School Complaints

If you have a concern or complaint, we would like you to tell us about it. 

We welcome suggestions for improving our work in the school. 

Be assured that no matter what you wish to tell us, our support and respect for you and your child in the school will not be affected in any way.  Please tell us of your concern as soon as possible.  It is difficult for us to investigate properly an incident or problem which has happened some time ago. 

What to do first: Most concerns can be sorted out quickly by speaking with your child’s class teacher.

We always recommend that you have a conversation with the class teacher and check that the concern/complaint is not because of miscommunication or misunderstanding, and even sometimes that things may never have happened in the way it has been retold. 

On the other hand, we are not perfect and we do get things wrong.  Your conversation with us may help us to change the way we do things for the better. 

Is it a complaint or a concern?  The difference between a concern and a complaint.

 
A ‘concern’ may be defined as ‘an expression of worry or doubt over an issue considered to be important for which reassurances are sought’.

A complaint may be generally defined as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction however made, about actions taken or a lack of action’.

It is in everyone’s interest that complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage.  Many issues can be resolved informally, without the need to invoke formal procedures.  We take informal concerns seriously and make every effort to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

There are occasions when complainants would like to raise their concerns formally.  In
those cases, the school’s formal procedure should be invoked through the stages
outlined within our procedure.

Our School Complaints Procedure is outlined in the document below.

The first stage of any complaint is the speak to the class teacher, if it is about something that has happened with your child. 

If the teacher's response/actions after the conversation does not help to solve the situation then you should contact the school: in person, by telephone, letter or email.