School Complaints

Useful Information for Parents and Carers

Section 29 of the Education Act 2002 requires the governing bodies of all maintained schools in Wales to establish procedures for dealing with complaints and to publicise such procedures.

I have a concern or complaint about my child’s school

Before you put in a formal letter or email of complaint, always try to speak to a member of school staff.  This is often referred to as Stage A of a complaints process. You may already know who to speak to, for example your child's class teacher, but if not then ask someone in the school office. They will be able signpost you to the right person. It's a good idea to ask, phone or send an email to see if you can arrange a specific time to come in and chat or speak on the phone.

This is also helpful for staff. If they know why you’re coming in, they can make sure they have any information you need ready. This way, they can set aside time to listen to your concern away from other parents/carers and children.

It is good to talk, and it is rare that things cannot be sorted out by speaking to school staff directly. 

This way should help you to resolve most issues and schools would expect you to do this within 10 days of any incident, and certainly before Stage B of a complaints process. 

NB: If you have an immediate safeguarding concern about a child or young person, you should request the contact details of the school safeguarding officer, also known as the DSP (Designated Safeguarding Officer). You should share your concern with them directly. 

School Complaints - Frequently Asked Questions

• I’ve spoken to a member of staff and my issue or concern is still unresolved- what can I do next?

  If you are still concerned, it’s best to request a copy of the school complaints policy and follow this. All complaints policies will ask you to send your concern to the Head Teacher or a named person who deals with complaints. Sometimes a member of SLT (Senior Leadership Team) will deal with a complaint in the first instance (for example if it’s a secondary school). This is quite often called Stage B in a complaints process. Check your individual school complaints policy to see whom you should direct your complaint to. Most schools have a copy on their website, but it’s fine to request a copy from the school office too. 

   

•  How should I write a complaint letter or email? 

  Try to keep it short. Pages of information means that it can be hard for the school to identify the key issues you want them to understand. But, what if you have lots of smaller incidents that you want to tell the school about which have contributed to a wider issue? In this case, it could be better to list them all on a separate page and attach it to your main letter.

   

  It's very important to tell the school the outcome that you are looking for regarding your complaint. Be realistic. It’s unlikely staff will be dismissed as a result. Even more importantly try and ask for an outcome that means you can continue to work with the school in a positive way for what could be years to come!

   

  By adopting this approach, it will help school understand your complaint. They can then work with you in the best interests of your child/children to resolve your concerns.

  For help in writing a letter - please see our complaint letter template

• What if I want to make a complaint about the Head teacher? – OR I’ve raised my complaint with the Head teacher, and I still don’t feel my complaint has been resolved? 

   

  The concern or complaint should be referred to the chair of governors. They will undertake the investigation or may delegate it to another governor. Stage B onwards of the complaint’s procedure will continue to apply.

•  Special Circumstances and Stage C Complaints
  
  

  If your complaint is about:

   

   

  A governor or group of governors:

  • The concern or complaint will be referred to the chair of governors for investigation. The chair may alternatively delegate the matter to another governor for investigation. Stage B onwards of the complaints procedure will apply.

  The chair of governors or headteacher and chair of governors:

  • The vice chair of governors will be informed and will investigate it or may delegate it to another governor. Stage B onwards of the complaints procedure will apply.

  Both the chair of governors and vice chair of governors:

  • The complaint will be referred to the clerk to the governing body who will inform the chair of the complaints committee. Stage C of the complaints procedure will then apply.

  The whole governing body:

  • The complaint will be referred to the clerk to the governing body who will inform the headteacher, chair of governors, local authority and, where appropriate, the diocesan authority.
  • The authorities will agree arrangements with the governing body for independent investigation and consideration of the complaint.

   

  Stage C Complaints

   

  A Stage C Complaint is where the governing body selects a committee to consider a formal complaint. Before they do so, they will check and ensure the complaint has been considered at Stage A and B, unless there are exceptional circumstances for not doing so. 

