We hope you will never need to complain but if you do, please follow the procedure below.  The full complaints policy is located at the bottom of this page. 

Stage 1 – (Informal) Talk to the teacher concerned.

• This is usually the quickest way to sort out difficulties.

• Please contact the main office or speak to the teacher directly to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet.
• This meeting is usually held quite quickly and in the vast majority of cases no later than 5 working days.
• You can bring a friend to support you, for example to help you put your case across. It would be good manners to inform the school if you are going to do this.
• If you need a translator please let us know in advance so that this can be arranged.
• We hope you can reach an agreement that satisfies you and the School. If you cannot, then you can go to Stage 2.

Stage 2 – (Formal) Contact the Headteacher

• This can only happen if you have been through Stage 1. We do recognise however that some complaints may go straight to the Headteacher because of the nature or seriousness of your concerns.
• Please contact the school office who will pass your concerns on to the Headteacher or another member of the Senior Leadership Team, for example the Deputy or Assistant Headteacher.
• Please make sure you include details of your concern, why you are still dissatisfied and what action you would like to resolve the complaint.
• We aim to contact you as quickly as possible and definitely within 5 working days.
• In most cases complaints can be resolved quite quickly after this contact, however please note others may require significant further investigation or involve other agencies. In these exceptional cases we aim to ensure that this is completed within 20 school days wherever possible.
• We hope that the outcome of this process will address your concern. However, if it does not, then you can go to Stage 3.

Stage 3 – (Formal) Complaint Heard By Appeals Panel

• The complaint is heard by the Governing Body. This is the final stage of the process.
• To do this, the complaint must be put in writing on the Complaints form (which is at the end of this policy). Please send all correspondence care of the school office addressed to the Chair of Governors, and clearly marked CONFIDENTIAL.
• The complaint is considered by a panel of Governors who form a complaints appeal panel. No governor may sit on the panel if they have had a prior involvement in the complaint or in the circumstances surrounding it. Please note at EWPS the panel may also include a governor from another school.
• The panel will convene a meeting to discuss the complaint and all the investigation evidence to make a final decision on how to progress. A clerk is present  to take notes of the meeting and records must be kept
• An outcome letter will be sent to you within 20 school days of the meeting.

The appeals panel may:

• dismiss all or part of the complaint
• uphold all or part of the complaint
• decide on the appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint
• evaluate all the evidence available and recommend changes to the school’s systems or procedures as a preventative step against similar problems arising in the future.

The panel’s decision is final.

Further Information

The outcome letter from the School Complaints Panel exhausts the 3 Stage procedures. If you are dissatisfied with the process, you are able to contact:

Department for Education,
The School Complaints Unit (SCU)
2^nd Floor, Piccadilly Gate
Manchester, M1 2WD

It is important to note that the SCU will examine if the school complaints policy and any other relevant processes were followed. The SCU will also examine policies to determine if they adhere to education legislation. However, only in exceptional circumstances, and where it is clear that a school has acted unreasonably or unlawfully, will the SCU investigate the substance of a complaint or overturn a school’s decision.

To view policy (click here)