Complaints Policy

Please CLICK HERE for issues concerning Senior School Child Protection. 

Please CLICK HERE for issues concerning Preparatory School Child Protection.

 

1:  INTRODUCTION

Bournemouth Collegiate School will acknowledge complaints, deal with them effectively and aim to resolve issues swiftly.

 

2:  KEY REQUIREMENTS

Bournemouth Collegiate School will:

• Make available this written complaints procedure for parents and prospective parents, including the number of complaints registered under the formal complaints procedure during the preceding school year.
• Adhere to the principles set out in this policy.
• Designate a member of staff to be the Complaints Coordinator
• Keep a record of progress of each formal complaint and the final outcome, recording and monitoring the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure each school year.

3:  THE BASIC COMMITMENT

Bournemouth Collegiate School will aim to:

• Take all concerns and complaints seriously
• Make every effort to deal with complaints informally and at an early stage in a spirit of partnership. The aim should be to identify areas of agreement between the parties.  It is also equally important to clarify any misunderstandings that might have occurred as this can create a positive atmosphere in which to discuss any outstanding issues.
• Apologise wherever necessary. An admission that Bournemouth Collegiate School could have handled the situation better is not the same as an admission of negligence.
• Deal with complaints in an impartial and non-adversarial manner. As far as possible deal with complaints in such a way as to resolve the issue, maintaining the best interests of the student or students involved (where that is applicable).
• Make available a written complaints procedure for all parents and prospective parents which is easily accessible and simple to understand and use. The complaints procedure must include the number of complaints registered under the formal complaints procedure during the preceding school year.  The complaints procedure may be published on the web site. Alternatively the procedure could be included in or with the prospectus and in a letter or in the handbook for current parents.
• Ensure a full and fair investigation is undertaken normally by a person who has not been directly involved in the matter.
• Respect people's desire for confidentiality.
• Use the outcome of a complaint to reflect on the services provided by the school so that they can be improved.

4:  ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All staff have a responsibility to ensure that complaints are dealt with under the terms of this policy.  To that end, staff should be made aware of the procedures so that they know what to do if they receive a complaint.

As part of their role, the Complaints Coordinator should be required to prepare an annual report for the LGB.

The Principal has overall responsibility for the management of complaints and, together with the LGB, responsibility for the publication and implementation of the formal complaints procedure.

 

5:  IMPLEMENTATION AND PROCEDURES

Bournemouth Collegiate School makes this written formal complaints procedure readily available to parents of students and prospective students of the school.

The procedure involves the Principal (with the appropriate Head) and the Complaints Coordinator, who will specify exactly who what will happen and how long it will take. There may, on occasion, be the need for some flexibility in the application of the procedure; for example, the possibility of further meetings between the complainant and member of staff directly involved, and further investigations may be required by the Head/Principal after a meeting with the complainan.

The school will nominate a member of staff to have responsibility for the operation and management of the complaints procedure. This person is referred to as the “Complaints Coordinator”.

 

The complaints procedure:

• Explains how a concern or a complaint can be made and to whom
• Sets out the importance of being able to deal with concerns at an early stage and using informal processes
• Sets out clearly the stages to be used in dealing with a complaint and the way the complaint will be investigated and recorded
• Sets out clear timetables for the management of the complaint

The formal complaints procedure has three stages:

Stage one:             Complaint heard by staff member (though not the subject of the complaint);

Stage two:             Complaint heard by Head/Principal;

Stage three:          Complaint heard by LGB's Complaints Appeal Panel.

The complaints procedure can be found at Appendix 1:

The appeals process can be found at Appendix 2:

The procedure specifies how a complaint will be dealt with if it concerns the conduct of the Principal or a governor, or where these have been involved in the issue previously. For each complaint being dealt with under the formal complaints procedure, a person will be appointed to investigate the complaint; this would normally be the Complaints Coordinator. In carrying out an investigation, the Complaints Coordinator will:

• establish what has happened so far and who has been involved
• clarify the nature of the complaint and what remains unresolved
• meet with the complainant or contact them (if unsure or further information is necessary)
• clarify what the complainant feels would put things right
• interview those involved in the matter and/or against whom the complaint has been made, allowing them to be accompanied if they wish
• conduct the interview with an open mind and be prepared to persist in the questioning
• keep notes of the interview

At each stage in the procedure Bournemouth Collegiate School will keep in mind ways in which a complaint can be resolved.  It might be sufficient to acknowledge that the complaint is valid in whole or in part. In addition, it may be appropriate to offer one or more of the following: 

• an apology
• an explanation
• an admission that the situation could have been handled differently or better
• an assurance that the event complained of should not recur
• an explanation of the steps that have been taken to ensure that it should not happen again
• an undertaking to review policies in light of the complaint

Complaints need to be considered and resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The formal complaints procedure will set realistic time limits for each action within each stage.  However, where further investigations are necessary, new time limits can be set and the complainant sent details of the new deadline and an explanation for the delay.

There is a legal requirement for the formal complaints procedure to be publicised. The way in which this is done is as follows:

• the information is given to new parents when their children join the school/academy 
• documents are supplied to community users including course information or letting agreement
• posters are displayed in areas of the school/academy that will be used by the public, such as reception or the main entrance
• the policy is on the school website

6:  RECORDING AND RECORD KEEPING

A complaint may be made in person, by telephone, by email or in writing and details of each will be noted carefully.

The Complaints Coordinator is responsible for maintaining all records and holding them centrally.  The record will record the progress of each complaint and the final outcome.  A record will be kept of the number of complaints registered under the formal complaints procedure during each school year.

The Complaints Coordinator will prepare a brief annual report for the LGB stating the number of complaints received, their nature and outcome. Records will be archived for 1 year and for longer in exceptional circumstances.

 

7:  APPEALS

The appeals process is stage 3 of the formal complaints procedure. The decision of the Appeals Panel is final.

There may be occasions when, despite all stages of the procedure having been followed, the complainant remains dissatisfied.  If the complainant tries to reopen the same issue, the LGB Chair will inform him/her in writing that the procedure has been exhausted and that the matter is now closed.

The complaints procedure cannot be used to replace, or in addition to, other appeals processes where those exist.

 

8:  DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

The process of listening to and resolving complaints will contribute to Bournemouth Collegiate School improvement.  When individual complaints are heard, schools/academies may identify underlying issues that need to be addressed. The monitoring and review of complaints by the Senior Leadership Team and LGB will be seen as a useful tool in evaluating Bournemouth Collegiate School's performance.

 

9:  BOARDING

The complaints procedure is available not only to parents but also to all staff and boarders: 

• Boarders and their parents are informed by the school how they can contact Ofsted regarding any complaints concerning boarding welfare
• A written record is kept of serious complaints and their outcomes for regular review by the Principal or a senior member of staff
• Complaints are resolved either to the complainant's satisfaction, or with an otherwise appropriate outcome which balances the rights and duties of pupils
• Pupils are not penalised for making a complaint in good faith

10:  RECORD OF FORMAL COMPLAINTS

No formal complaints were handled within the Complaints Procedure during school year 2008-2009.

 

Please CLICK HERE to download a written (pdf) version of this Complaints Prodedure and its two associated procedures.