STEP 1

- INITIAL CONTACT WITH SCHOOL – SPEAKING WITH THE TEACHER CONCERNED (Informal Stage

In the first instance a complaint should normally be raised verbally with the class teacher concerned so that s/he may have an opportunity to address the issue(s). Please observe the school’s existing protocols for arranging and conducting such meetings and follow the school’s policy with respect to access to members of teaching staff.

It is always helpful if you can fully explain the nature of the concern, how you think it can be resolved and the outcome you are looking for. You may be invited to an informal meeting with the member of staff most appropriate for dealing with that concern. The teacher dealing with the concern will make sure that you are clear on what action (if any) has been agreed. This may be put in writing if appropriate.

Timescale: There is no suggested timescale for resolution at this stage given the importance of dialogue through informal discussion, although it would be expected that most issues will be resolved within 15 working days.

STEP 2

- CONTACT THE HEAD TEACHER IF YOUR COMPLAINT IS AGAINST A MEMBER OF STAFF OTHER THAN THE HEADTEACHER.

If informal discussions of a complaint or problem have not produced a satisfactory resolution to the situation during Step 1, the complainant should present their complaint in detail to the Headteacher or put their complaint in writing and send this to the Headteacher. You may wish to use the blank Complaint Formprovided in Appendix 2. If you require help in completing the form, please contact the school office.

Relevant names, dates, evidence, and other essential information on the nature of the complaint should be included. If you wish, you can ask someone to accompany you to help explain the reasons for your complaint.Your complaint will normally be acknowledged in writing within 5 working days of receipt. The acknowledgement will give a brief explanation of the school’s complaints procedure and a target date for providing a response to the complaint. This will normally be within 10 working days of receipt.

The Headteacher (or someone appointed by them) will normally invite you to a meeting to clarify your complaint and to explore resolutions. If you accept that invitation, you may be accompanied by one other person, such as a friend, relative or interpreter, to assist you. Where possible, this meeting will take place within 10 working days of receipt of the written complaint.

The Headteacher will arrange a time to meet the complainant concerned and any other relevant individuals, such as members of staff, to discuss the complaint and any response to it.

The Headteacher will keep written and dated records of all meetings and telephone conversations and other related documentation.

In some circumstances the Headteacher may not be able to deal effectively with your complaint immediately and s/he may require additional time to investigate and prepare a response. If further time is required, you will be informed of the timescale and the likely date by which a response will be issued.

If the Headteacher has good reason to believe that the situation has child protection implications, they should inform the designated Safeguarding Officer and ensure the local Children’s Services department is contacted, according to the procedure set out in the Child Protection Policy. If any party involved in the complaint has reason to believe that a criminal offence has been committed, then they will contact the Police.

Once all the relevant facts have been established as far as possible, you will be provided with a written response to the complaint, including a full explanation of the decision and the reasons for it. This will include what action the school will take to resolve the complaint (if any). You will be advised that if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the complaint, you may request that your complaint be heard by the Complaints Committee (i.e., Formal Stage - Step 3).

• What if the complaint is about the Headteacher or the Headteacher has already considered your complaint at Step 1?

If the complaint is about the Headteacher, or if the Headteacher has been actively involved at Step 1, your complaint should be sent in writing to the Chair of the Governing Body who will refer to the Governing Body’s Complaints Sub-Committee, to conduct all Formal Stage procedures. Skip to step 3.

STEP 3

- CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNING BODY’S COMPLAINT SUB-COMMITTEE

If you feel your complaint has not been adequately addressed after completing steps 1-2, or if your complaint concerns the Headteacher you should write to the Chair of Governing Body, including, if applicable, copies of the original correspondence relating to Steps 1-2. You may wish to use the blank Complaint Form provided in Appendix 2.

Your written complaint should be as concise as possible and address specifically the issue or issues of concern. Your request will be acknowledged within 10 working days from the day of receipt.

