Our schools aim to have a good relationship with parents, but sometimes things may go wrong. You can ask your child's school for a copy of their complaints procedure so that you know exactly how they will deal with such matters.
What to do if you have a complaint
Most concerns can be sorted out by talking to the class teacher, head of year or headteacher. If, after that, you are still concerned, you should make a formal complaint in writing to the head. You will then be invited to a meeting, which will be followed by an investigation and a full response.
If you are still not satisfied, you can formally complain to the governing body. If the matter can't be resolved, your complaint will be heard by a committee of three governors called the complaints review committee. They will have no prior knowledge of the case and will be able to make a fresh, unbiased assessment. You will need to put your side of the matter to the committee. The headteacher will also attend to give his or her account.
In exceptional cases, it may be possible to refer the matter to an outside body, such as the Secretary of State for Education and Skills. If necessary, the chair of the complaints review committee will let you have further information.
If the headteacher is the subject of your complaint, you should write to the chair of governors at the school. Governors have a legal responsibility to deal with all complaints about the school.
If you wish to make a complaint about the local authority, our complaints procedure should be followed.