The Staff and Director of Irisfield School are committed to providing high quality education for our pupils in a secure and supportive environment. The entire team understands the importance of ensuing the welfare of pupils at the school are not compromised, thus helping to create the optimum learning environment. It is, however, appreciated that there may be occasions when parents have concerns about their child’s education. In such instances, we will endeavor to work through the issue(s) raised by parents to find a workable solution. The guidelines below have been created to facilitate this process as well as inform parents of the different avenues available. Irisfield Complaints Procedure: Overriding Principles Irisfield School takes great pride in the quality of teaching and pastoral care it provides for its pupils. However, if in good faith parents/careers decide to make a complaint, they can expect to be assisted by the school in accordance with the procedure set out below. The aim of the procedure is to ensure that:  Parents/careers know that the school takes complaints seriously and will respond in a courteous and efficient manner   An effective  procedure for making  and adjudicating complaints  (including appeals) from parents/careers is established  Parents/careers wishing to make a complaint know that there are two stages to the complaints procedure and, further, how to use each of them   Parents/careers  also know that  there is a separate  procedure for dealing with parental  concerns which  fall short of a  formal complaint (otherwise  known as Stage 1)  All those involved in handling a complaint make every effort to resolve matters quickly and amicably  Responses to complaints will be made within clearly defined timelines  Where necessary, appropriate action will be taken. Complaints should not be by ‘proxy’ i.e. complainants should raise any matter of concern directly. Only sustainable evidence is to be taken into consideration when handling the complaint and concluding the case. The Complaints Procedure is distinct from formal disciplinary proceedings for staff Raising concerns informally (Stage 1) Parents/careers can raise a concern informally by contacting the relevant member of staff. This can be done in person, by telephone, or letter. Parents/careers are reminded that, by raising something in person, it is normally possible to resolve matters quickly and to their satisfaction. The school will take all reasonable steps to ensure that an informal concern  is resolved within fourteen working days of notification. In the vast majority of cases, it is anticipated that the relevant member of staff will be the pupil’s class teacher or a subject teacher. However, where parents/careers wish to refer the matter  to a more  senior member  of staff, the relevant  person is the Key Stage  coordinator: In the event that the school and parents/careers fail to achieve a satisfactory resolution, the  latter  will be  advised to  make a formal (Stage  2) complaint in accordance  with the procedure set out below: Making a complaint (Stage 2)

1. A formal complaint should be made in writing to the ADMINISTRATOR . This provision will typically apply where: (a) the parent/carer does not believe that the matter is suitable for informal resolution; or (b) where informal resolution at Stage 1 has failed to resolve the compliant satisfactorily.  Complaints made anonymously will not be pursued.

2.  Parents/carers  should note that,  where the ADMINISTRATOR  is the subject of the complaint, a separate procedure applies. Details of this can be found at Paragraphs 14 -17 below.

3.   The School  will acknowledge  the complaint within  two working days of receipt  of notification.  After considering  the complaint, the  ADMINISTRATOR will decide  upon the appropriate course of action.

4. It is likely that in most cases the ADMINISTRATOR or a senior member of staff will meet with parents/carers. This meeting will take place within seven working days of receipt of notification. The purpose of this meeting is to allow the Schools and parents/carers to discuss  the complaint  more fully with  a view to achieving  a resolution at this stage.

However,  there will  be occasions  when it will be  necessary to carry  out further investigations to establish the facts.  Where such investigations are necessary, parents/carers  will be regularly informed of its progress and when  they can expect a decision.

5. When the ADMINISTRATOR is satisfied that all the relevant facts have been established she will reach her decision.  This will be made within fourteen working days of the meeting, under normal circumstances. However, where circumstances are such that this timescale  is likely to  be exceeded, parents/carers  will be informed of this by  the ADMINISTRATOR who will also  explain when they might reasonably  expect the decision to be made. The decision itself will be communicated verbally to parents/carers within seven working days of it being made. Parents/carers will also be given reasons for the decision and any action taken or proposed.

6. The School is committed to the principle that complaints made by parents/carers will not adversely affect a pupil’s interests.

Confidentiality

7. Subject to Paragraphs 8-9 below, any complaint or concern raised by parents/carers will be treated as confidential.
8. Knowledge of the complaint will be restricted to those who, for various reasons, need to know about it. This will include the ADMINISTRATOR , the member(s) of staff investigating the complaint and any other member of staff otherwise involved.
9. On occasion, however, it may be necessary to inform third parties of the complaint and, possibly, the identities of those involved.  An example of this is where an investigation suggests that a criminal offence has taken place.  In such circumstances, School would cease its investigation and refer the matter to the relevant external agencies.

Disciplinary action taken against staff

10. It may be the case that, as a result of a complaint made by a parent/career, disciplinary action may be taken against a member of staff employed at Irisfield

11.  Where  this occurs,  any such action  will be taken in  accordance with the  School’s policies and handled confidentially within School.