Audits, Reviews and Assurance Programs in Schools

The copyright survey program is conducted by the department’s Integrity, Assurance and Executive Services Division and consists of 3 audit activities in schools:

• electronic use system survey
• Australian schools copyright collection survey
• Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society survey.

These audits are required under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and the copyright licence agreements held by the department for the use of certain copyright material in Victorian government schools.

Electronic use system survey

The electronic use system survey aims to capture a snapshot of Victorian government schools’ copying of copyright material in electronic formats, such as text and images from the internet or elsewhere.

Participating schools are required to record electronic educational copying activities over a 4-week period. Training is provided to all participating schools.

Approximately 13 schools are randomly selected to participate in the survey each year. No school is required to participate in the survey more than once in an 8-year period.

Australian schools copyright collection survey

The Australian schools copyright collection survey aims to capture a snapshot of Victorian government schools’ copying of copyright material in hardcopy formats, such as text and images from printed material.

Participating schools are required to record hardcopy educational copying activities across a school term. Training is provided to all participating schools.

Each year, approximately 35 schools are randomly selected to participate in the survey. No school is required to participate in the survey more than once in an 8-year period.

Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society survey

The Australian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society survey aims to capture a snapshot of sheet music purchased by schools.

Participating schools are required to complete a short 5 to 30-minute survey. No preparation or training is required.

Approximately 13 schools are randomly selected to participate in the survey each year.

For further information about managing copyright in schools refer to the Intellectual Property and Copyright Policy.

Corporate audits with school impacts are conducted by the Assurance Branch within the Integrity, Assurance and Executive Services Division. They assess the application and effectiveness of department policies and procedures for schools. Types of audits may include information security, recruitment, expulsion, or complaints management.

Schools are selected based on random sampling, previous audit results, internal department consultations and data analysis. The Assurance Branch will contact the schools to let them know what will be involved for the school, what information will be required and to agree on timelines and reporting format. Where possible, schools will be offered the flexibility to select whether the audit is conducted onsite or off-site.

The enrolment verification program forms part of the department’s internal financial assurance activities and is conducted by the department’s Performance and Evaluation Division. Under the enrolment verification program, 2 review activities are undertaken in schools:

• the enrolment verification review
• the student family occupation and education (SFOE) data review.

Performance and Evaluation Division processes the results of these reviews and submits results to the Financial Services Division for reporting, performance and funding assessment purposes.

Enrolment verification review

The purpose of this review is to provide quality assurance in relation to the school enrolment data collected in the February student enrolment census and used in the calculation of the student resource package for government schools.

Participating schools are required to:

• provide specific documentation (attendance records, list of exited students and any other requested documentation) to support the verification process
• respond to requests by the department-engaged external reviewers in relation to the documentation provided
• sign the completed form outlining the verification results.

The review targets a risk weighted random sample of schools across each region every year, based on school type, location and social intake (student family occupation and education index). The sample target typically involves 32.5% of all government schools. Of this sample 50% are primary schools and 50% are secondary schools.

Selected schools are contacted towards the end of term 1 and the review is undertaken during a 4-week period usually beginning in the second week of term 2.

The Performance and Evaluation Division is responsible for processing the enrolment verification results and submitting the finalised results to the Finance Services Division for funding purposes.

For further information about enrolment verification program refer to the Student Enrolment Census Policy.

Student family occupation and education data review

The purpose of this review is to verify the accuracy of family occupation and parental education data submitted by schools in the August Student Enrolment Census. It provides quality assurance in relation to the family occupation and parental education data used in the calculation of the SFOE index and eligibility for access to equity funding for government schools.

The review is usually undertaken in week 2 to 5 of Term 4 and typically involves the following activities:

• Prior to the review, participating schools are required to collate enrolment records of a random sample of up to 200 students in preparation for the review.
• The review is usually undertaken by department-engaged reviewers on-site over a period of one day.
• During the review, schools may be asked for further information about the processes used to collect, check and record parental occupation and education data.

At the end of the review process the school is provided with a list of students for whom the SFOE details in CASES21 were assessed as incorrect and an estimate of the potential funding impact.

Each year, a risk weighted random sample of 35 government schools are selected to participate in the review, based on school type, location and social intake (student family occupation and education index).

The Performance and Evaluation Division will process the results of the review and then submit them to the Finance Services Division for any adjustments to a school’s equity funding level.

For further information about enrolment verification program reviews refer to the Student Enrolment Census Policy.

