Complaints and Concerns Procedure

A distinction should be drawn between, on the one hand, an expression of concern or an informal complaint and, on the other, a formal complaint.  Of the very few complaints the School is asked to address in the course of a year, virtually all, if not all, are resolved at an informal level. Where at all possible, therefore, parents should seek to resolve matters at an informal level.  This is usually best done by discussion and agreement. 

Expressions of Concern or Informal Complaints

If a parent has a concern about some aspect of their child’s life at school, they should contact the Tutor (or, if the matter is a particularly sensitive one, the Head of School Section), who will try to assist or will refer the matter to another member of staff, as necessary.   If the concern is about the School, or some aspect of the School more generally, or about a particular member of staff, or is an exceptionally sensitive matter, then the parent should contact a senior member of staff (generally the Deputy Headmaster or the Headmaster or, for certain matters which are not related directly to teachers or pupils, the Bursar). 

Where this course is not deemed sufficient, or where it has been tried but the outcome is considered unsatisfactory, the parent may if appropriate be invited to refer the matter, still at an informal level, to a more senior member of staff.

Where all reasonable attempts to resolve a complaint at an informal level have failed, or, in exceptional circumstances, where an apparently extreme situation would appear to justify a formal complaint immediately, the following procedure should be used.

Formal Complaints

A parent wishing to make a formal complaint should (a) have already followed the procedure detailed above regarding informal approaches and (b) submit the complaint, and the grounds for it, to the Headmaster, in writing, stating clearly that and why they wish the matter to be dealt with by formal procedure.  As warranted by the nature of the complaint, the matter would be thoroughly investigated, and possible implications and solutions considered.  Investigations would be overseen by an appropriate, senior member of staff/the Headmaster.  All parties would be expected to co-operate with investigations and could expect to be required to give the necessary amount of time (which may be substantial) to assist with these investigations.  Once investigations were complete, a meeting between relevant parties and conducted by a senior member of staff/the Headmaster would (unless genuinely too impractical) be held, normally within 15 week-day school days of the receipt of the complaint. Each party may be accompanied by one other person at this meeting.  This accompanying person would be a relative, teacher or friend, but not normally a legal representative. Notwithstanding the possibility of yet further investigations being required, the ultimate purpose of such a meeting would be to try to obtain a resolution at that stage.  Once the senior member of staff/the Headmaster was satisfied that, so far as is practicable, all of the relevant facts had been established, a decision would be made, of which the complainant, and, where appropriate, the person complained about, would be advised, with reasons and any recommendations, in writing.

A parent wishing to make a formal complaint about the Headmaster should follow the above procedure, but submit the written complaint to the Clerk to the Governors (the Bursar) in an envelope marked ‘Chairman of Governors’, who would be responsible for ensuring that the formal complaint was dealt with in accordance with the procedure above, but by a person or people appropriate to the Headmaster’s case.

A parent who was dissatisfied with the outcome of a formal complaint should first consider an informal approach.  This would be made in the first instance to the Headmaster (unless it was he who dealt with the complaint, in which case the informal approach would be to the Chairman of Governors (via the Clerk to the Governors)). 

If a parent did not wish to proceed informally (or if, having made an informal approach, was still dissatisfied with the outcome), the parent could make a formal appeal.  This should be submitted in writing, with a clear statement as to the grounds on which consideration of an appeal is requested, to the Clerk to the Governors in an envelope marked ‘Chairman of Governors’.  The need for a formal appeal would be considered and, as necessary, a panel would be convened of at least three individuals not directly involved in the matters that were subject to complaint, one of these individuals being independent of the management and running of the School. Each of the panel members would be appointed by a designated Governor. The Chairman of the panel would then acknowledge the complaint and schedule a hearing to take place as soon as is practicable and normally within 18 week-day school days of the receipt of the complaint.  Each party would be entitled to be accompanied by one other person at this hearing. This accompanying person might be a relative, teacher or friend, but not normally a legal representative. The panel would set a date (normally at least 5 week-day school days prior to the hearing) by which each party declared if it wished to be accompanied and, if so, by whom.  The panel might also require that further particulars of the complaint or any related matter be supplied in advance of the hearing.  Copies of such particulars should be supplied to all parties by a date set by the panel but normally at least 9 week-day school days prior to the hearing. Parents would be expected to attend any formal appeal hearing themselves.  If possible, the panel would resolve the complaint immediately without the need for further investigation.   Where further investigation were required, the panel would decide how this should be carried out. After due consideration of all the facts deemed relevant by the panel, and as soon as is practicable (normally within 18 week-day school days of the appeal hearing), the panel’s decision, with reasons, together with any recommendations, would be made available in writing to the relevant parties, including (where appropriate) the person complained of as well as the complainant and the Headmaster. The panel’s decision would be final.

Notes:

Status: Although the above procedure is discretionary, the School will follow a fair and effective procedure in the event of a complaint being made.

Flexibility: The School is not obliged to follow the procedure in every instance.  There may be occasions when the School considers it appropriate to change or omit parts of the procedure.  The School may amend this procedure from time to time. During the academic years 2008-9 and 2009-2010, the formal complaints procedure was not invoked, nor has it been so far in the several years of its existence, during which any concerns/complaints have been dealt with, and any resolution reached, informally.

Vexatious and time-wasting complaints: These are serious matters and may result in serious action being taken by the School in respect of vexatious and time-wasting complainants.  Such serious action may include legal action and/or ending the School’s contract with the vexatious or time-wasting parent (resulting in the child having to leave the School).

Non-prejudice: No person will be penalised for raising a concern or making a complaint when this is done in good faith.  

Proper consideration and confidentiality: Any concern or complaint (whether formal or informal) that is not vexatious or time-wasting will be treated seriously and confidentially. A written record will be kept, with dates and with notes of the level at which resolution was reached, of any complaint and of any meetings, interviews, statements or correspondence arising in relation to a complaint. These will be kept confidential except in so far as is required of the School by Regulation/Law and will remain available for inspection in school by the Headmaster and Chairman of Governors.

Boarders and their parents can contact Ofsted regarding any complaints concerning boarding welfare by calling 08456 40 40 40  or e-mailing www.ofsted.gov.uk