Complaints Procedure
A MacIntyre School policy
MacIntyre School Wingrave wants to provide the best possible service. We therefore welcome comments and complaints to help us improve our service.
A complaint is when you are unhappy with something we have done, and want something done about it. The way the School will manage complaints of all kinds will be:
- Honest, constructive and open.
- Timely.
- Consistent and fair, avoiding bias.
- Confidential and sensitive, with each complaint or comment being considered on its merit with due care being paid to individual differences and needs.
There are three stages to our complaints procedure:
Stage 1: Local/Informal Resolution
It is hoped that most complaints and concerns will be resolved quickly and informally. This is the stage most people find successful.
If you have a complaint directly related to a student, you should normally contact the relevant teacher or head of service. In many such cases, the matter will be resolved straight away.
- The teacher or Head of Service will make a written record of all concerns and complaints.
- If the teacher or Head of Service cannot resolve the matter alone, it may be necessary for them to consult the Head of Education or Head of Care.
- The Principal, Head of Education or Head of Care will usually refer a complaint to the relevant teacher or Head of Service unless they consider it more appropriate to deal with the matter personally.
- If, however, your complaint is against the Principal, you should contact the Director of Children and Young People directly.
- General complaints relating to the school should be addressed to the Principal.
- Ideally an initial response will be given immediately, but definitely within 3 working days. We will aim for a full resolution within 20 working days.
- If there are practical reasons why we cannot resolve the complaint within this time, we will contact you to agree a new time for us to get back to you.
Stage 2: Formal Resolution/Investigation
If you are not satisfied with the way the complaint has been handled at the ‘informal’ stage, or the complaint is more ‘formal’ or raises serious issues, it will be passed on to the Principal. In most cases, the Principal will meet or speak to the person concerned, normally within three days of receiving the complaint, to discuss the matter. If possible, a resolution will be reached at this stage.
It may be necessary for the Principal to carry out further investigations (or commission another senior manager to do so):
- The Principal will write to you within 3 working days to acknowledge your complaint (including a written record of the complaint, if you made it in person or by telephone) and to tell you what is being done about it, including the name of the person who will investigate.
- Once the Principal has established and considered the relevant facts, they will inform you of their decision (and the reasons for it) in writing within 20 working days.
- If there are practical reasons why we cannot resolve the complaint within this time, we will contact you to agree a new time for us to get back to you.
- The Principal will keep written records of all meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint.
If your complaint is against the Principal, the Director of Children and Young People will call for a full report from the Principal and for all the relevant documents. The Director of Children and Young People may also call for a briefing from members of staff, and will in most cases, speak to or meet with you to discuss the matter further. The same timescales will apply as above.
Stage 3: Appeal Panel
If you are not happy with the results of the investigation, you can appeal to the Director of Children and Young People, who will appoint a Complaints Panel to look carefully at what has happened:
- The Panel will consist of three MacIntyre personnel (at manager level or above) who were not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint, and where at least one panel member is independent of the management and running of the school.
- The Director of Children and Young People, on behalf of the Panel, will then acknowledge the complaint and schedule a hearing to take place as soon as practicable and normally within 14 days.
- 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.
- Copies of such particulars shall be supplied to all parties not later than three working days prior to the hearing.
- You may attend the hearing and be accompanied to the hearing by one other person if you wish. This may be a relative, teacher or friend. Legal representation will not normally be appropriate.
If possible, the Panel will resolve the complaint immediately without the need for further investigation. Where further investigation is required, the Panel will decide:
- How it should be carried out.
After due consideration of all facts they consider relevant, the Panel will write to or
email you informing you of its findings, its decision and of any recommendations, normally within 20 days of the hearing. It will copy the letter to the complainant, the Principal, the Director of Children and Young People and, where relevant, the person complained about.- The decision of the Panel will be final.
