Writing Policy and Procedure Documents (Guide)

Under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025 (Outcome Standards), RTOs are required to adopt a model of self-assurance whereby they clearly determine their own pathway to demonstrate the requirements for ongoing registration as a provider of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia.  

This means the RTO must determine how they will meet the Outcome Standards, and document their approach considering all risk factors to affect operations, and the context of those operations.  

Variance in operations between RTOs necessitates customised systems and documentation and the National VET Regulator has flagged that an “off-the-shelf” or “one-size-fits-all” approach to policies and procedures is a risk to quality and achieving compliance with the Outcome Standards’ requirements.

This tool gives guidelines to help develop clear, practical documents that:

• Support the RTO’s approach to meeting regulatory requirements  
• Provide meaningful guidance to staff and students

Included in this 40+ page Guide:

• The distinction between policy and procedure, and illustrative examples
• Sample list of key regulatory requirements to which an RTO’s policies and procedures should be aligned
• Steps to creating policy/procedure documents
• Tips for writing effective policies
• Tips for developing clear procedures
• Key elements to include in your policy/procedure documents
• Examples of common challenges - and their solutions
• Review checklist
• Example policy template
• Example procedure template  
• Example document register
• Example list of policy and procedure documents commonly required by RTOs (aligned to the requirements in the Outcome Standards and those contained in the ‘Compliance Requirements’ (National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Compliance Standards for NVR Registered Training Organisations and Fit and Proper Person Requirements) Instrument 2025))