School Complaints Procedure for Parents

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES

If you have a concern or complaint, we would like you to tell us about it. We welcome suggestions for improving our work in the school. Be assured that no matter what you wish to tell us, our support and respect for you and your child in the school will not be affected in any way. Please tell us of your concern as soon as possible. It is difficult for us to investigate properly an incident or problem which has happened some time ago.

What to do first

Most concerns can be sorted out quickly by speaking with your child’s class teacher.

What to do next

If you are dissatisfied with the teacher’s response (or with the Headteacher’s initial reaction if he/she has already been involved) you can make a complaint to the Headteacher.

If your complaint is about an action of the Headteacher personally, then you should refer it to the Chair of Governors. His/Her details will probably be available on the School Website.

You may also find it helpful at this stage to have a copy of the full statement of the General Complaints Procedure as this explains in detail what procedures are followed. This is available from the school office.

The Headteacher will ask to meet you for a discussion of the problem. Again you may take a friend or someone else with you if you wish. The Headteacher will conduct a full investigation of the complaint and may interview any members of staff or pupils involved. You will receive a written response to your complaint.

If you are still unhappy

The problem will normally be solved by this stage. However, if you are still not satisfied you may wish to contact the Chair of the Governing Body to ask for referral of your complaint to the Complaints Committee of the governing body. It will then be heard by a group of three governors who have no previous knowledge of the problem and so will be able to give it a fresh assessment. You will be invited to attend and speak to the committee at a meeting which the Headteacher will also attend. The General Complaints Procedure statement explains how these meetings operate.

Further action

Complaints about school problems are almost always settled within schools but in exceptional cases can be referred to the Secretary of State for Education if it is not resolved during stages one to four.