ISLE EDUCATION TRUST
Complaints Procedure
This policy applies to all schools in the Isle Education Trust.
Isle Education Trust – V1 10 March 2014
Page 1 of 5 Review : March 2017
Introduction
The Education Act 2002 formalises the requirement for governing bodies to establish an approved procedure to deal with complaints relating to the Academy and to any community facilities or services that the Academy provides. It is also a requirement that the procedure be publicised.
Informal Stage
Wherever possible parental complaints will be dealt with by a preliminary informal discussion with the Principal, or other appropriate Academy staff in order to see if the complaint can be resolved without recourse to the formal procedures. The Principal will almost always be involved at this stage except in certain circumstances such as where the complaint is about the Principal; where the Principal has previously tried to resolve the complaint unsuccessfully; or where the parent chooses to go directly to the formal stage following informal discussions with other appropriate Academy staff. Once the formal stage has begun it would be inappropriate for the Principal to try and resolve the matter informally.
Formal Stage
If the outcome of informal discussions is unsatisfactory, the complainant will be advised to write to the Chair of Governors giving details of the complaint. At this stage a Complaints Appeal Panel will be convened from members of the Governing Body within 10 working days from receipt of complaint. The panel must comprise three members, one of whom will be independent from the management and running of the academy and the panel will need to determine its Chair.
The Remit of the Complaint Appeals Panel
The panel can:
dismiss the complaint in whole or in part uphold the complaint in whole or in part decide on the appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint recommend changes to the Academy’s system or procedures to ensure that problems of a similar nature do not recur
Roles and Responsibilities
The Role of the Clerk
The panel hearing will be clerked. The clerk will be the contact point for the complainant and be required to:
set the date, time and venue of the hearing, ensuring that the date is convenient to all parties and that the venue and proceedings are accessible; collate any written material and send it to the parties in advance of the hearing; meet and welcome the parties as they arrive at the hearing; record proceedings; notify all parties of the panel’s decision.
Isle Education Trust – V1 10 March 2014
Page 2 of 5 Review : March 2017 The role of clerk is currently undertaken by the Principal’s PA.
The Role of the Chair of the Governing Body
The Chair of the Governing Body must:
check that the correct procedure has been followed; notify the clerk to arrange the panel if a hearing is appropriate
The Role of the Chair of the Panel
The Chair of the Panel will ensure that:
the remit of the panel is explained to the parties and each party has the opportunity of putting their case without interruption; the issues are addressed; key findings of fact are made; parents and others who may not be used to speaking at such a hearing are put at ease; the hearing is conducted in a manner whereby each party treats the other with respect and courtesy; the panel is open-minded and acts independently; no member of the panel has a vested interest in the outcome of the proceedings or any involvement in any earlier stage of the procedure; each side is given the opportunity to state their case and ask questions; written material is seen by all parties. If a new issue arises then all parties should be given the opportunity to consider and comment on it.
Checklist for a Panel Hearing
The panel should take the following points into account:
Witnesses will only be required to attend for the part of the hearing in which they give their evidence. After introductions, the complainant will be invited to explain their complaint, and be fol- lowed by their witnesses. The Principal may question both the complainant and the witnesses after each has spoken. The Principal will then be invited to explain the Academy’s action and be followed by the Academy’s witnesses. The complainant may question both the Principal and the witnesses after each has spoken. The panel may ask questions at any point. The complainant will then be invited to sum up their complaint. The Principal will then be invited to sum up the Academy’s actions and response to the complaint. Both parties will leave while the panel decides on the issues. The Chair of the Panel will explain to both parties that they will hear from the panel with- in five (5) working days.
Isle Education Trust – V1 10 March 2014
Page 3 of 5 Review : March 2017 Notification of the Panel’s Decision
The Chair of the Panel will ensure that the complainant is notified of the panel’s decision in writing within five (5) working days. The response will be within the remit of the panel as set out above.
Publicising the Procedure
There is a requirement to publicise the procedure. This will be done by including details of the complaints procedure in the Academy prospectus, a copy of which is given to all new parents before their children join the Academy. It is also published on the Academy website. Paper copies are available on request from the administration office.
The procedure provides that there should be a preliminary informal discussion with the Principal, or other appropriate Academy staff, to see if the complaint can be resolved without recourse to the formal procedures, and we would hope that this would always be the case.
If the complaint cannot be resolved informally, the complainant should write to:
Chair of Governors Isle Education Trust Burnham Road Epworth South Yorkshire DN9 1BY
If a formal complaint is to be lodged, the Principal will be able to provide the complainant with copies of the relevant documents explaining all arrangements for considering the complaint in more detail.
Under the terms of the Education Act 1981 the name of the member of staff having responsibility for the Academy’s arrangements for identifying and meeting the special education needs of pupils is Miss J Higson. The name of the Academy Governor designated to have oversight of this aspect of the Academy’s work is Mr P Barratt.
Isle Education Trust – V1 10 March 2014
Page 4 of 5 Review : March 2017 Author/Contact Sarah Thompson Tel: 01427 872121 Email: [email protected]
Status Approved
Publication Date March 2015
Review Date Every 3 years
Approved/Ratified by Isle Education Trust Board Date: March 2015 Distribution:
All Isle Education Trust Staff
Stored on shared drive/folders.
Stored on Croner Simplify System.
Any printed copies should be viewed as “uncontrolled” and as such, may not necessarily contain the latest updates and amendments.
Version Date Comments Author Issue 1 March 2015 For comments SThompson
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