Policies
Concerns and Complaints Policy
Aim
The aim of this policy is to ensure that a concern or complaint by a parent is managed sympathetically, efficiently, at the appropriate level and resolved as soon as possible. We believe this is good practice, it is fair to those concerned and it helps to promote parents’ and students’ confidence in our ability to safeguard and promote welfare. We will try to resolve every concern or complaint in a positive way and in a transparent manner.
Here at Sunny View School we expect that most concerns can be resolved informally and we endeavour to treat all concerns, whether raised informally or formally, seriously and confidentially.
Scope of the Policy
This policy applies to specific concerns or complaints relating directly to a parent’s child or children. We will not discuss matters relating to any child other than that of the parent who raises the concern or complaint. The school is under no obligation to respond to petitions or group complaints as these do not adhere to the guidelines outlined in this policy.
Statement
We need to know as soon as possible if there is any cause for dissatisfaction. We recognise that a difficulty that is not resolved quickly and fairly can soon become a cause of resentment, which could be damaging to relationships and also to our school culture. Parents and students should never feel – or be made to feel – that a complaint will adversely affect a student or his/her opportunities at the school. The policy, however, distinguishes between a concern or difficulty which can be resolved informally, and a formal complaint which will require further investigation.
Concerns
It is natural that parents may, occasionally, be concerned about an aspect of their child's education or welfare at school. This could include issues concerning the school's approach to aspects of the curriculum, homework, behavioural problems or any other issue.
The school welcomes enquiries from parents about any matter. Teachers and staff will explain the school practices, policies, and how they affect the pupils. The vast majority of concerns will be handled by the class teacher or by the Head or Deputy Head of Department, if appropriate.
All concerns should, in the first instance, be addressed to the child's class teacher. At all times our staff will help to resolve a problem. If occasionally parents feel it is not appropriate to speak the child’s class teacher, they can request an appointment through the office to speak to the Head or Deputy Head of Department.
Complaints
The procedure is again to speak to the child's class teacher in the first instance, or contact the school office to arrange an appointment to discuss your complaint with the Head or Deputy Head of Department.
In summary, the complaints procedure is divided into two stages:
Stage 1 aims to resolve the concern through informal contact at the appropriate level in school.
Stage 2 is the formal stage where written complaints are considered by the Headteacher or the owners of the school.
The way in which each stage operates is as follows:
Stage 1 – Your initial contact with the school
Many concerns will be dealt with informally when you make them known to us. The first point of contact should be your child’s class teacher.
We will meet with you, or contact you by telephone or in writing, as soon as possible after your concern is made known to us. All members of staff know the appropriate person to refer particular issues raised by you. He or she will make a clear note of the details and will check later to make sure that the matter has been followed up.
We will ensure that you are clear what action or monitoring of the situation, if any, has been agreed. We will confirm this in writing to you.
We will ensure that we speak directly to all appropriate people who may be able to assist us with our enquiries into your concern.
We will discuss with you (normally within ten working days) the progress of our enquiries. You will have the opportunity of asking for the matter to be considered further, once we have responded to your concern.
If you are still dissatisfied following this informal approach, your concern will become a formal complaint and we will deal with it at the next stage.
Stage 2 - Formal consideration of your complaint
This stage in our procedures deals with written complaints. It applies where you are not happy with the informal approach to dealing with your concern, as outlined under Stage 1 above.
Normally, your written complaint should be addressed to the Headteacher. It will be considered by the Headteacher and at least one other member of the school leadership team and/or one of the owners. If, however, your complaint concerns the Headteacher personally, it should be sent to the school marked “For the attention of the Owners of the School”.
We will acknowledge your complaint in writing as soon as possible after receiving it. This will be within three working days.
We will enclose a copy of these procedures with the acknowledgement.
Normally we would expect to respond in full within ten working days but if this is not possible we will write to explain the reason for the delay and let you know when we hope to be able to provide a full response.
As part of our consideration of your complaint, we may invite you to a meeting to discuss the complaint and fill in any details required. If you wish, you can ask someone to accompany you to help you explain the reasons for your complaint.
The Headteacher will usually be accompanied by another member of the senior leadership team and/or one of the owners at such meetings.
Following the meeting, the Headteacher or owners will, where necessary, talk to witnesses and take statements from others involved. If the complaint centres on a pupil, we will talk to the pupil concerned and, where appropriate, others present at the time of the incident in question.
If the complaint is against a member of staff, it will be dealt with under the school’s internal confidential procedures.
The Headteacher or owner will keep written/typed, signed and dated records of all meetings and telephone conversations, and other related documentation.
Once we have established all the relevant facts, we will send you a written response to your complaint. This will give a full explanation of the Headteacher or owner’s decision and the reasons for it. If follow-up action is needed, we will indicate what we are proposing to do. We may invite you to a meeting to discuss the outcome, if appropriate.
Closure of complaints
Very occasionally, the school will feel that it needs, regretfully, to close an complaint where the complainant is still dissatisfied.
We will do all we can to help to resolve a complaint against the school but sometimes it is simply not possible to meet all of the complainant’s wishes. Sometimes it is simply a case of “agreeing to disagree”.
If a complainant persists in making representations to the school – to the Headteacher, owners or anyone else - this can be extremely time-consuming and can detract from our responsibility to look after the interests of all the children in our care.
For this reason, we are entitled to close correspondence (including personal approaches, as well as letters and telephone calls) on a complaint where we feel that we have taken all reasonable action to resolve the complaint.
