This policy is available to parents of pupils and prospective pupils and to all staff and boarders. It is available on the school's website, on request and through the school office.
PARENTS
Queen Anne's School is committed to handling complaints in a professional and helpful manner, striving to achieve resolutions that are in the best interests of all parties.
The Governors and Headmistress would hope that complaints can be satisfactorily made and considered on an informal basis.
The procedure for making a complaint to the school is as follows:
a) Any parent who has cause for complaint should make it known to the Housemistress, Head of Year, Deputy Head (Academic) or Deputy Head (Pastoral) by telephone, email, fax, letter or personal visit by appointment. In many cases the matter will be resolved straightaway by this means to the parents' satisfaction. The member of staff will consider the complaint and investigate it as appropriate and respond to the parent within 48 hours. A written record will be made of all concerns and complaints and the date on which they were received.
b) If the parent is not satisfied with the response, he or she may make a formal complaint in writing to the Headmistress who will decide, after considering the complaint, the appropriate course of action to take. In most cases, the Headmistress will speak to the parents concerned to discuss the matter, normally within 3 days of receiving the complaint. If possible, resolution will be reached at this stage. The Headmistress will keep written records of all telephone conversations and meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint. Once the Headmistress is satisfied that, as far as practicable, all of the relevant facts have been established, a decision will be made and the parents will be informed of this decision in writing within five working days. The Headmistress will give reasons for her decision.
c) If the parent is not satisfied with the response as in b) above, the school will make provision for a hearing before a panel of three persons, at least one of whom will be independent of the management and running of the school and who have not been involved in the matters detailed in the complaint and in compliance with The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2003.
d) The Clerk to the Governing Body will be responsible for the appointment of the panel and the parents will be given seven days notice of the date of the hearing.
e) Parents and the person being complained about may attend the hearing and may be accompanied.
f) The panel will make findings and recommendations. The complainant, the Chair of Governors and Headmistress, and where relevant the person complained about, will receive a copy of any findings and recommendations, either by electronic mail or otherwise, within two working days of the hearing. If there is a problem the Clerk will inform those concerned within two working days that there will be further consideration or a delay.
g) Written records will be kept of all complaints, informal or formal, including whether they are resolved at the preliminary stage or at a hearing for at least three years. The written record of all complaints is reviewed regularly by the Headmistress or a senior member of staff. Complaints are resolved either to the complainants' satisfaction, or with an otherwise appropriate outcome which balances the rights and duties of pupils.
h) The correspondence, statements and records of complaints are to be kept confidential except in so far as where a body conducting an inspection under section 163 of the Education Act 2002, or the Secretary of State, requests access to the records or other documents involved in the complaint.
i) The school is required to declare the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the previous year to parents of pupils or prospective pupils and on request to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State, or a body approved under section 163(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002.
J) OfSTED and/or ISI will, on request, be provided with a written record of all complaints made during a specific period and the action taken as a result of each complaint.
k) Parents may wish to raise their complaint with the Independent School's Inspectorate (ISI) on 020 7600 0100.
l) Boarders and their parents may wish to contact OfSTED regarding boarding welfare or at Royal Exchange Building, St Ann's Square, Manchester, M2 7LA
Telephone: 08456 404045
Website: (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Footer/How-to-complain)
COMPLAINTS - PUPILS
If a pupil feels that she wishes to make a complaint against another person she should:
First consider whether she can talk to the person concerned about it herself.
If she can't, or if she does and it does not work:
Next she should decide whether the complaint is to do with her House or with something that has happened, or is happening, in School.
House - it is best to talk to the Housemistress about the problem but she could also talk to the Deputy Housemistress or to her Head of House. She can always take a friend with her if she wishes.
School - she should talk to her teacher or academic tutor or Head of Year. She can always take a friend with her if she wishes.
If the pupil has done the above and the problem is not solved, or if the pupil feels it is appropriate, she may take her complaint to MISS COOMBS, MR RICHARDS OR MRS HARRINGTON. She can always take a friend, or a teacher, with her if she wishes.
Updated February 2010
