Compliance Review program
General information regarding the Compliance Review program
Key functions of the Board under the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2017 (the ‘Act’) include monitoring:
- (i) whether the governing body of an accredited non-State school is suitable to be or continue to be the school’s governing body
- (ii) whether the non-State school continues to comply with the requirements for accreditation under the Act, including with the prescribed accreditation criteria
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(iii) if a governing body of an accredited school is eligible for government funding for the school, whether the governing body continues to meet the government funding eligibility criteria.
To fulfil these functions, the Board has revised the former Cyclical review program, established under the repealed Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Act 2001 to meet the requirements of the new Act.
Under section 170 and 171 of the Act, the Board is authorised to give a school’s governing body a notice, once every five years during a school’s accreditation, requesting the governing body give the Board information or documentation that assists the Board in monitoring compliance for accreditation and eligibility for government funding.
Detailed information on the review program is set out in the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board's Review Program Guidelines [PDF 973KB] for the demonstration of compliance with the Act. !Updated 5 October 2023
The first step for participation in the program is for the governing body and/or school to provide the Board with a review plan, setting out how the governing body and school wish to conduct the review.
Upon completion of the review, the governing body is required to provide a summary report of its review to the Board. This review report should articulate whether the findings of the review indicate that the governing body is suitable to be the governing body, the school is meeting the requirements for accreditation and, if relevant, that the governing body meets the prescribed government funding eligibility criteria.
Please note, the governing body must endorse review plans and reports before submission, and this needs to be demonstrated in the submission. Review plans and reports must be submitted via NSSAB Online Services.
The Board will consider all review reports provided to it, and decide whether a governing body and school has successfully demonstrated that they are meeting the requirements under the Act.
Information regarding the Compliance Review program and COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
The Non-State Schools Accreditation Board recognises that non-State schools and their governing bodies may encounter challenges with managing the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) public health emergency.
For schools participating in the Compliance Review program, the Board understands that school staff and their governing bodies may face circumstances where they are not in a position to focus their efforts towards a compliance review and meet scheduled review targets as outlined in the Review Program Guidelines [PDF 975KB], with review plans being submitted by 30 April and a final report due on or before 30 April the following year.
The Board will monitor the appropriateness of these timelines, and review in accordance with the evolving circumstances. However, should the governing body and school find itself in circumstances where it cannot meet those timelines, please inform the Board accordingly.
Last updated 5 October, 2023