Once a policy document is confirmed in the PDRW, Edvance guides you through the standard governance steps required for the policy to be fully approved and on record.

The governance lifecycle

1. Draft — the document is uploaded and confirmed but not yet through any approval steps
2. Consultation — where required, relevant stakeholders are notified and consulted on the policy content. Edvance tracks consultation cycles, recipients, and responses.
3. Principal recommendation — the principal reviews consultation feedback and recommends the policy for board approval
4. Board approval — the policy is formally approved at a board meeting, either as part of a board pack or as a standalone item
5. Governance record — the approval is recorded. For in-system board pack decisions, this happens automatically — you do not need to upload separate minutes.
6. Finalisation — the policy is marked as finalised and a dated version is locked to your register

Flexibility

Not every policy requires every step. Some policies have simpler governance paths — for example, a low-risk operational policy may go straight from draft to board approval without a formal consultation cycle. Edvance adapts to the path your policy takes rather than forcing a rigid sequence.