Complaints Policy

Title of Policy           Complaints Policy

Applies to                 Whole School

Endorsed by                 Head Master

Responsibility         Head Master (additional annual review by Full Governing Body)

Date reviewed         Michaelmas 2023

Next review                 Michaelmas 2024

Complaints Policy

Wells Cathedral School is proud of the quality of its teaching, pastoral and boarding care.  Nonetheless, complaints from parents and pupils can and do arise from time to time. In these instances parents can expect to be treated by the School with care and in accordance with this Complaints Policy. Parents can also be assured that all concerns and complaints will be treated seriously and confidentially. The School is here for your child and you can be assured that your child will not be penalised for a complaint that you (or your child) raise(s) in good faith.

The purpose of our formal complaints procedure is to give those who have exhausted the obvious ways (talking and seeking advice) of tackling something which seems to them to be inappropriate, harmful or threatening, a route by which to bring the complaint to the attention of a senior person who can address it and do something about it.  The aim will always be to resolve the problem which has led to the complaint and to learn lessons for the future in a positive and confidential manner. Written procedures for members of the teaching or non-teaching staff to state a grievance are promulgated separately.

This policy provides guidelines for handling complaints. The policy applies to all sections of the School. The procedures set out below may be adapted as appropriate to meet the policy aims and circumstances of each case. Certain parts of the procedures can only be carried out during Term time.

Complaints Procedure

Complaints made with the School are dealt with via a three-stage process.

Stage One: Informal Resolution

1.1 It is hoped that most complaints will be resolved quickly and informally. Examples might include dissatisfaction about some aspect of teaching or pastoral care, or about allocation of privileges or responsibilities, or about a timetable clash or some other aspect of the School’s systems or equipment, or a billing error. The School will acknowledge a written notification by email, letter or telephone within ten normal school working days^[1] of receipt of the original complaint during term time.

1.2 If parents have a complaint concerning education matters they should normally contact their child’s teacher or Tutor as appropriate. In many cases, the matter will be resolved quickly by this means to the parents’ satisfaction. If the teacher or Tutor cannot resolve the matter alone, it may be necessary for the teacher/Tutor to consult the Head of Department, Head of Faculty, Head of Year or Houseparent, as appropriate, who will then deal with the matter.

1.3 If the complaint concerns a pastoral matter, parents should normally contact the appropriate Tutor or Houseparent.

1.4 If the complaint concerns a music-related matter, parents should normally contact the appropriate music teacher or the Director of Music.

1.5 A problem over any disciplinary action taken or a sanction imposed should be raised first of all with the member of staff who imposed it and, if not resolved, with either of the Deputy Heads (Academic or Pastoral) or Head of the Prep School.

1.6 A query relating to financial matters (for example, fees) should be stated in writing to the Bursar.

1.7 Complaints made directly to a Head of Department or Houseparent may be referred to the relevant teacher or Tutor unless it is felt appropriate for him/her to deal with the matter personally.

1.8 On occasion, complaints may be dealt with by members of the Senior Management Team (including the Head of the Prep School and Head Master) but still be resolved informally and successfully.

1.9 If the complaint is against the Head Master, parents should make their complaint directly to the Chair of Governors whose contact details are available from the School on request, or via the Bursar (as Clerk to the Governors). The Chair will decide, after considering the complaint, the appropriate course of action to take.

1.10 Should the matter not be resolved within 15 working days then parents may proceed with their complaint in accordance with Stage 2 of this Policy.

Stage Two: Formal Resolution

2.1 If the complaint cannot be resolved on an informal basis as described in Stage 1, or if it has not been resolved within 15 working days, then the parents should put their complaint in writing^[2] to the Head Master^[3], making it clear that they are raising a Formal Complaint. In the event that such notifications are received by another member of the Senior Leadership Team, these will be forwarded to the Head Master. He will decide, after considering the complaint, the appropriate course of action to take. This must be done even where the informal process has been conducted with the Head Master. If parents require assistance with their request, for example, because of a disability, the School will be happy to make appropriate arrangements^[4].

2.2 In most cases, the Head Master will meet with or speak to the parent(s) concerned, normally within 10 working days of receiving the complaint, to discuss the matter. If possible, a resolution will be reached at this stage.

2.3 It may be necessary for the Head Master, or their nominee, to carry out further investigations or to ask a senior member of staff or another independent person to act as Investigator. The Investigator may ask for additional information from the complainant and may wish to speak to them personally and to others who may have knowledge of the circumstances including, if appropriate, the complainant’s child.

2.4 Written records of all meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint will be kept. All correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential.

2.5 Once the Head Master is satisfied that, so far as is practicable, all of the relevant facts have been established, a decision will be made and parents will be informed of this decision in writing. The Head Master will also give reasons for this decision. The Head Master’s aim will be to inform any complainant of the outcome of an investigation and the resolution of the complaint within 28 working days from the first receipt of the complaint.

2.6 If parents are dissatisfied with the Head Master’s decision under Stage 2 they may proceed to Stage 3 of this Policy.

2.7 Where the complaint is in relation to EYFS provision, a response will be made to the complainant outlining the outcomes of the investigation within 28 working days of receiving the complaint. Written records of all meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint will be kept. All correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential.

