Last week, St James’ Primary School, Kotara welcomed NESA inspectors for a Short Notice visit—yes, it does happen!

As the day began, it was yet another day of wet weather, with steady rain falling. The construction on site was powering ahead, and the commencement of road widening works brought changed traffic conditions just outside the school gates. Despite these logistical challenges, our staff remained calm, focused, and prepared.

The NESA visit focused on several key areas: Stage 2 and 3 English and Mathematics, Enrolment, Attendance, and Child Protection. As these domains are central to our mission of delivering high-quality education and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every student, the visit focus provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on our practices and affirm our alignment with NESA and system expectations.

Over the two-hour session, the visiting officers engaged in dialogue with school leadership and representatives from Catholic Schools. They then reviewed documentation in our portal folder—for ease of access named “A Great Day for a NESA Visit!”. Their review approach was collaborative and affirming, recognising the strength of our system processes and the high-quality teaching and learning programs that reflect NESA, school and diocesan requirements.

The feedback was extremely positive. The documentation provided for review, was commended, as was our commitment to continuous improvement. The inspectors highlighted the strength of our curriculum planning and assessment, our proactive approach to attendance and enrolment, and our consistent, system-aligned child protection procedures.

Sincere thanks to Assistant Principal, Deb Petersen, and all staff for their thorough organisation and preparation of the documentation. Their efforts ensured a smooth and successful visit. I also extend appreciation to the Catholic Schools and Shared Services teams involved, whose support and presence were invaluable. They were on hand to answer questions and provide assistance where needed.

Our NESA visit was not only a positive experience but also a valuable process. It affirmed that our Diocesan COSI compliance systems are strong, our practices are purposeful, and our school community is deeply committed to quality education and student wellbeing. It reinforced that compliance is not about ticking boxes—it’s about embedding good practice, reflecting on progress, and continuously striving to improve.

So, at the end of it all, it truly was a great day for a NESA visit!