Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2017

This regulation may be cited as the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2017.

This regulation commences on 1 January 2018.

The dictionary in schedule 1 defines particular words used in this regulation.

This part prescribes accreditation criteria for section 11 of the Act.

A school must keep school survey data for the school, and associated documents—

for at least 5 years after the day to which the data relates; and

in a way that ensures the integrity and security of the data and documents.

For a student mentioned in section 29(3) or 30(3), a school must keep a record of—

the reason for the student’s absence from the school; and

why the student’s absence was considered to be for a reason beyond the control of a person mentioned in section 29(3)(c)(i) or (ii) or 30(3)(c)(i) or (ii).

In this section—

associated document means a document that records or includes a detail about a student mentioned in section 27, 29 or 30.

A school’s governing body must have a document that outlines the organisational structure for the governance of the school, and includes the following details—

the key functions and responsibilities of any entity that supports the governing body in the governance of the school;

the reporting arrangements—

within the governing body; and

between the governing body and any entity that supports the governing body in the governance of the school.

The organisational structure must be designed to ensure the effective, transparent and accountable governance of the school.

The governing body must, if asked by the board, give a copy of the document mentioned in subsection (1) to the board.

A school must have, and implement, written processes about receiving, assessing, investigating and otherwise dealing with complaints made by its staff, students or a student’s parent or guardian.

The processes must include principles of procedural fairness, including, for example, the right of interested parties to the complaint to be heard.

The school’s governing body must ensure—

staff, students, parents and guardians are made aware of the processes; and

the processes are readily accessible by staff, students, parents and guardians.

A school must have access to adequate financial resources for its viable operation.

A school must keep records of its financial transactions for at least 5 years after the transactions are entered into.

The school’s governing body must, if asked by the board, give a copy of the records mentioned in subsection (2) to the board.

A school must have a written educational program that—

has regard to the ages, abilities, aptitudes and development of the school’s students; and

promotes continuity in the learning experiences of the students; and

provides a breadth, depth and balance of learning appropriate to students’ phases of development and across an appropriate range of learning areas; and

is responsive to the needs of the school’s students; and

is consistent with the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration.

Note—

The declaration can be viewed on the COAG Education Council’s website.

If a school is accredited to provide education to students from preparatory year to year 10 and offers a learning area included in the Australian curriculum, the school must implement 1 or both of the following for the learning area—

the Australian curriculum;

a curriculum recognised by ACARA.

If a school offers a subject in addition to a learning area included in a curriculum mentioned in subsection (2), and a syllabus for the subject has been developed, purchased or revised by the Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority under the Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Act 2014, section 10, the school must implement the syllabus for the subject.

A school accredited to provide senior secondary education must implement—

if the school is offering a subject for which there is a syllabus developed, purchased or revised by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority under the Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Act 2014, section 9—the syllabus; or

a program or syllabus endorsed by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority as appropriate for senior secondary education; or

a program authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

A school’s educational program may also include—

a vocational education and training course at level 1 or above under the Australian Qualifications Framework; and

recognised studies under the Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Regulation 2025, part 5, division 5; and

other courses, programs, studies or subjects decided by the school’s governing body.

In this section—

ACARA see the Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Act 2014, schedule 1.

Australian curriculum see the Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Act 2014, schedule 1.

Australian Qualifications Framework see the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cwlth), schedule 1.

A school must have a written statement of philosophy and aims, adopted by its governing body, that is used as—

the basis for the school’s educational program; and

a guide for the school’s educational and organisational practices.

The statement must be consistent with the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration.

Note—

The declaration can be viewed on the COAG Education Council’s website.

A school must have, and implement, written processes about—

identifying students of the school who are persons with a disability; and

devising an educational program, specific to the educational needs of students who are persons with a disability, that complies with—

the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991; and

the disability standards under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwlth), section 31.

A distance education school must have a written standard of service that is appropriate to the school’s distance education students achieving learning standards under the school’s educational program.

The standard of service must deal with the following—

the interactive teaching methods to be followed;

the communication procedures to be followed by the students and their teachers and tutors;

the regular tracking and assessment of work submitted by the students to their teachers;

the regular engagement between students and teachers;

the regular monitoring of the students’ achievement of the learning standards under the educational program.

The school’s governing body must be able to demonstrate how the school is meeting the standard of service.

In this section—

distance education school means a school that uses the distance education mode of delivery of education.