   

  Stage C complaints are extremely rare. The governing body committee must consider the complaint and make a decision on whether it should be upheld or dismissed. Their decision is final, and there is no right of appeal following Stage C. 

   

  The person who has made the complaint at Stage C may ask the Local Authority or Diocese to review the handling of the complaint to make sure all procedures have been followed appropriately - but they are not able to change the decision. 

   

   

•  What can I expect from the school or governing body if I make a complaint? 

  You should expect your complaint to be handled fairly, openly and without bias. Your complaint should be dealt with sensitively and fairly and within the timeframes set out in the school complaints policy. It is a legal requirement that all schools must have complaints procedures. All school complaints MUST be considered by the school using those procedures. The only exception is if a matter needs to be considered under different procedures. For example, if there is a Safeguarding concern being raised. 

• What does the school or the governing body expect from parents and carers when they have a concern or complaint? 

   

  Schools expect parents and carers to follow the complaints procedure as far as possible. Schools cannot tolerate aggressive, abusive, or unreasonable behaviour. They will also not be able to endure persistent complaints about the same issue or vexatious complaints. This is why it is so important to lay out your concerns and the outcome(s) that you are looking for as early as possible so it stops you and staff spending enormous amounts of time dealing with an issue, which could well have been resolved at a much earlier stage. 

   

   

   

  At all times, no matter how upset you are, school staff must be treated with courtesy and respect. We expect the same towards parents and carers. It is also important to recognise the time constraints in which schools work. Schools should be allowed a reasonable time to respond to a concern or complaint. At the end of the day, the staff are there to educate pupils, and they need to be supported to be able to perform this role.

    

   

  Finally, parents should always use the complaints procedure at the correct stage.

  If a parent or carer jumps straight to stage C (eg: by contacting the governing body), they will be asked to return to Stage A or B in the first instance. Unless an exception applies. (see your individual school complaints policy for further information) 

•  I’m feeling really upset and/or angry about what has happened. Some top tips, thoughts and advice. 
  • Try to remain calm. Losing your temper will only make the situation more challenging for everyone.
  • Before contacting school, slow down. It's very tempting to pick up the phone or fire off an email when you're upset. Write the email if you’re angry, but instead of sending it save it as a draft and go back and read it when you’ve had time to reflect.
  • For example, you could find a quiet time to sit down and talk to your child to get a version of events from them. For younger children talk about school by asking them what a good day at school is like, and what a not so good day is like. With teenagers, ask them to tell you what has happened. Ask questions like; what happened next? what do they think should have happened? what they did? who was there? What do they think they should have done? Would they have done anything differently? and any other relevant questions. Take notes, ready to refer to when you speak to staff.  
  • It's hard but try not to be negative or make derogatory comments about staff or the school in front of your child. This includes commenting what you think the staff, or the school should or shouldn’t have done. This can impact on younger children, who may then feel insecure and less confident around staff you may have been very negative about at home. With older children, it can create difficulties in relationships between a teacher and a pupil. Both situations could impact on your child's learning in a negative way.
  • Be respectful towards school staff. They may not yet be aware of the issue you are raising or have a very different perspective on events. They need an opportunity to consider all the facts first and investigate if necessary. Staff will appreciate being given a chance to try and resolve things informally.
  • Try not to focus on proving who did what and when. Instead, try to think about ways you can work with the school to improve the situation. Look for ways where you can work together where you all place your child or children at the heart of the issue. Ask school to join with you to move forward. This might be by setting up a regular check in following the concern you've raised. Or it could be by changing the way they do something and providing you with an update.
  • If it helps you can prepare for a meeting by writing notes or a list of points. Don’t be afraid to refer to the list in the meeting or tick things off as you go so you don’t forget something you want to say.  
  • Follow up any meeting with a quick email documenting the actions that have been agreed. That way everyone is clear on next steps. Quite often schools will do this as a matter of course following a meeting, but it’s ok for you to do this if you want to. It also helps avoid any misunderstandings.
  • Do not post on social media. Schools always get to hear about it. It can be very upsetting and demoralising to staff who haven’t had an opportunity to rectify a complaint or concern in the first instance.
  • Avoid making threats – this tends to build barriers rather than resolve situations.
  • Do not withdraw your child, keep them at home or move them suddenly to another school – this always has a huge impact on the child/children involved. 
• I want to speak to someone at the Council or in the Local Authority about my concern. How can I do this?

