect changes to the WHS Risk Management procedure and supporting resources. |
16/10/2023 |
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| Student use of mobile phones in schools | New policy documents | 09/10/2023 | |
Management of conduct and performance |
Routine update – guideline was amended to reflect changes to be consistent with the new Public Interest Disclosure legislation, and the updated Public Interest Disclosure policy and procedure on the Policy Library |
29/09/2023 |
|
Public interest disclosures |
Major update – update to the policy and procedure documents to align with the introduction of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022. Increases have been made to the number of employees responsible and expands the employees and department responsibilities. |
29/09/2023 |
|
Policy governance |
Routine update – policy title changed from Policy Management to Policy Governance. Policy statement was updated to meet Audit of Policy Governance and Implementation (AP21/36) recommendations to include the definition of an operational policy and the requirement to publish operational policies in the Policy Library. Update - this policy procedure was developed to meet Audit of Policy Governance and Implementation (AP21/36) recommendation for a Secretary endorsed charter reflecting the Service Experience directorate's responsibilities and authority in respect of the end-to-end policy process. A range of mandatory templates and forms have also been included. |
05/09/2023 |
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Routine update – the Carry forward (schools) guidelines updated advice to items not requiring application for extraordinary circumstances due to introduction of a Term 3 deadline. |
22/08/2023 |
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| Selective high school and Opportunity Class placement | Selective high hchool and Opportunity Class placement policy statement | Routine update – no immediate action required. The policy statement was updated to reflect changes to the process and terminology. Refer to these policy documents when needed. Updated contact details. |
05/07/2023 |
| Commercial arrangements, sponsorship and donations | Commercial arrangements, sponsorship and donations policy statement Commercial arrangements, sponsorships and donations procedures |
Routine update – no immediate action required, refer to these policy documents when needed. Updated Commercial Arrangements, Sponsorship and Donations procedure to include advice regarding:
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30/06/2023 |