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Policy Review

4 min read

First created 11 July 2019
Last reviewed 19 June 2025
Review cycle Two years
Approver Senior Leadership Team
Owner Projects Manager
Stakeholders Board, staff
Child Safety National Principles 1-10

Overview #

  1. Policies and procedures serve as a framework within which an organisation can operate. They provide a common understanding on a given matter, help to ensure that tasks are completed consistently and efficiently, and ensure that the organisation complies with all its duties and obligations.
  2. In order to remain effective, policies must be reviewed regularly so that they remain relevant, reflecting current legal requirements and best practice.
  3. This policy establishes the framework for defining, developing, and maintaining the College’s policies and procedures to help ensure consistency and quality in its activities, attain its strategic goals, promote operational efficiency, and reduce risks.
  4. This policy applies to all staff, particularly those who may be called upon for the development and review of College policies.

Definitions #

  1. Editorial amendment means a change that does not alter the application or meaning of the policy or procedure. Examples of editorial amendments may include title changes, typographical corrections, erroneous references or links, etc.
  2. Major amendment means a substantive change which affects principles, intent, or application of the policy or procedure. Examples of major amendments include the addition or removal of one or more policy statements or principles or the substantial reworking reworking of sections of the policy.
  3. Minor amendment means a change which is not likely to affect the principles, intent, or application of the policy or procedure but which is of a more significant nature than editorial amendments. Examples of minor amendments include changes to responsibilities or operational aspects of a process or a consequential change to a single provision such as may result from a change in legislative or regulations or an amendment to a related policy.
  4. Policy means an official position statement by the College on a particular matter. A policy articulates the internal rules, or principles, which have been adopted by the College to guide the activity and any associated decision-making. The majority of policies will be accompanied by a set of procedures or guidelines to explain how the policy is to be implemented.
  5. Procedures outline the actions, processes, and/or operational steps that should be undertaken when implementing a particular policy.

Review of Policies #

  1. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) will ensure it has mechanisms in place to periodically review and evaluate existing policies to determine they are still relevant. The review process may highlight a need for editorial, major, or minor amendments.
  2. As a rule, no policy should go beyond three years without review; however, the following policies should be reviewed annually:
    1. Teaching and Learning Program (including learning support and diverse needs policies)
    2. Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
    3. Risk Management Framework
    4. Work Health and Safety
    5. Any other policies identified as priority by the SLT.
  3. The SLT will ensure that:
    1. staff have input in the review and implementation of policies
    2. any resources (including training) necessary to effectively implement the policy are made available
    3. the policy requirements are monitored
    4. at least one policy is discussed at each staff meeting.

How Policies Are Reviewed #

  1. The Compliance Administrator will maintain a schedule for review, allocating staff with subject matter knowledge as appropriate. The Compliance Administrator will review the schedule annually.
  2. A task will be created in the College’s compliance system and assigned to the staff member(s) reviewing the policy, enabling progress to be tracked.
  3. Editorial amendments may be made to a policy by the Projects Manager or Compliance Administrator without first being submitting to the SLT. Notice of the amendments should be communicated to the SLT.
  4. Minor amendments must be approved by the CEO and communicated to the SLT. The Projects Manager or Compliance Administrator may then publish the amendments.
  5.  Major amendments must be submitted to the SLT via its meeting agenda for approval. The SLT will consider the major amendments and minute that it has either approved the amendments or has requested further drafting.
  6. The same procedure applies for new policies as with major amendments.
  7. Once the policy has been approved, the SLT will advise the Projects Manager or Compliance Administrator that the amendments can be published and implemented.
  8. Major amendments are to be communicated to all staff once the policy has been published. Minor amendments can be communicated at staff meetings or to affected staff only as appropriate.