QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICY
June 2020
STEM ACADEMY PTY LTD (ACN 635 993 814) trading as STEM Club (“STEM CLUB”) is committed to providing their students and professionals with high quality STEM education. STEM CLUB operates as an education facility for both the education of Students, and for the professional development of Schoolteachers.
STEM CLUB’s objective is to engage more Students and Schoolteachers in STEM, through the provision of practical activities, high-quality education, and simple and easy to understand guidance. STEM CLUB is committed to this goal and understands that policies that ensure the quality of their programs are necessary.
Purpose
This Policy provides the process by which STEM CLUB will ensure the quality of its courses, Teaching staff, and materials. This Policy is crucial to ensuring that STEM CLUB continues to be the leading STEM education provider through offering high quality education and teaching.
Policy Statement
As the goal of STEM CLUB is to improve engagement in STEM of both Students and Schoolteachers, continuous improvement remains a vital core of the business of STEM CLUB. In an effort to improve engagement, STEM CLUB needs to ensure the quality of its courses, Teaching staff, and materials are maintained at their highest level. Quality assurance is not only a policy for the maintenance of current standards, but also an important policy for the continual improvement of standards.
Teaching staff
The recruitment of teaching staff is the first step in STEM CLUB’s quality assurance process. All Teaching staff engaged will have to satisfy the extensive prerequisites determined by the Director and provide an exceptional interview during which their knowledge both theoretical and practical can be examined along with their interpersonal skills. STEM CLUB will only employ Teaching staff who are compatible with the ethos of the business and who will be able to provide excellent education to Students and Schoolteachers alike.
The qualifications and experience of prospective Teaching staff will be verified through exhaustive reference checks. Practical assessments may also be undertaken to confirm the practical experience of the Teaching staff and their application of STEM theory.
Each member of Teaching staff will be required to read in full STEM CLUB’s Terms and Conditions, Policies, course curriculum, relevant legislation and regulations, and any other materials provided by the Director before their employment commences and to ensure they maintain current knowledge of such materials throughout the duration of their employment.
All employed Teaching staff will undergo annual performance reviews to identify any areas requiring further training and to develop an action plan for any such training. Teaching staff will also be encouraged to seek programs, lectures, or other forms of continuing education to assist in the maintenance of their skills and to ensure they are up to date with any STEM developments. As the skills of the Teaching staff improves they will take a more active role in contributing to the continuous improvements at STEM CLUB.
Should a member of the Teaching staff be the subject of ongoing negative feedback or complaints, or if they fail to comply with the policies of STEM CLUB, or any legislative or regulatory requirements, the Director will personally evaluate the member of the Teaching staff. If a member of the Teaching staff is no longer able to provide quality education to the Students and Schoolteachers, then variations to their duties or employment status may arise in compliance with their employment contract, applicable workplace legislation and considerations of procedural fairness.
Courses
The courses that STEM CLUB provides will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it is of the highest possible quality, and that it meets the New South Wales Education Standards Authority guidelines. STEM CLUB will review its course routinely at the following intervals which include but are not limited to:
Teaching staff will also be encouraged to offer feedback regarding the courses, and any ways in which they can be improved. The continual review policy of STEM CLUB will be rigorously carried out to ensure the quality of the courses that STEM CLUB provides.
Materials
The materials that STEM CLUB uses in its courses will be similarly reviewed, assessed and improved at the same time as the courses. STEM CLUB understands that the materials it uses may be further enhanced by new technologies, and as such it will actively pursue any new content that may complement and/or improve its course content.
Other Policies
STEM CLUB remains committed to the quality of its business and educational services. To aid in ensuring the quality of the business and educational services, this Policy is to be read in conjunction with various other policies of STEM CLUB, including:
Review of this Policy
ll courses, policies, procedures, administration, systems, staffing, and other aspect of the business will be assessed and evaluated on an annual basis, or earlier if necessitated by feedback from clients or other stakeholders.
Amendments to this Policy
STEM CLUB may update, modify or remove this Policy at any time without notice, but will do so with the objective of ensuring ongoing compliance with NESA and any other statutory framework by which it is bound. Any amendments introduced will not in any way derogate from the commitment STEM CLUB has to demonstrating a high level of professionalism and providing exceptional education services.