Policy Management and Review Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Policy Management and Review Policy is to ensure that all school policies at The Independent School of Jakarta (ISJ) are:

• Statutory compliant and aligned, where appropriate, with UK Department for Education (DfE) and gov.uk statutory guidance for independent schools
• Clear, accessible, and consistently implemented
• Regularly reviewed, updated, and approved
• Effectively communicated to staff, parents, pupils, and other stakeholders

This policy supports strong governance, safeguarding, compliance, and continuous school improvement.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All statutory and non-statutory school policies
• Academic, pastoral, operational, safeguarding, health and safety, and governance policies
• Policies applicable across EYFS, Primary, and Secondary phases

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

ISJ aligns its policy management and review processes with relevant UK statutory and regulatory guidance, including but not limited to:

• Independent School Standards Regulations (ISSRs)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children
• Equality Act 2010
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018
• EYFS Statutory Framework (where applicable)

While ISJ operates internationally, these frameworks are used as benchmarks of best practice.

4. Principles of Policy Management

ISJ is committed to ensuring that all policies are:

• Compliant – meeting statutory and regulatory requirements
• Clear – written in plain English and accessible
• Consistent – aligned with the school's vision, values, and other policies
• Current – regularly reviewed and updated
• Understood – known and implemented by staff and stakeholders

5. Roles and Responsibilities

Proprietor / Board of Governors

• Approves all statutory policies
• Ensures systems are in place for effective policy review and compliance
• Receives assurance that policies are implemented effectively

Academic Director

• Has overall responsibility for policy implementation and compliance
• Ensures statutory policies are reviewed in line with required timescales
• Reports to the Board on policy compliance and review outcomes

Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

• Drafts, reviews, and updates policies relevant to their areas of responsibility
• Ensures staff are trained and aware of policy requirements
• Monitors the effectiveness of policies in practice

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

• Ensures safeguarding policies are compliant with current statutory guidance
• Reviews safeguarding-related policies annually or as guidance changes

Staff

• Familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant school policies
• Raise concerns where policies are unclear or ineffective

6. Policy Approval Process

1. Policies are drafted or reviewed by the relevant policy owner (SLT member or designated lead)
2. Policies are checked for statutory compliance and consistency
3. Policies are shared with SLT for consultation, where appropriate
4. Statutory policies are submitted to the Board for approval
5. Approved policies are ratified and recorded with a review date

7. Review Cycle

• Statutory safeguarding policies: Reviewed annually or immediately following changes to statutory guidance
• Other statutory policies: Reviewed at least every two years
• Non-statutory policies: Reviewed on a three-year cycle or as required
• Ad hoc reviews: Conducted following incidents, changes in legislation, inspection findings, or school development priorities

A central Policy Review Schedule is maintained by the school.

8. Accessibility and Publication

• All current policies are stored securely in a central digital repository
• Statutory policies are published on the school website where appropriate
• Hard copies are available upon request
• Staff are informed of policy updates through briefings and training

9. Training and Implementation

• Relevant training is provided to ensure effective implementation of policies
• Induction programmes include key statutory policies
• Compliance is monitored through audits, line management, and internal reviews

10. Monitoring and Evaluation

The effectiveness of this policy is monitored through:

• Internal compliance checks
• Safeguarding audits
• Inspection outcomes
• Feedback from staff, parents, and pupils

Findings inform future policy development and school improvement planning.

11. Record Keeping

For each policy, ISJ maintains a record of:

• Policy title
• Date approved
• Approving authority
• Date of next review
• Policy owner

12. Review of This Policy

This Policy Management and Review Policy will be reviewed every two years, or earlier if required by changes in statutory guidance or school operations. This policy reflects ISJ's commitment to best practice, safeguarding, and continuous improvement.