
ST ILLTYD’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Document Reference | PRO-COM-001 |
Date Approved | 01/09/2024 |
Review Date | 01/09/2028 |
Approved By | Adele Matthews (Acting Headteacher) |
THIS DOCUMENT IS TO BE READ IN CONJUCTION WITH THE WELSH GOVENMENT SCHOOL COMPLAINTS GUIDANCE
INTRODUCTION
A complaint is defined as:
“An expression of dissatisfaction or disquiet in relation to a [school or teacher], which requires a response.”
Pupils, parents or carers can make a complaint to the school about most aspects of its function, including:
Attitude/behaviour of staff
Teaching and learning
Application of behaviour management systems
Bullying
Provision of extra-curricular activities
Provision of support services e.g. ALN, education welfare, educational psychology
Complaints about these matters will be referred to the Acting Headteacher Mrs Adele Matthews or, in her absence, the Acting Deputy Headteacher Mrs Kirsty Banks.
Members of the general public may make complaints to the school if the school is directly responsible for the issue being complained about e.g.
Behaviour of pupils during break-times
Disturbance to neighbours during school hours
Health and Safety issues of premises
Behaviour of staff
Schools are not responsible for the actions or behaviour of pupils outside school hours. It is also important to remember that legal, child protection or disciplinary proceedings take precedence over complaints procedures and timescales.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
The school will be clear about the difference between a concern and a complaint. By taking informal concerns seriously at the earliest stage, the numbers that develop into formal complaints can be kept to a minimum.
The underlying principle is that concerns ought to be handled without the need for formal procedures. For example, it would be helpful if the staff receiving the first approach were able to resolve issues on the spot, including apologising, where necessary.
Formal procedures can be initiated should the person making the initial complaint feel dissatisfied with the resolution.
St Illtyd’s Primary School will:
View complaints as a means of promoting pupil/parent satisfaction
Use complaints as a way of identifying opportunities to do things better
Listen to pupils and parents
Seek to resolve complaints quickly and thoroughly
Acknowledge the complaint either by sending a letter or through the arrangement of a meeting if the complaint is sent in by letter
Have clear, simple to understand/use, published procedures for making complaints (schools are required by law to have, and to make available to parents, their complaints procedures)
Keep complainants informed about progress
Provide redress where a complaint is found to have substance
Regularly review how effective the complaints procedure is
INVESTIGATING COMPLAINTS
The person who is charged with investigating the complaint will make sure they:
Establish the facts, to include
Who has raised the complaint
Who is/was involved
What actions have been taken up to that point
Clarify the nature of the complaint and what remains unresolved
Clarify what the complainant feels would put things right
Interview those involved, with an open mind
Maintain notes of any interviews
Keep the chair of governors informed, without giving any details at this stage
Meet the complainant or make contact with the complainant, if further information is required
RESOLVING COMPLAINTS
When addressing a complaint, the school will explore a range of possible resolutions with the goal of achieving a fair and satisfactory outcome. The complainant will be encouraged to state what actions/resolutions they would like to see, to resolve complaint, and these views will be taken into consideration at each stage.
Complaint resolutions may include:
An apology: The school may offer a sincere apology if the complaint is upheld, even if the harm was unintentional.
An explanation: The school will provide a clear and factual explanation of what happened, based on the findings of the investigation.
Admission of fault: The school may, where appropriate, admit that the situation could have been handled differently or better, and take responsibility for any mistakes or shortcomings.
Assurance of non-recurrence: The school may offer an assurance that reasonable steps will be taken to prevent the event complained of from happening again.
Explanation of steps: The school may explain the specific steps that will be taken to prevent recurrence, such as changes to policies, procedures, or staff training.
Policy review: Where appropriate, the school will commit to reviewing relevant school policies and procedures in light of the complaint to identify any necessary improvements.
N.B. The appropriate resolution will depend on the nature of the complaint and the findings of the investigation.
It's important to remember that an admission that the school could have handled a particular situation better is not necessarily the same as an admission of negligence.
The school's primary focus is on learning from complaints to improve its policies and practices and ensure a safe and positive learning environment for all learners and staff.
TIMESCALES
The school will consider and resolve complaints as quickly and efficiently as possible and set realistic time limits for each action. However, where investigations are complex, new time limits can be set as long as the school informs the complainant of the reason for the delay and gives them new deadlines.
STAGES OF COMPLAINT
STAGE 1 – Complaint heard by a Staff Member
It is in everyone’s interest to resolve complaints at the earliest possible stage. The experience of the first contact between the complainant and the school can be crucial in determining whether the complaint will escalate. Staff will be fully aware of the procedures and know what to do if and when they receive a complaint.
A complainant might feel they would have difficulty discussing a complaint with a particular member of staff. As a school we will be flexible and refer the complainant to another member of staff. If the complaint is about the headteacher, the complaint will be referred straight to the Chair of Governors.
If a staff member directly involved feels compromised and unable to deal with the matter, then a member of the LAST will deal with the matter.