Stage Three – Panel Hearing

3.1 Request for a Panel Hearing

If parents seek to invoke Stage 3 (following failure to reach an earlier resolution) then then they can ask for it to be referred in writing to the Chair of Governors, via the Bursar (as Clerk to the Governors), within 10 working days of receipt of the Head Master’s response (or longer by agreement). The application must state the grounds for the review, specifying the unresolved issues, and the outcome sought.

3.2 Review Panel

The Bursar (Clerk to the Governors) will convene a panel of at least three people (usually two Governors who have not been directly involved with the matter complained about and an independent member who is not directly connected with the management or running or governance of the School). The panel will not normally include the Chair of Governors. The panel will appoint one of their members to act as the Chair of the panel.

3.3 Review Meeting

A panel review meeting will be set up as soon as practicable, normally within 10 working days of the issue being referred to the Chair, subject to the availability of complainant(s) and panel members.  At the review meeting with the panel, the pupil and paren(s)t may be accompanied by another adult, however this does not entitle the parent(s) to legal representation at the meeting. The Clerk to the Governors must be given 7 working days notice if the friend or relation is legally qualified. If possible the panel will resolve the parent’s complaint immediately without the need for further investigation. Where further investigation is required, the panel will decide how this should be carried out, and unless there is an unforeseen delay, complainants will be notified of the outcome of an investigation within 28 working days of the review meeting. Panel meetings will not normally take place during school holidays.

3.4 If the panel deems it necessary, it may require that further particulars of the complaint or any related matter be supplied in advance of the hearing or further investigation be carried out.

3.5 The remit of the panel shall be at the discretion of the Chair of Governors and the manner in which the hearing in conducted shall be at the discretion of the panel.

3.6 Where no further investigation is required, within 10 working days of the review meeting (or longer by agreement) the complainant, Head Master, and where relevant the person complained about, will be sent a copy of any findings and recommendations by electronic or delivery mail. An additional copy of the findings and recommendations will be made available for inspection on the School premises by the Chair of Governors and the Head Master.

3.7 In all cases the decision of the panel will be final. Parents can be assured that all concerns and complaints will be treated seriously and confidentially.   

A written record of all formal complaints, whether resolved following a formal resolution, or whether they have proceeded to as panel hearing, is retained by the Head Master and categorised according to their nature (eg boarding). A record is also kept of the actions taken by the School as a result of those complaints (regardless of whether they are upheld). The number of complaints registered under the formal procedure (Stage 2 or beyond) during the preceding year will be made available upon request from the Head Master’s PA. Correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential except where the Secretary of State or a body conducting an inspection under section 109 of the 2008 Act requests access to them.  Records of EYFS complaints will, as required, be made available to Ofsted and ISI on request. Likewise, in accordance with paragraph 32(1) of Schedule 1 to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, Wells Cathedral School will also make available, on request, to Ofsted, the Department for Education (DfE) or the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), details of this Complaints Policy and the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year.

Although this Policy is made available to parents of prospective pupils, it is not available for use by them; it may only be used by parents of current pupils. Complaints by parents of former pupils will be dealt with under this Complaints Policy only if the complaint was initially raised when the pupil to which the complaint relates was still registered as a pupil at the School.

Parents of EYFS children should follow the three stages of this Complaints Policy. If parents remain dissatisfied and their complaint is about the School’s fulfillment of the EYFS requirements, then parents may tak their complaint to the ISI or Ofsted. Parents will be notified by ISI or Ofsted of the outcome of the investigation into their complaint within 28 days of the complaint being received.

Parent(s) means the holder(s) of parental responsibility for a current pupil about whom the complaint relates.

An individual complaint should be made through the School’s complaints procedure or through Ofsted if it is in relation to EYFS (Ofsted, National Business Unit, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester, M1 2WD - Tel: 030 123 1231) - Email: enquires@ofsted.gov.uk). ISI (ISI, Cap House, 9 – 12 Long Lane, London, EC1A 9HA  Tel:  020 7600 0100 - Email: concerns@isi.net)) and DfE (Tel: 01325 735 304) may be contacted in connection with statutory Regulations or Standards.

Recording complaints and use of personal data

Following resolution of a complaint, the School will keep a written record of all formal complaints, whether they are resolved at the formal stage (Stage 2) or proceed to a Panel hearing (Stage 3) and any action taken by the School as a result of the complaint (regardless of whether the complaint is upheld). Details of any Stage 1 complaints may also be kept as a written record.

The School processes data in accordance with its Privacy Notice. When dealing with complaints the School (including any Panel members appointed under the Stage 3 process) may process a range of information, which is likely to include the following:

• Date of when the issue was raised
• Name of parent(s)
• Name of pupil
• Description of the issue
• Records of all the investigations (if appropriate)
• Witness statements (if appropriate)
• Name and contact details of member(s) pf staff handling the issue at each stage
• Copies of all correspondence on the issue (including emails and records of phone conversations)
• Notes/minutes of any hearing
• The Panel’s written decision

This may include ‘special category data’ (as further detailed in the School’s Privacy Notice, but potentially including, for instance, information relating to physical or mental health) where this is necessary owing to the nature of the complaint. This data will be processed in accordance with the School’s Data Protection and Information Management Policy.

Copies of this policy are available on request, or from the School website.