Concerns and Complaints Policy

Policy No: 26 
Version 1 
Date of Review: November 2023 

Introduction

The Holywood Steiner School aims to provide high quality teaching and pastoral care to its pupils and good communication with all stakeholders. Stakeholders in relation to this procedure are: Holywood Steiner School pupils, staff members, parents and carers of HSS pupils and recruited volunteers. 

If a concern or a complaint arises, the interested party can expect it to be treated with due care and respect by the Holywood Steiner School. 

This policy will describe the procedure to follow if a legitimate concern or complaint needs to be raised. The Holywood Steiner School is accountable to the Board of Trustees in the administration of these concerns and complaints procedure. 

If you have any disability which prevents you from being able to access this policy or follow the processes within, please contact the school office immediately so that arrangements to help you can be put in place. 

An individual or individuals, with a concern or complaint, can be assured that these issues will be treated seriously and confidentially. Correspondence, statements and records will be kept confidential except where disclosure is required in the course of the Holywood Steiner School’s inspection; or where any other legal obligation prevails. 

If a complaint is made about a member of staff or recruited volunteer, this person has a right to know the nature of the complaint and how the Holywood Steiner School deals with it. 

It is the duty of all staff, volunteers and Trustees to familiarise themselves with this policy. 

Please address any problems about this policy and its application to the Headteacher. 

BEFORE GOING ON TO THE PROCEDURE PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING: 

  • • All concerns and complaints are by necessity highly confidential and should not be discussed with anyone within or without the school community, whilst being progressed in accordance with this policy. 

  • • The first approach will be regarded as the raising of a concern. Most concerns are resolved at this stage. Due to the busy nature of school life, if a concern needs to be raised with a staff member, the way to do so is by appointment. In this way, the concern can be given adequate time. 

  • • If a concern or complaint centres on a pupil, the pupil may also be met with in the course of investigations. They will be treated fairly at all times and will have an opportunity to put their case if this is necessary to the progress of the matter. 

  • • Normally, such a meeting takes place in the presence of parents or guardians. In some circumstances this may not be possible, for example, where this would cause a serious delay in the investigation of an urgent matter. In such a case a member of staff with whom the pupil feels comfortable will be asked to attend. 

  • • Parents/guardians will be informed that the meeting has taken place and who was present. 

  • • If a concern or complaint centres on a member of staff or volunteer, they will be treated fairly and have an opportunity to put their case. They may be accompanied to any meetings by a trusted colleague or suitable advocate. The staff member’s rights and reputation will be protected while the complaint is thoroughly investigated. 

  • • Following an initial investigation, it may become apparent that the matter may necessitate utilising the School’s Positive Conduct Policy. This will be applied, including, if necessary, the appropriate disciplinary and /or grievance procedures. 

  • • In some cases the concern or complaint may become a Child Protection issue, in which case the school will follow the Child Protection Policy. If criminal activity is involved, the school will refer the matter to the police authorities. 

The procedure 

In brief, there are 4 stages to the Concerns and Complaints Procedure: 

• Stages 1 & 2 are the Informal Stages 

• Stage 3 is the Formal Resolution Stage, and 

• Stage 4 is the Appeal to the Board of Trustees 

Stage 1 - Informal Resolution: Conversation 

Make an appointment to discuss the concern with the relevant person or persons. Follow up conversations may be required. 

Stage 2 – Informal Resolution: Registering your concern. 

The Holywood Steiner School will endeavour to resolve concerns quickly and informally following the procedure set out below: 

1. Contact the Headteacher by phoning the office, emailing the Headteacher or in writing to the Headteacher, copying in the other interested individual(s) to arrange a meeting. A record of your concern and its management will be kept on file as described below. 

2. The individuals concerned will be encouraged to participate in a supported meeting. 

3. Once the issues have been shared and discussed, verbal then written confirmation of any actions/outcomes will be communicated to all parties by the Headteacher. 

During term time, every effort will be made to acknowledge the receipt of your communication within 2 working days. 

Stage 3 – Formal Resolution: Official Complaint 

If the individuals concerned fail to reach a satisfactory resolution by the informal means outlined in Informal: Stages 1 & 2, the individual(s) will be advised to proceed with their concern as a complaint in accordance with Formal Complaints procedure described below: 

1. The individual(s) should put their complaint if it is about a member of HSS staff, recruited volunteers, or HSS pupils, in writing to the Headteacher, ensuring appropriate information is shared. Contact details, a brief outline of the problem and what action, if any, has been taken to try to resolve the matter should be included. Any relevant paperwork should be attached, and a copy kept for reference. 

2. The Headteacher will implement the process. The names of the members of this group will be shared with the individual(s) to ensure there is no conflict of interest or other concern. 

3. If the complaint is about the Headteacher: The individual(s) should address the complaint to the Chair of the Board of Trustees. 

