COMMUNITY LANGUAGES SCHOOLS PROGRAM#609549

ACCREDITATION/REACCREDITATION GUIDELINES – 2014

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) Community Languages Schools Programenables students to maintain their mother tongue/heritage language. Funding under this program is available to accredited not-for-profit, community-based organisations operating after hours languages programs.For the purposes of this program, a community language is defined as one used on a day to day basis by members of cultural/linguistic groups resident in Victoria to communicate with family members, and within their own community.

These guidelines are provided to assist Community Languages Schools (CLS) seeking accreditation/reaccreditation from the DEECD for Community Languages Schools per capita funding for 2014.CLS seeking accreditation/reaccreditation must provide the following documentation and information:

  1. Certificate of Incorporation indicating that the community group or school is registered as a not for-profit organisation under any of the following Acts:
  2. Associations Incorporation Act 1981
  3. Corporations Act 2001 as a Company Limited by Guarantee
  4. Religious and Accessories Charitable Trust Act 1958
  1. A copy of the organisation’s constitution
  2. The organisation’s Australian Business Number (ABN)
  3. Details of School Council/Parent Committee/Board of Management membership (names, addresses, phone numbers)
  4. A certified copy of current Working With Children clearance for Principal and all staff ORcurrent

Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration

  1. A School Charter or Plan for the period for which accreditation is sought
  2. An outline of the course provided by the school/organisation based on the Australian Curriculum in Victoria–AusVELSwhich requires teaching of the language for a min of 2.5 hours per week for around 40 weeks per year
  3. Samples of the school’s/organisation’s student progress reports based on assessment and reporting policies and practices for Victorian schools, including a regular communication with parents
  4. A certified copy of a First Aid Certificate for at least one current member of staff for each campus of the school/organisation
  5. A copy of the school’s/organisation’s student supervision roster for the term immediately preceding the application for accreditation/reaccreditation
  6. A copy of the school’s/organisation’s student attendance roll for the term immediately preceding the application for accreditation/reaccreditation
  7. A commitment from school to providing Professional Development opportunities for staff and a commitment from staff to attend around 25 hours of Professional Development per year
  8. A list of the school’s/organisation’s teachers who do not have a recognised qualification in languages teaching, to be placed on the waiting list for participation in an accredited tertiary Languages Methodology course
  9. A commitment to maintaining detailed and accuraterecordkeeping practices (of enrolled studentsand programs/services provided, expenditure)

Explanatory Notes

  • DEECD Accreditation to Community Languages Schools for funding purposes, may be granted for up to 3 years
  • Community Languages Schools seeking accreditation for the first timemust demonstrate that they have operated successfully and independently for a minimum of 12 months and are financially viable, prior to applying for accreditation. The following mustbe provided with their application:

-Number of years of operation

-Date when the school/organisation commenced language classes

-Number of student enrolments since commencing classes

-hold accreditation for funding purposes from DEECD for the year they are applying for funding

  • Community Languages Schools seeking accreditation must provide tuition in a language to school age students, for a minimum of 2.5 hours per week, for approximately 40 weeks a year. The language program provided must be consistent with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (AusVELS) for languages,issued by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)(
  • Accreditation is granted to a school only for campus/campuses/locations specified on original accreditation application
  • Accreditation for a new Community LanguageSchool or a new campus of an existing Community LanguageSchool will NOT be granted if the same language is offered by the Victorian School of Languages (VSL) ( another Community Languages School in an area within a radius of five kilometres from the proposed location of the new Community Languages School or the new campus, except under exceptional circumstances as determined by the Department
  • Accredited Community Languages Schools planning to open up additional campuses OR relocate their classes to a new location due to their existing premises becoming unavailablemust notify the Department and complete the relevant documentation to recognise additional/relocated campuses and to ensure these are compliant with Departmental guidelines, in order to maintain Accreditation
  • The Department reserves the right to seek further information, including conducting its own analysis in relation to the impact on other providers, of the new Community Languages School or a new campus of an accredited Community Languages School
  • Community Languages Schools which do not provide languages programs for two consecutive years will lose their Accreditation and would need to apply as a new school to gain Accreditation
  • Community Languages Schools which are unsuccessful in gaining accreditation/reaccreditation may seek a review of the accreditation decision
  • Funding cannot be claimed for students in the following categories:
  • students for whom tuition is being provided as a result of an agreement negotiated with a day school
  • students who are temporarily residing in Australia
  • overseas students who pay full fees in order to attend government or non-government schools in Australia
  • students who study the same language at a Victorian School of Languages (VSL) Centre
  • students for whom the Community Language School is providing tuition or coaching in other subjects such as maths, English, music, etc.- even if the course /program are also conducted in the community language
  • students who enrolled at the Community Language School after 4 April, 2014
  • pre-school children or adults

All applications and documentation for Accreditation/Reaccreditation should be forwarded to:

Ms Vicky Marinelis, Senior Project Officer, Community Languages Schools

Languages and Multicultural Education Resource Centre (LMERC), 150 Palmerston Street, CARLTON 3053

Applicants will be advised in writing of the outcome of their applications.Further information or assistance can be obtainedby contacting Ms Marinelis by telephone on (03) 9349 2861 or email at:

Page | 1

COMMUNITY LANGUAGES SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Accreditation/Reaccreditation Application Form – 2014

This form is to be used by new or existing Community Languages Schools (CLS)applying for accreditation or reaccreditation.This form must be submitted by 30 September2014. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) will advise of the outcome of the application by 31 December 2014.

  1. Community Language School name: ______
    ______

2.Language:______

3.Australian Business Number (ABN): ______

4.Campuslocation/s (for existing CLS schools please include accredited and non-accredited campuses):

Suburb / Campus address
/ (For existing CLS schools)
Accredited by DEECD
YES/NO
Eg. Oakleigh / Oakleigh Primary School, Warrigal Road, Oakleigh / YES

5.Declaration

Please provide details for two applicants who will take responsibility for this application:

Details of Applicant 1
Name:______

Position:______

Address:______

Telephone/Mobile:______

E-mail:______

I certify that all documentation provided is true and correct.

Signature:______

Date:______

Details of Applicant 2
Name:______

Position:______

Address:______

Telephone/Mobile:______

E-mail:______

I certify that all documentation provided is true and correct.

Signature:______

Date:______

Application form and all support documents must be submitted to:

Ms Vicky Marinelis

Senior Project Officer, Community Languages Schools

150 Palmerston Street, CARLTON 3053.

For further information please contact Ms Marinelis by telephone on 9349 2861 or by e-mail at