The Chair of the Governing Body will be responsible for referring your complaint to the Complaints Sub-Committee of the Governing Body, which will investigate and respond to your complaint. The Complaints Sub-Committee will have 3 voting members, ensuring that your complaint is being fully investigated and will indicate when you can expect a response to be issued (normally a maximum of 20 working days from the date on which your written complaint was received).

The investigation may require you to meet the Complaints Sub-Committee for a hearing and due notification will be given of such meetings. After such a meeting, the Chair of the Governing Body will explain that both parties will hear from the committee within 5 working days from the day of the meeting.

After the hearing, the Complaints Sub-Committee will consider their decision and inform you, and, where relevant, the person complained about, their decision in writing within 5 working days. The letter will set out the decision of the Complaints Sub-Committee together with the reasons underpinning that decision. Complaints Sub-Committee (by a majority if necessary) might:

• dismiss the complaint in whole or in part
• uphold the complaint in whole or in part
• decide on the appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint

recommend changes to the school’s systems or procedures to ensure that problems of a similar nature do not happen again.

STEP 4

- APPEALS PROCESS – APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE GOVERNORS

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the Complaints Sub-Committee you may write to the Chair of the Governing Body within 10 working days of receiving written feedback from the Complaints Sub-Committee, appealing their decision. Your written request should be as concise as possible and set out specifically the grounds for your appeal.

The Chairperson will be responsible for establishing an Appeals Sub-Committee comprising of 3 members of the Governing Body who were not involved in the original investigation.

You will receive a written acknowledgement of your letter within 10 working days. This will confirm that your letter has been received and provide you with the date and time of the meeting with the Appeals Sub-Committee at which you will have an opportunity to explain the grounds for your appeal. This meeting will normally take place within 30 working days of your appeal request having been received.

Within 10 working days of the appeal hearing meeting, you should expect a final written response. This will indicate the Appeal Sub-Committee’s findings, their recommendations and the reasons supporting their decisions.

Appeals Sub-Committee (by a majority if necessary) might:

• dismiss the complaint in whole or in part
• uphold the complaint in whole or in part
• decide on the appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint
• recommend changes to the school’s systems or procedures to ensure that problems of a similar nature do not happen again.

The decision of the Appeals Sub-Committee is final. At the end of the process the Chair of the Governing Body will inform you, in writing, that the Complaints Procedure has been exhausted and that the matter is considered closed.

REFERRAL OF COMPLAINT TO CROYDON EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OR CYPRUS EDUCATIONAL MISSION (KEA)

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeals Sub-Committee, you are entitled to refer your complaint to the Croydon Education Department or Cyprus Educational Mission which can investigate whether the complaint was managed properly and in accordance with education legislation and any statutory policies connected with the complaint.

RECORD KEEPING

The Headteacher and Chair of the Governing Body shall maintain a record of all correspondence, conversations and meetings concerning your complaint. including at what stage/step they were resolved, and action taken by the school as a result of those complaints, regardless of whether they were upheld. These records shall be held confidentially in the school’s archives and shall be kept apart from pupil records. All such records will be destroyed three years after the date of the last correspondence on the issue.

BEHAVIOUR EXPECTATIONS

We expect our members of staff to be addressed in a respectful manner and for communication to remain calm, respectful, and professional at all times. We retain the right to ask a complainant to leave a meeting if staff feel intimidated or threatened at any time. This applies to both meetings held in person or virtually.

MALICIOUS OR VEXATIOUS COMPLAINTS

Where a Governing Body considers the actions of a parent/group of parents to constitute frivolous or vexatious behaviour, they will seek advice from the relevant Employing Authority (Croydon Education department or Cyprus Educational Mission KEA) to protect staff from further such actions.

LEGAL PROCEDURES

If a complainant commences legal action against the school in relation to their complaint, the Governing Body will consider whether to suspend the complaints procedure, until those legal proceedings have concluded.

STAFF GRIEVANCES

Staff complaints must be addressed according to the school’s internal grievance procedures.