School inspections

NESA’s focus on child safety and the quality of education forms the basis of the inspection process. This tailored inspection process helps NESA be assured that schools continue to meet the minimum requirements every day. Find out about inspection processes.

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Inspection and compliance

NESA is responsible for monitoring the compliance of schools with the registration requirements of the Education Act 1990. These requirements can be found in the Registration Manuals:

Schools selected randomly for a short notice inspection

NESA’s risk-based approach to regulation includes the selection of schools at random for a short notice inspection.

Non-government school inspections

NESA administers the registration and accreditation process for non-government schools, including:

  • applications for initial registration and accreditation
  • applications for renewal of registration and accreditation
  • monitoring
  • actioning information about changes of operation or other notifications.

To assess compliance, NESA may need a school to provide information, documentation and/or a school inspection.

School registration and inspection visits

This NESA produced video explains how the school inspection processes works and describes various compliance requirements.

NESA inspection process

This video explains compliance requirements and school inspection process.

1:39

NESA inspection process

This video explains compliance requirements and school inspection process.

Video transcript

NESA inspection process

NESA’s focus on child safety and the quality of education forms the basis of the inspection process.  This tailored inspection process helps NESA be assured that schools continue to meet the minimum requirements every day.

NESA monitors compliance of NSW Schools by reviewing evidence that they meet  registration requirements as identified in the NESA Registration Manuals.

NESA has recently moved from a one size fits all inspection program to a more strategic risk based approach tailored to individual schools.

This involves NESA reviewing and sampling a selection of evidence from identified curriculum and policy areas.

Schools do not need to develop any new documents or materials for an inspection and NESA will not observe classrooms or meet with teaching staff.

Instead, NESA will review the school’s records from its usual day to day procedures and operations to help determine if a school’s policies and procedures align with actual practice.

An Inspector then makes an on-balance judgement about the school’s compliance.

Where an Inspector identifies compliance issues, the school is allowed additional time to make the necessary improvements. In a small number of cases, NESA may need to use further measures to assist schools to comply.

Find out more at NESA’s website and review the Registration Manuals for the supporting evidence expected during inspections.

System monitoring

Approved Registration Systems need to monitor compliance of their member schools with registration requirements.

NESA monitors Registration Systems to ensure its procedures are:

  • consistent with documented policies and procedures
  • effective in monitoring the compliance of its member schools with the requirements.

NESA makes recommendations to the Minister about the registration of non-government schools within approved Registration Systems.

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