  We know that your relationship with your child’s school is a major part of their life and yours. When it’s not working it can affect everyone in the family.

   

  It can be upsetting making a complaint, particularly if what has happened has affected you, your child or your family. We understand that it can be very distressing.

    

   

  If you want to chat things through, you can contact the Local Authority Senior Governor Support Officer in the first instance.

   

  The governor support team can't address or investigate your complaint. But as they are separate, impartial and independent of the school they can do the following:

  • Talk through what’s happened, and help you make sense of it all
  • Help you work out where you are in the complaints process and next steps. 
  • Help you to maintain a positive relationship with your child’s school whilst trying to resolve issues.
  • Help you to write a letter or email outlining your concerns.
  • With your consent, contact the school on your behalf to explain your concerns and ask them to get in touch with you *
  • Share useful information with you that might be helpful when raising your concerns as well as making you aware of your rights and options.
  • Signpost you to other people who might be able to help. They might be staff who work in the Local Authority**, or other organisations and services who can support.
  • Help you look for ways to avoid the complaint or issue escalating

   

  Please note:

   

  *If you contact Governor Support, every effort will be made to keep your complaint/concern confidential. But, in some circumstances, we may consider that we need to let the school or someone in the local authority know you've been in touch. If we feel this is necessary, we will let you know we intend to do this and who we intend to contact and we will copy you into the correspondence if needed.

   

  ** Governor support and local authority staff can advise you on the complaints process, but they CANNOT consider your complaint. School complaints can only be considered by school staff or governors in accordance with their complaint procedures.

   

  We will always share any safeguarding concerns with the appropriate person(s)

  Tel: 01446 709125

   

  Email: governors@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

   

   

  Complaint Letter Template

   

•  Useful Links 

  
  

   

  • Additional Learning Needs
  • Inclusion Service
  • School Based Counselling Service
  • School Admissions
  • Welsh Government School Complaints Procedures
  • SNAP Cymru - supporting families, children and young people with ALN and Disabilities
  • MEIC Cymru -Information, advice and advocacy helpline for Children and Young People
  • Children's Commissioner for Wales

   

   

   

   

• What if I want to make a complaint or raise a concern about a member of local authority staff or a particular staff team? 

  This is dependent on the nature of your complaint or concern. There is more information on the Vale of Glamorgan Website Page We are listening and learning, however, if you want to chat it through or need help to work out where to direct your complaint, you can contact the Governor Support Team Tel: 01446 709125 or Email: governors@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk 

Complaints from Learners - Information for Children and Young People

 

 

 

Schools should treat a complaint made by a learner as seriously as one made by an adult and it is expected that all children and young people should be listened to and treated with respect should they wish to raise a concern. 

 

Learner complaints should follow the same process as school complaints. 

 

Learners should feel safe and happy at school, but if you feel worried or have a concern, or want to make a suggestion you should tell a member of staff straight away so that they can look into it. 

 

If you don't want to raise the concern yourself, you can ask a member of the school council, a different member of staff or anyone else you trust to help you. 

 

When you raise a concern or a complaint; the school should; 

• Listen to everything you say

• Ask you questions to help make things clear

• Treat you fairly

• Allow someone to help you, such as a parent/carer, a friend, relative or someone else

• Let you know what is happening

The person listening to your complaint should not tell other people about what you say, unless they are involved in helping to deal with your concern. Sometimes, they might need to tell other people, for example if someone is in danger of being hurt or upset. If this happens, someone will explain it to you. 

 

The Governor Support team in the Vale of Glamorgan Council Offices can also help you if you want to raise a concern or complaint. Fran, the Senior Governor Support Officer can be contacted by phone on 01446 709125 or you can send an email by clicking this link Contact the Governor Support Team