Access to documents
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
This procedure does not apply to issues concerning the curriculum, collective worship, admissions, exclusion appeals, decisions about a child?s special educational needs or grievances by school staff. These are the subject of separate complaints procedures. Copies of these procedures are available in school.
All other complaints are handled by the school according to the arrangements set out below. Our school always works closely with parents as set out in our Parent Partnership Policy. Staff are always available for consultation with parents.
Aims and Objectives
The school will give careful consideration to all complaints and deal with them fairly and honestly. We will provide sufficient opportunity for any complaint to be fully discussed, and aim to resolve it through open dialogue and mutual understanding.
Complaints Procedure - Most complaints are best dealt with informally. If you have any concerns about the school or the education provided, please discuss the matter with your child's class teacher at the earliest opportunity.
Stage 1 - informal
If you feel that a concern has not been addressed through discussion with the class teacher, or that the concern is of a sufficiently serious nature, please make an appointment to discuss it with the headteacher. The headteacher considers any such complaint very seriously and most complaints can be resolved at this stage.
Stage 2 - formal
If the matter cannot be resolved, or your complaint is about the headteacher, then it may be appropriate for you to write to the Chairman of Governors to make a formal complaint. (Verbal complaints will be taken just as seriously). Please state the nature of the complaint, the steps taken to resolve it and the action you would like to see taken to remedy your concerns. The Chairman of Governors will review the way in which the complaint has been handled by the school and ensure that the issues have been dealt with properly and fairly. He will normally write to you with the outcome of this process within 15 working days of receiving the complaint.
Stage 3 - formal
If you are not satisfied with the result, you may ask to refer your complaint to Stage 3 of the procedure. At this stage, a panel of three governors will meet to consider the complaint and make a final decision about it on behalf of the governing body. The panel will consist of governors who have no detailed prior knowledge of the complaint, or connection with the complainant. The meeting will normally take place within 15 working days of your request.
You will have the opportunity to submit written evidence on the complaint prior to the meeting of the panel, and also to attend part of the meeting, accompanied by a friend/partner if wished, to put your case. The headteacher will be given the same opportunities. The panel will write to you with its conclusion within five working days of the meeting.
The decision of the panel is final. If you are still not satisfied, you may wish to put your complaint to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
Monitoring and Review - The governing body monitors the complaints procedure, in order to ensure that all complaints are handled properly. The headteacher logs all formal complaints received by the school and records how they were resolved. Governors examine this log on an annual basis and consider the need for any changes to the procedure.
Availability - A copy of this procedure is available to all parents on request.
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
There are policy documents for each curriculum subject and other school policies for example SEN, Child Protection, etc.
Parents may see documents held by the School concerning statutory orders and circulars relating to the curriculum etc., but reasonable notice is required.
Freedom of Information Act - A publication scheme is available from the school office on request. No charge will be made for any document requested up to 20 pages in length. A charge of 10p per sheet will be made for all documents exceeding this amount.
This procedure does not apply to issues concerning the curriculum, collective worship, admissions, exclusion appeals, decisions about a child?s special educational needs or grievances by school staff. These are the subject of separate complaints procedures. Copies of these procedures are available in school.
All other complaints are handled by the school according to the arrangements set out below. Our school always works closely with parents as set out in our Parent Partnership Policy. Staff are always available for consultation with parents.
Aims and Objectives
The school will give careful consideration to all complaints and deal with them fairly and honestly. We will provide sufficient opportunity for any complaint to be fully discussed, and aim to resolve it through open dialogue and mutual understanding.
Complaints Procedure - Most complaints are best dealt with informally. If you have any concerns about the school or the education provided, please discuss the matter with your child's class teacher at the earliest opportunity.
Stage 1 - informal
If you feel that a concern has not been addressed through discussion with the class teacher, or that the concern is of a sufficiently serious nature, please make an appointment to discuss it with the headteacher. The headteacher considers any such complaint very seriously and most complaints can be resolved at this stage.
Stage 2 - formal
If the matter cannot be resolved, or your complaint is about the headteacher, then it may be appropriate for you to write to the Chairman of Governors to make a formal complaint. (Verbal complaints will be taken just as seriously). Please state the nature of the complaint, the steps taken to resolve it and the action you would like to see taken to remedy your concerns. The Chairman of Governors will review the way in which the complaint has been handled by the school and ensure that the issues have been dealt with properly and fairly. He will normally write to you with the outcome of this process within 15 working days of receiving the complaint.
Stage 3 - formal
If you are not satisfied with the result, you may ask to refer your complaint to Stage 3 of the procedure. At this stage, a panel of three governors will meet to consider the complaint and make a final decision about it on behalf of the governing body. The panel will consist of governors who have no detailed prior knowledge of the complaint, or connection with the complainant. The meeting will normally take place within 15 working days of your request.
You will have the opportunity to submit written evidence on the complaint prior to the meeting of the panel, and also to attend part of the meeting, accompanied by a friend/partner if wished, to put your case. The headteacher will be given the same opportunities. The panel will write to you with its conclusion within five working days of the meeting.
The decision of the panel is final. If you are still not satisfied, you may wish to put your complaint to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
Monitoring and Review - The governing body monitors the complaints procedure, in order to ensure that all complaints are handled properly. The headteacher logs all formal complaints received by the school and records how they were resolved. Governors examine this log on an annual basis and consider the need for any changes to the procedure.
Availability - A copy of this procedure is available to all parents on request.
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
There are policy documents for each curriculum subject and other school policies for example SEN, Child Protection, etc.
Parents may see documents held by the School concerning statutory orders and circulars relating to the curriculum etc., but reasonable notice is required.
Freedom of Information Act - A publication scheme is available from the school office on request. No charge will be made for any document requested up to 20 pages in length. A charge of 10p per sheet will be made for all documents exceeding this amount.