Information for parents & carers in Catholic Schools
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data
on school students with Disability
All schools in Australia are required to participate annually in
the National Consistent Collection of Data for Students with Disability (NCCD). This allows our
Catholic sector to continue to provide and prioritise innovative and high-quality teaching and
learning to support all students on their learning journey. Above all though, our Catholic
tradition demands that educators see every child as equal, inherently sacred and worthy of
dignity and respect. Our Catholic schools support children and young people with disability as
an act of love, not merely as a legislative requirement.
What is the National Consistent Collection of Data?
The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on Student School Students with Disability (NCCD) is a
process that all schools must complete on an annual basis. It is designed to count the number of
students who receive additional adjustments or “help” at school because of a disability. This national
data collection helps federal and state governments plan for the needs of students with disability. It is
also the way that schools seek and receive funding to support the learning needs of their students.
Who is included in the data collection?
To include a student in the NCCD collection, schools must consider some key questions:
1. Is the student receiving adjustments to assist them with their ability to participate in
schooling on the same basis as their peers?
2. Does the student meet the NCCD's broad definition of disability?
3. Has this school discussed the adjustments(help) with the student and/or parent/carer/
guardian?
4. Does the school have documentation (assessments, medical reports or other paperwork) about
the student’s functional needs, the adjustments (help) that they provided and how the student
progressed overtime?
Where the school decides that the four steps above are in place (i.e. the student meets the NCCD
criteria), the school then decides the best disability category and how much help (adjustment level) that
the student is provided with.
What is the broad definition of disability?
The NCC definition of disability is based on the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and there are four
categories; sensory (e.g. vision / hearing impairment), cognitive, social-emotional and physical.
The definition of disability is very broad and many students that need help at school can be counted in
the NCCD. Students with learning disorders e.g. specific learning disability or reading impairment
(sometimes referred to as dyslexia), ADHD or auditory processing disorder, chronic health conditions
(e.g. epilepsy or diabetes), physical disability (e.g cerebral palsy), vision/hearing impairment and social
emotional disorders (e.g. selective mutism, anxiety disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder) may be
included in the data count.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on school students with Disability (NCCD)
A formal diagnosis by specialist may be very helpful for the school but is not needed in the NCCD. A student's
inclusion in the NCCD collection is based on professional teacher judgement. Schools can consider school
based and external documents to decide if a student can be counted.
What are examples of adjustments?
Students need different types of help at school. Some students need a little help sometimes (minor
adjustments) but other students need a lot of help nearly all the time (extensive adjustments). The type
of help and support that a school provides is also very different depending on the needs of the student.
The adjustments can include physical changes to the school buildings or grounds (e.g. ramps or special
equipment), extra teacher support in classes, special learning programmes, changes to the way the
curriculum is presented and delivered or extra adult assistance.
What information is needed about my child?
Schools work together with parents /guardians/carers to understand the needs of each child. Your
knowledge of your child's development and learning is important and valuable in this process. It will be
very helpful to provide your child's teacher with a copy of any relevant past reports (e.g. from a
psychologist, speech pathologist, doctor, Paediatrician, OT etc). these reports will be used with
information from your child's teacher, such as information about your child's reading progress or a
Personalised Learning Plan, to build a picture of your child's needs and the help that the school is
providing.
How is information collected?
The data collection process involves input from teachers, principals and other school staff working
together to consider the data for students with disability in their school, the category of disability and
the level of adjustment that best reflects each student’s needs.
As a first step, teachers consult with the student and their parent/guardian/carer, to discuss the
student’s strengths in the areas where the student needs extra support. This support could be support
for their learning, behaviour support, support for medical needs, participation, or other areas where the
student needs extra help. Information collected about the type of adjustments the school is making so
that they can participate and learn on the same basis as other students. Documentation, such as
diagnostic reports, school reports, parent teacher interviews, Collaborative Planning Meetings and
Personalised Learning Plans, will help to provide evidence of the type of support that the school is
providing.
What happens to the data? Is it confidential?
All schools must complete the NCCD. Each school principal is required to verify and submit data about
students with disabilities in their school during August of each year. The privacy and confidentiality of all
students and their families is respected and handled as per the school's Privacy Policy and Collection
Notice. Please refer to your schools’ policies for further information.
Do schools require active consent from parents to include students in NCCD?
Amendments were made to the Australian Education Act 2013 and subsequent regulations. As such, schools
do not require parents/carers/guardians to provide active consent for students to be included in the NCCD
nor is there an option for parents/carers/guardians to request their child not be included (e.g. an opt-out
option.)
Where can I access more information?

Please contact your child's school if you have further questions about the NCCD. Additionally, the following
link to the national NCCD Portal may be helpful www.nccd.edu.au.

NCCD – Parent Information