Recent policy updates – Term 1 2023 to Term 1 2024
The following policy documents were updated between Term 1 2023 to Term 1 2024.
The ‘Changes since previous update’ section on individual policy pages provides for more details on changes to policy documents.
Who do I contact if I have questions about the policy?
Refer to the contact details on individual policy documents.
Policy | Document name | Change | Publication date |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K-12 | Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K-12 policy statement |
Updated the policy statement to remove reference to the Covid-19 interim policy standards and reintroduce the Curriculum Policy Standards implementation document. The Curriculum Policy Standards were restored, replacing the interim Covid-19 policy standards. References to Stage 5 elective course offerings were removed. |
06/02/2023 |
Restrictive practices reduction and elimination | Restrictive practices reduction and elimination policy statement |
New policy - provides guidance on the use of restrictive practices in NSW public schools and government preschools, including reporting requirements, and outlines the practices that are never permitted. The Restrictive Practices Planning Procedures support the implementation of the Restrictive Reduction and Elimination policy and the Restrictive Practices Framework. The Environmental Restraints Planning Procedures supports the implementation of the Restrictive Practices Reduction and Elimination policy and the Restrictive Practices Framework. |
23/01/2023 |