The occupational health and safety (OHS) assurance program (previously known as the OHS audit program) is conducted by the department’s Employee Safety, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division. The OHS assurance program provides proactive support to confirm schools are implementing the department’s OHS management system (OHSMS), consistent with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic).

The program enables schools to review current safe systems of work, identify safety management improvement opportunities, verify that they are providing healthy and safe workplaces and managing key safety and wellbeing matters.

Schools are selected based on each school’s safety risk profile, previous OHS audit scores and time elapsed since last OHS audit. Each school will generally participate approximately every 4 years, depending on safety performance.

An external provider undertakes the school support visits on-site and remotely where required. Depending on each school’s needs, the school support visits are either a full or half day. Schools are provided a lead in time of at least 20 business days to prepare. On the day of the visit, safety consultants use checklists based on the elements of the OHSMS and verify that the relevant OHSMS requirements are being met. The principal is responsible for following up on any management actions that are identified as safety management improvement opportunities coming from the OHS assurance program.

There are 2 parts to the OHS assurance program:

• OHS support visits where the department’s teams of regional OHS support officers and OHS advisory service consultants provide you with targeted OHS support and advice leading up to and after the assessment visit. These visits can be planned flexibly in response to your school’s greatest areas of need and priorities, via a combination of telephone, email, remote or onsite visits – to best suit school staff availability
• assessment visit (full or half day) where the provider engaged by the department, Ernst and Young, will visit your school to provide a formal verification assessment that your school’s safety management practices and relevant OHSMS requirements are being met and identify any opportunities for improvement. This visit will be conducted with a refreshed, supportive approach.

For more information on the OHS assurance program refer to OHS Management System (OHSMS) or contact:

• the OHS advisory service on 1300 074 715 or safety@education.vic.gov.au
• your regional OHS support officers – based across the 4 regions to support schools to operationalise the OHSMS.

Rolling facilities evaluations are conducted on-site by the department’s Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and involve a condition assessment of school buildings and grounds. The condition assessment report is used to prepare a school maintenance plan.

Rolling facilities evaluations are conducted by VSBA service providers. Each school will undergo a rolling facilities evaluation once every 5 years.

The condition assessment report generated will identify and prioritise defects. A specialist assessment or more detailed investigation may be required on some defects. The evaluation includes an assessment of bushfire attack level on shelter in place buildings for schools on the bushfire at risk register.

The principal or their delegate will:

• be invited to attend an optional rolling facilities evaluation briefing
• be asked to complete a pre-assessment questionnaire, meet site assessors, and accompany them on the assessment visit (this is optional but recommended)
• review and endorse the condition assessment report
• participate in the preparation of a school maintenance plan.

The overall time required of principals or their delegate for rolling facilities evaluations and school maintenance plan preparation is 5 to 10 hours.

For further information about rolling facilities evaluations refer to the School Maintenance Plans and Rolling Facilities Evaluations Policy.

The school council financial assurance program is managed by the Assurance Branch within the Assurance, Knowledge and Executive Services Division and comprises the following for Victorian government schools:

• agreed-upon procedures
• schools internal audits
• ad-hoc audits
• follow-up of agreed actions.

The following information provides a summary of activities undertaken in schools as part of the school council financial assurance program. For more detailed information about this program refer to Section 5 School Council Financial Assurance Program, Finance Manual – Financial Management for Schools.

Agreed-upon procedures

The purpose of the agreed-upon procedures (AUPs) is to assess key financial controls across multiple processes at schools. AUPs assist the department to achieve assurance over financial controls for the purposes of consolidation into the department's 30 June financial accounts and to identify control/compliance gaps that need rectification. The AUPs assess key transactional level and entity level financial controls, school council governance in school financial matters and schools' compliance with departmental key financial policies and procedures.

The AUPs are undertaken annually. Approximately 350 schools are selected based on random sampling, previous audit results, internal department consultations, and data analysis. Once selected, schools are given the option to select the term that best suits them to participate in the AUPs. The service provider engaged by the department will then work with schools to choose:

• timing that is suitable for both the school and auditor within that term
• the mode of audit (onsite or remote).

The auditors may spend between one and 4 days at a school depending on its size, volume and complexity of financial transactions. School staff input to the audit process will be required intermittently and the auditors may request to speak with the school council president regarding school council matters.

Principals and business managers will be asked to assist/prepare by ensuring that end of year financial processes have been completed, monthly reconciliations are up to date, all relevant registers, financial records and school council minutes are available on site, attending the entry and exit meetings and providing comments on the findings.

Schools that are identified through the AUPs as requiring improvement will be asked to prepare action plans to address the audit issues. Action plans will need to be presented to the school council.

