Formal complaints procedure for parents/carers
Westminster City School is committed to handling complaints
in a professional and helpful manner, striving to achieve resolutions
that are in the best interests of all pupils.
The Governors and Headteacher would hope that complaints
could be satisfactorily made and considered on an informal basis.
The procedure for making a complaint to the school is as follows:
- Any parent who has cause for complaint should make it known to
the Headteacher by telephone, email, fax, letter or personal visit
by appointment. The Headteacher will consider the complaint and investigate
it as appropriate. He will respond to the parent within an agreed
timeframe.
- If the parent is not satisfied with the response, he or she may
make a formal complaint in writing to the Headteacher who will respond
in writing.
- If the parent is not satisfied with the response as in b) above,
the school will make provision for a hearing before a panel of three
governors who were not involved in the matters detailed in the complaint.
- The Clerk to the Governors will be responsible for the appointment
of the panel and the timescales for the management of the complaint.
- Parents and the person being complained about may attend the hearing
and may be accompanied.
- The panel will make findings and recommendations. The complainant,
the Chair of Governors and Headteacher, and where relevant the person
complained about, will receive a copy of any findings and recommendations.
- Written records will be kept of all complaints, informal or formal,
including whether they are resolved at the preliminary stage or at
a hearing.
- The correspondence, statements and records of complaints are to
be kept confidential except in so far as where a body conducting
an inspection under Section 163 of the Education Act 2002, or the
Secretary of State, requests access to the records or other documents
involved in the complaint.
- The school may be required to declare the number of complaints
registered under the formal procedure during the previous year to
parents of pupils or prospective pupils and on request to the Chief
Inspector, the Secretary of State, or a body approved under section
163(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002.
Guidance issued to Parents/Carers: Procedure for expressing concern
We try hard to get things right but understand that from time to
time you may have concerns about an aspect of your child’s life
at school. If so, please contact an appropriate member of staff as
soon as possible. We take all expressions of concern seriously and
follow them up promptly.
In dealing with such matters we recognise the importance of confidentiality,
fairness and ensuring that no one suffers unjustly.
Who you should contact in the first instance depends on the nature
and seriousness of the concern. The following is a guide:
- - for a minor day-to-day matter, contact the relevant teacher
or form tutor;
- - for a more serious concern, contact the relevant Subject Leader
or the Key Stage Manager;
- - for major issues, contact one of the Deputy Heads or, in exceptional
circumstances, the Headteacher.
Please contact the school or the relevant member of staff
by telephone, email, fax or letter to make known your concern, or
to make an appointment for a meeting. However please bear in mind
that teaching staff spend most of their day in the classroom, and
also require time for lesson preparation, marking and assessment
of learning. Because of this, it is not appropriate to arrive at
the school without an appointment and expect to be seen.
Usually the procedure outlined above should settle any concern
raised by parents but if you feel that your expression of concern
has not been handled properly then you should follow the Complaints
Procedure. |
