How to Raise a Concern - A Guide for Parents and Carers

We share the same goal: supporting your child's education. Sometimes questions or concerns arise, and we want to know as soon as possible if there is any cause for dissatisfaction, to enable any concerns to be dealt with quickly and fairly.

We are committed to dealing with all concerns fairly, openly, respectfully and promptly. You should never feel (or be made to feel) that a complaint will adversely affect your child or their opportunities at the school.

Our goal is to keep the focus on your child's education while building positive, supportive partnerships between you and the school. We will respond to every concern or complaint in a positive way with the intention of putting right any matter which may have gone wrong.

Full Policy and Procedures

For complete details on how to raise a concern or make a complaint, please see:

• School Complaints Policy and Procedures - our full policy outlining the formal process

• Parent Guide to School Complaints - a user-friendly guide to help you navigate the process

How to Raise a Complaint Effectively

Follow these steps:

• Start with the person closest to your child (teacher/learning coordinator) and only escalate if needed

• Follow one stage at a time

• Keep a record of all conversations and correspondence

• Start with the facts (what happened, when, and who was involved)

• Suggest a clear, realistic outcome

• Stay objective and avoid personal accusations

• Be positive and constructive

What NOT to Do

• Don't use social media to share complaints - this can be harmful and won't lead to a quicker resolution

• Don't rally other parents to build a crowd - your complaint should be specific to you and your child

• Don't target individual staff members personally - keep it focused on school policies or decisions

• Don't behave aggressively or abusively - this will never be tolerated and can have consequences

• Use AI with caution - it can cite incorrect laws and make complaints more complex than necessary

• Don't damage the parent-school partnership - maintaining a good relationship benefits everyone, especially your child

Where to Escalate if Unresolved

If you remain dissatisfied after following our school complaints procedure, you may escalate to:

• School Governing Body - if you are unhappy with the school's response, you can request a review by a complaints appeals panel

• Department for Education (DfE) - if you believe the school hasn't followed proper procedures or acted unlawfully

• Ofsted - may keep complaints on file for inspections but do not resolve disputes between parents and schools

Most issues can be resolved through clear, respectful communication. These procedures are designed to build positive partnerships between parents and schools based on our shared commitment to children's education.