COMPLAINTS POLICY

SLT Checked / Oct 2017
IEB Review Due
Reviewed

School complaints

The Governing Bodies of all maintained schools and maintained nursery schools in England are, under Section 29 of the Education Act (2002) to ensure there is in place a procedure regarding the handling of complaints. The procedure must cover complaints received relating to the school, and also any community facilities or services that the school provides.

Our Governing Body is responsible for investigating and responding to complaints about school that are of a general nature.

Our aim

Royton CromptonSchool takes its responsibility for children seriously, and values the support and partnership of parents and carers.

We try very hard to ensure that we get things right and it is important that our pupils, parents and carers feel able to raise issues of concern informally with members of staff without having to resort to formal procedures.

However on those occasions when a complaint is received, we will ensure that the complainant receives information about the school complaints procedure and what will happen to their complaint.

Through our Complaints procedure we aim to:

  • encourage resolution of problems by informal means wherever possible;
  • be impartial;
  • be non-adversarial;
  • allow swift handling with established time-limits for action and keeping people informed of the progress;
  • ensure a full and fair investigation by an independent person where necessary;
  • respect people’s desire for confidentiality;
  • address all the points at issue and provide an effective response and appropriate redress, where necessary;
  • provide information to the school’s senior management team so that services can be improved.

Investigating complaints

In line with Local Authority guidelines and procedures, there are 3 clearly defined stages to our Complaints Procedure. The diagram at Appendix 1 clarifies at each stage who will be involved, what will happen to the complaint and the timescale for response.

Stage 1: Complaint Heard by Staff Member

It is in everyone’s interest that complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage. Royton & CromptonSchool respects the views of any complainant who indicates that he/she would have difficulty discussing a complaint with a particular member of staff. In these cases, the Complaints Co-ordinator will refer the complainant to another staff member. Where the complaint concerns the Headteacher, the Complaints Co-ordinator will refer the complainant to the Chair of Governors.

Stage 2: Complaint Heard by Headteacher

Should the complaint not have been resolved informally at Stage 1, or should the complainant remain dissatisfied, the complainant should put his/her concerns in writing to the Headteacher. These will then be addressed formally as a Stage 2 complaint. The Headteacher may delegate the task of collating the information to another staff member but not the decision on the action to be taken. If the complaint involves the Headteacher, the complainant must address his/her concerns in writing to the Chair of Governors who will deal with the matter as a Stage 2 complaint.

Stage 3: Complaint Heard by Governing Bodies Complaints Appeal Panel

Should the complaint not have been resolved at Stage 2, or should the complainant remain dissatisfied, the complainant needs to write to the Chair of Governors* giving details of the complaint. The Chair, or a nominated governor, will convene a Governing Body Complaints Panel. The governors’ appeal hearing is the last school-based stage of the complaints process, and is not convened to merely rubber-stamp previous decisions. Individual complaints would not be heard by the whole Governing Body at any stage, as this could compromise the impartiality of any panel set up for a disciplinary hearing against a member of staff following a serious complaint.

(* Where a complaint has been heard at Stage 2 by the Chair of Governors, and in order to maintain impartiality, any complaint which moves to Stage 3 must be addressed to the Chair of the Governing Body Complaints Panel).

What if a complaint is not resolved at the end of the school complaints process?

It is very important to us that complaints are resolved as quickly as possible. However where complaints are complex and extra time is needed, this will be agreed with the complainant and their cooperation sought at the earliest opportunity.

If, at the end of the school complaints process, the complainant remains dissatisfied, the school may discuss with the Local Authority Complaints and Representations Officer any further intervention strategy, or form of mediation or review that may be available to the school and the complainant in order to attempt to resolve the situation.

At this point, the complainant will be notified of their right to appeal to the Secretary of State for Education, or the Local Government Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied with the complaints process.

Please complete and return to Royton & Crompton School,marked ‘Complaint’

(Director of Business & School Services), who will acknowledge receipt and explain what action will be taken.

Your name:
Pupil’s name:
Your relationship to the pupil:
Address:
Postcode:
Day time telephone number:
Evening telephone number:
Please give details of your complaint.
(Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary)
What action, if any, have you already taken to try and resolve your complaint.
(Who did you speak to and what was the response)?
What actions do you feel might resolve the problem at this stage?
Are you attaching any paperwork? If so, please give details.
Signature:
Date:
Official use only
Date acknowledgement sent:
By who:
Complaint referred to:
Date:

The 3-stage Complaints Procedure

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