If a complainant approaches a governor in the first instance, the complainant will be referred to an appropriate member of staff. Governors will not act on individual complaints outside the formal procedure or be involved in the early stages in case they need to sit on a panel at the later stage.
STAGE 2 – Complaints heard by the Headteacher
The Headteacher will have shaped the way complaints are handled in a school and will have decided who is the most appropriate person to deal with a complaint.
If the complaint is by letter the Headteacher will acknowledge the complaint within 3 school days. The acknowledgement will include a summary of the complaints procedure and a target date of 15 school days for providing a response. If this date cannot be met, the complainant will be contacted and given a reason for the delay and a revised target date.
The Headteacher will meet with the complainant to discuss their concerns and find solutions. The complainant may bring a friend, family member or advocate to the meeting and Interpreting services will also be made available where necessary. The Headteacher may find it useful to have another member of staff present to observe and record the meeting and promote staff safety. Care will be taken in these circumstances not to create an intimidating atmosphere for the complainant.
The Headteacher will make whatever enquiries they consider necessary to ascertain the facts and the legitimacy of decisions taken. This may include:
Interviewing staff/pupils
Reviewing minutes of meetings
Reviewing school records
Pupils will be interviewed in the presence of another member of staff, or in the case of serious complaints (e.g. where the possibility of a criminal investigation exists) in the presence of their parents. Again, care will be taken in these circumstances not to create an intimidating atmosphere.
It is important that the Headteacher investigates complaints thoroughly and objectively. If they feel unable to do this (e.g. if they have been directly involved in the decision making process that led to the complaint) they will delegate responsibility for investigating the complaint to another member of the management team, or the chair of governors. It is strongly advised that the Headteacher (or designated person) will keep a record of interviews, telephone conversations and other documentation.
Once all the relevant facts have been established, the Headteacher will provide a written response to the complainant. This will include a full explanation of decisions taken and the reasons for them. Where appropriate, it will include details of actions the school will take to resolve the complaint.
It may be useful at this point to offer the complainant a meeting to discuss the response and seek reconciliation. The complainant will be provided with details of how to contact the Governing Body, if they are not satisfied with the response.
STAGE 3 – Complaint passed to Chair of Governors
The Chair of Governors decides whether to convene the Complaints Committee to look into the complaint or commission the LA to start an investigation. If the complaint is about the Headteacher then the Chair will pass it directly to the LA.
STAGE 4 - The Governors’ Complaints Committee
If the Complaints Committee is activated this is the last school based stage of the process.
The meeting will allow for:
The complainant to explain their complaint and the headteacher to explain the school’s response.
Witnesses to be brought by the complainant or the headteacher.
The headteacher and the complainant ask questions of each other and any witnesses.
The committee to ask questions of the complainant, headteacher and any witnesses.
The complainant and the headteacher to summarise their position
Having considered all the evidence and questioned all parties, the Committee can:
Dismiss the complaint in whole or in part
Uphold the complaint in whole or in part
Decide on the appropriate action to resolve the complaint
Recommend changes or actions to school system and procedures to make sure that similar problems do not recur or
Request an investigation by an officer of the local authority.
A written response detailing the decisions, recommendations and the basis on which these have been made will be sent to the complainant within 15 school days. The school will retain a copy of all correspondence and records of meetings.
WITHDRAWING A COMPLAINT
Complaints may be withdrawn in writing at any time.
The Headteacher and Chair of Governors will review the issue of concern and consider whether further investigation is required through other internal management systems.
ADVICE FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITY
Sometimes a complainant contacts the LA in the first instance. The Local Authority cannot investigate a complaint, they can only investigate how the school has handled the complaint. So if a parent contacts the LA without first contacting the school, then they will be advised to contact the school and speak with the Headteacher.
Not acknowledging a complaint either by a phone call or a letter could exacerbate the problem. It is in the school's best interest to arrange a meeting with the complainant to discuss and resolve the complaint as soon as possible.
Further information in regard to the Blaenau-Gwent County Borough Council’s policy on Complaints can be found here:
http://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/resident/schools-learning/school-complaints/
VEXATIOUS COMPLAINTS
There will be occasions when a complainant becomes dissatisfied, even though all stages of the procedure have been followed. If the complainant tries to re-open the same issue again, the Chair of Governors can write to say that the procedure has been exhausted and the matter is now closed.
SUMMARY
We at St.Illtyd’s Primary School are committed to providing a positive and inclusive learning environment for all. We believe that open communication and a fair complaints procedure are essential in achieving this goal. We encourage you to use our complaints policy if you have any concerns about any aspect of school life. We will listen to your concerns, with respect, and work diligently to address them fairly and promptly.
REMEMBER:
Early intervention is key - if you have a concern, raise it as soon as possible.
The complaints policy outlines the different stages of the process and your rights throughout.
We encourage you to seek informal resolution first, but formal options are available if needed.
We value your feedback and see it as an opportunity to improve our services.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We look forward to working with you to ensure a positive and fulfilling learning experience for all.