School internal audits

School internal audits cover key financial processes at schools, such as expenses and payments, revenue collection processes, school council governance, school purchasing cards and cash management.

School internal audits are conducted annually. Approximately 25 to 40 schools are selected, based on previous audit results, internal department consultations and data analysis. Once selected, schools are given the option of the term that best suits them to participate in the audit, and the department’s Assurance Branch will work with schools to choose:

• timing that is suitable for both the school and auditor within that term
• the mode of audit (onsite or remote).

The auditors may spend between 2 and 5 days at a school depending on the size of the school and the volume and complexity of the transactions. School staff input to the audit process may be required intermittently and the auditors may request to speak with the school council president regarding school council matters.

Principals and business managers will be asked to assist/prepare by ensuring that end of year financial processes have been completed, monthly reconciliations are up to date, all relevant registers, financial records and school council minutes are available on site, attending the entry and exit meetings and providing comments on the findings.

Schools that are identified through the audit as requiring improvement will be asked to prepare action plans to address the audit issues. Action plans will need to be presented to the school council.

Ad-hoc audits

Ad-hoc audits for schools occur when requested by a school, region, departmental division or when required by the Assurance Branch.

Schools will be notified individually if they are selected for an ad-hoc audit. Timelines and reporting format for these audits are agreed up-front. Scope, timeframe, preparatory work, and expectations vary depending on the audit objective and will be discussed with the school prior to the audit.

The school is expected to provide auditors with the support they require and to provide comments on the findings. Auditors will need to speak with the principal and business manager during the audit and may request to speak with the school council president in relation to school council matters.

A school that is identified through the audit as requiring improvement will be asked to prepare an action plan to address the audit issues. Action plans will need to be presented to the school council.

Follow-up of agreed actions

Until recently, the school review has provided assurance of ongoing compliance with the Minimum Standards and other requirements for school registration as well as undertaking a review of school performance to inform the directions of the school's 4-year school strategic plan (SSP).

From Term 2, 2022, school reviewers will no longer assess schools’ compliance with the Minimum Standards for school registration. Instead, the Department’s Operational Policy, School Engagement and Compliance Division (OPSEC) will undertake a Minimum Standards Compliance Assessment with schools approximately 6 to 12 months before their scheduled School Review. For more information refer to:

• School Review Policy
• Minimum Standards and School Registration Policy.

School review

The school review is conducted by the department’s Performance Division. The department undertakes a review of school performance once every 4 years to inform the directions of the school’s 4-year SSP. The SSP is a legislative requirement for all schools under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic).

During September each year, the department schedules reviews for the following year to align schools to the 4-year review cycle. The duration and focus of each review are tailored to meet the needs of individual schools, however all school reviews comprise the following activities and timeframes:

1. professional learning for principals and senior education improvement leaders (SEILs) in the term ahead of the review
2. the completion of the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) in strategic planning online tool in the term ahead of the review
3. the preparation meeting at least 2 weeks before the review
4. the validation day on which the review panel tests and validates the school’s PRSE
5. fieldwork days, ranging from half a day to 4 days
6. the final panel day, on which the panel concludes fieldwork (if remaining) and develops the key directions for the school’s next SSP.

Following pre-review preparation activities, a school review panel will examine the school’s performance against the previous SSP, set appropriate 4-year goals and targets for the next 4 years to support development of a new SSP and identify key improvement strategies that will help the school achieve those goals.

The principal, the SEIL, the school council president, the school improvement team, challenge partners (identified by the principal and the SEIL) and the broader school community, including parents and students, will be involved in leading, coordinating and participating in the review process.

For further information refer to the School Review Policy.

Minimum Standards Compliance Assessment

The Minimum Standards Compliance Assessment assesses government schools’ compliance with the Minimum Standards for school registration once every 4 years. From Term 2, 2022 (and for schools who have volunteered to be part of a pilot program) the Minimum Standards Compliance Assessment will take place 6 to 12 months before the school review (noting that as the department transitions to this new process, these timeframes may differ from school to school).

Schools will be required to complete a self-assessment checklist and provide the department’s School Compliance Unit with documentation that evidences compliance with the Minimum Standards for school registration. Further discussions will take place via email, phone and video conferencing and some school visits may also occur..

The average duration of the assessment will be less than a week, with follow up if required to ensure all school level policies and other processes are compliant within 3 months following the assessment.

For further information about Minimum Standards Compliance Assessments refer to the Minimum Standards and School Registration Policy.