22 Policies Review and Document Control

Purpose

This policy keeps the school's policy set in good order: each policy is identifiable, dated, versioned, approved by the right person, published where families can read it, and reviewed on time.

Ownership and approval

• Every policy has a named owner who is responsible for its content and its review date.
• The Principal approves each policy, or nominates a senior colleague where she has been personally involved.
• The trustees approve the policy set as a whole, and any policy whose change affects the rights or safety of pupils.
• Each policy is signed by the Principal for and on behalf of Growing Roots ltd.

Version numbering, dates and identifiers

• Each policy carries a number, a version, an issue date and a next review date.
• The version goes up by one whole number for a substantial change, and by a decimal for a correction that does not change meaning.
• Each policy also carries a web address on the school's site so that it can be cited and linked to.

Review cycle

• Every policy is reviewed at least once a year.
• A review is brought forward when statutory guidance changes, when the school changes platform or structure, or after an incident or complaint that shows a weakness.
• The owner records what was checked, what changed, and the new review date.

Publication and notification

• Approved policies are published on the school's website in the policies section, grouped by theme.
• Where a change materially affects a pupil or family, the school tells affected families and records that it has done so.
• Superseded versions are retained in line with the school's Records Management and Retention Policy, so the school can show what applied at a given date.

Register of policies

The school maintains a register of its policies: the number, title, owner, version, issue date and next review date of each. The register is reviewed with the policy set at least once a year.

Review

This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and is the first policy considered when any other policy is found to be out of date.