Illustrations of Practice
Effective teaching and learning cannot occur without the support of administrative processes.
HSC monitoring is a Department requirement for compliance purposes and seeks to minimise the risk of schools breaching HSC delivery.
Our goal is to streamline HSC monitoring paperwork and processes in order to save HSC teachers 5 hours per year. We have developed 4 examples of electronic HSC monitoring practices that demonstrate how to streamline paperwork and processes to save teachers' time.
The Quality Time program seeks to simplify and modernise administrative processes and practices, to ensure that teacher and school leader time is spent on the work that matters most and best supports quality teaching and learning. Data collection and analysis gives schools important evidence to support the effective delivery of educational programs. It was 1 of 6 opportunity areas identified by teachers.
We have engaged with a range of stakeholders to ensure we are gathering insights and developing examples of HSC monitoring in practice that save teacher’s time. These groups include:
- Teachers
- Principals
- Head Teachers
- Quality Time teacher focus group
- Directors, Educational Leadership (DELs)
We have provided clear points of contact for teachers and leaders across NSW public schools. We have emphasised the use of electronic HSC monitoring systems that save teacher time.
We have completed:
- strengthened wording in the 2022 and 2023 versions of the HSC monitoring advice document and Staff Noticeboard encouraging the use of electronic monitoring systems
- established a Teaching and learning 7-12 state-wide staffroom with a channel specifically dedicated to HSC support
- surveyed school staff about current HSC monitoring practices
- sought feedback from the teacher focus group on Quality Time initiatives, organised by the Strategic Resource Management – Reducing Admin Burden team
- delivered professional learning for various networks and schools including Coffs Harbour DEL network, beginning language teachers, rural learning exchange, Oran Park High School, Science Statewide staffroom and more
- responded to schools directly with assurance that electronic HSC monitoring is acceptable, providing the implementation is a whole school negotiated process and that records are kept centrally, securely, backed up and accessible by the school executive
- engaged four schools to develop and publish their approach to electronic monitoring practices. The examples demonstrate improved ways to store, find and share HSC monitoring information
In progress is:
- planning high-quality professional learning and tailored support for delivery in the private, locked channels for DELs and Principals where further support and advice is provided
- Measuring significant change in time spent on HSC paperwork and processes. A survey will be distributed to fully paper-based schools that have transitioned to fully electronic processes. Other evidence collected may be in the form interviews feedback via phone and email.
The HSC monitoring in schools survey was distributed in Term 1, 2022 via 8 state-wide secondary staffrooms. The purpose was to collect baseline data about current HSC monitoring practices.
Breakdown of survey respondents
| Position of respondents | Number of respondents |
|---|---|
| Classroom teacher | 111 |
| Head teacher | 84 |
| Deputy Principal | 1 |
| Principal | 1 |
| TOTAL | 197 |
Survey data indicated that 24% (n=47) of respondents do their HSC monitoring entirely in hard copy (fully paper-based). In order of the most time-consuming activities, the majority of time for these teachers is taken up by:
- photocopying,
- filing hard copies,
- printing and
- locating hard copies.
On average, fully-paper based HSC monitoring procedures took respondents between 2 and 4 hours per term, per subject to complete. 45% of all respondents had 1 HSC class in 2022 but for the 29% that had 2 classes, they would be spending between 4 and 8 hours on compliance paperwork per term.
Over three quarters of the fully paper-based respondents indicated their school would consider moving to a fully electronic (or online) HSC monitoring. However, the main reasons schools used paper-based process was due to ‘direction from the school executive,’ followed by ‘resistance or reluctance from staff.’
Survey data indicated that 31% (n=62) of respondents conduct HSC monitoring entirely online. A small proportion of respondents used a combination of platforms. 63% of the fully online schools have been conducting HSC monitoring electronically for 2 years or less.
On average, fully-online based HSC monitoring procedures took respondents between 2 and 4 hours per term, per subject to complete, but many respondents perceived benefits relating to saving time. In order from most to least, these included:
- saves physical space
- records are easily accessible
- records are still available when staff are off-site
- easy to locate and submit records for auditing purposes
- easy to archive records
- allows for efficient maintenance of records
- saves teachers’ time
- reduces administrative requirements.
To minimise time spent searching for the relevant HSC monitoring files to upload, set up folder structures that support the requirements your school’s HSC monitoring processes require.
Refer to the HSC monitoring advice document provided on the HSC monitoring advice webpage for more detail about the maintenance of records and what evidence must be kept.
A sample folder and file structure is below:
