BOSTES 1/16

Who needs to read this notice:
Principals and proprietors of non-government schools
Representatives of systems of non-government schools

Effective: Immediately

The Minister for Education has approved amendments to the Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual and Registration Systems and Member Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual ('the Manuals’).

Pursuant to the BOSTES’ rule-making powers under section 25 of the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards Act 2013 (‘the Act’), the Manuals constitute the rules set out by the BOSTES with respect to registration and accreditation.

For systemic schools, the amendments provide further guidance in relation to the requirement to have and implement policies and procedures for proper governance (section 5.9.3 of the Manual for systemic schools).

Other amendments, as listed below, apply to all non-government schools. These amendments:

• require non-government schools to have a TAA approved under the BOSTES' new regulatory framework according to the transition period published on the BOSTES website (section 3.2.1/5.2.1)
• clarify that the purpose of notifying the BOSTES of an intention to deliver all or a significant majority of courses by distance education is to seek approval prior to commencing delivery by distance education (section 3.3.3, 3.9.4/5.3.3)
• strengthen the requirement relating to child protection by requiring that staff are informed annually of their legal responsibilities in relation to child protection (section 3.6.1/5.6.1)
• require that from 1 July 2016, individual non-government schools provide the BOSTES, via RANGS Online, with details of the school's 'responsible persons' including the name, role, date of commencing in the role and date of ceasing in the role within 28 days of any change (section 3.9.3.1) and that systems retain equivalent information (section (5.9.3.1) (Note: BOSTES will write to individual non-government schools in 2016 with advice about using RANGS Online to provide details of ‘responsible persons’)
• amend the requirement for professional learning of 'responsible persons' in relation to governance from a mandatory four hours per year to a mandatory 12 hours over each three year period from the time of commencing as a 'responsible person' (section 3.9.3.4/5.9.3.4)
• clarify that the maintenance of registers for professional learning and induction of 'responsible persons' are for a period of seven years from the date of each entry (section 3.9.3.4, 3.9.3.5/5.9.3.4, 5.9.3.5)
• clarify that BOSTES is to be notified if the contract or arrangement with the school's external auditor is terminated prior to the expiry of the term of the contract (section 3.9.3.6/5.9.3.6)
• clarify that a school's current compliance will be considered in assessing an application from the school for the addition of new years of schooling or for initial accreditation (section 4.1, 6.1/6.1, 8.1)
• provide further guidelines for proposed new non-government schools in relation to the required policies and procedures for proper governance (section 4.1.9/6.1.9).

The amendments to the Manuals take effect with the publication of this Official Notice.

The amended Manuals are available to download from the Registration and Accreditation of Non-government Schools (RANGS) website. The RANGS website is accessed from the BOSTES website.

Please note that the web versions of the Manuals are the most up-to-date Manuals at any time.

Tracked changes of the amended Manuals are available in the ‘Reference Documents section’ of the RANGS website.

The following support materials are also available:

• Proformas for Document Audits for Individual Schools
• Proformas for Document Audits for System Member Schools.

For more information, contact:
Anita Yates
Senior Inspector, School Registration and Accreditation Standards
anita.yates@bostes.nsw.edu.au
(02) 9367 8214