4. If the complaint is about a member of the Board of Trustees: The individual(s) should address the complaint to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, or in the case of conflict, the Deputy Chair. 

The Holywood Steiner School will make every effort to acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 2 working days to let the individual(s) know that the matter is in hand. An initial meeting with the individual(s) and the group managing the process will be offered within a maximum of 10 working days. 

The Headteacher will facilitate and implement the process and arrange the meeting/s. All participants will see records of meetings at which they are present and be asked to sign them as accurate. A copy will be given to the individuals concerned. 

It may be necessary to conduct some further investigation into the situation that has given rise to the complaint. Communication to the individual(s) as a result of this will be made as soon as possible. 

Any further meetings between the individual(s) and the Headteacher at this stage must be agreed by both parties and should take place as soon as possible and within 10 working days of the previous one. 

Once the Headteacher and the individual(s) are satisfied that, so far as is practicable, all of the relevant facts have been established, the Headteacher will come to a decision. The individual(s) will be informed of this decision in writing with reasons for the decision within 5 days of the last meeting. Any verbal decision will be confirmed in writing. If the individual or individuals are still not satisfied with the decision/situation, they will be advised to proceed with their complaint in accordance with Stage 4 of the Formal Complaints procedure as described below. 

Stage 4: Formal Resolution-Appeal to the Board of Trustees 

If an individual(s) still feels the matter has not reached an appropriate resolution, they will be advised to write to the Chair of the Board of Trustees requesting a hearing of the Appeals Panel, giving details of their complaint and why it is not yet resolved. A copy of the paperwork to date will be made available. 

Members of the Appeals Panel will be shared with the individual(s) to ensure there is no conflict of interest or other concern. 

The Appeals Panel will then acknowledge the complaint and schedule a hearing to take place as soon as practicable and normally within 20 working days. 

The Appeals Panel will have secretarial support to minute the hearing and notify all parties of the outcome as directed by the chair of the appointed group. Records will be filed as described. 

If the chair of the Appeals Panel deems it necessary, it may require that further particulars of the complaint or any related matter be supplied in advance of the hearing. Copies of such particulars shall be supplied to all parties not later than 2 full working days prior to the hearing. 

The individual(s) may choose to be accompanied to the hearing by one other person. This may be a relative, teacher/member of staff or friend. 

The aim of the hearing will give an opportunity for both the individual(s) and the Holywood Steiner School to state their case to an independent panel. If possible, the Appeals Panel will decide on a response to the complaint immediately without the need for further investigation. Where further investigation is required, the Appeals Panel will decide how it should be carried out. 

After due consideration of all the facts they consider relevant, the Appeals Panel will reach a decision and may make recommendations, as soon as possible and at the latest within 7 working days of the hearing. The Appeals Panel will write to the complainant, informing them of its decision and the reasons for it. Copies will be sent to the Headteacher, the Chair of the Board of Trustees and, where relevant, the person at whom the complaint was directed. 

The decision of the Appeals Panel will be final. 

Any Action Plans to amend practice subsequent to recommendations from the Appeals Panel or from the Headteacher directly will be shared with the school community through the usual channels. 

The Headteacher 

  • • Will be responsible for seeing that this policy and the procedures therein and the decisions reached are managed and monitored effectively. The Headteacher will give due consideration to the processes outlined in this policy. 

  • • Will be informed of all complaints from the informal stage onwards. 

  • • Will ensure that any meetings which take place at any stage of this procedure have appropriate representation for both the individual(s) and The Holywood Steiner School needs, with due consideration given to possible relational difficulties. 

  • • Will be responsible for progressing the complaint and taking it, or information relating to it, to the Headteacher or the Board of Trustees if appropriate, respecting due process and confidentiality. 

  • • Will be responsible for reporting to the complainant, ensuring a decision is reached and if it is not, explaining the next step in the process. 

  • • Will be responsible for communicating appropriately between parties and keeping records of dates/meetings etc. 

The role and effectiveness of the role of the Headteacher will be reviewed annually. 

Complaints Records 

The Holywood Steiner School will keep a confidential and secure file where each complaint will be listed with the date it was first brought to the attention of the Holywood Steiner School. 

Records for each complaint will include: 

  • • The nature of the complaint 

  • • A log of meetings/communications/letters and names of participants 

  • • Whether resolved and at which stage 

  • • A record with comments of the final outcome 

If appropriate, a note referring to this information file will be placed in the pupil file 

The Appeals Panel 

This group will consist of at least three (max 5) persons not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint, at least one of whom will be an independent member. Each of the Appeals Panel members will be appointed by the Board of Trustees and should not have been involved at an earlier stage of the process in order to play an impartial role. The panel will make themselves conversant with policy and procedures and the Holywood Steiner School’s procedures relative to the complaint being made. 

This policy will be shared with all Holywood Steiner School pupils, staff members, parents and carers of HSS pupils and recruited volunteers.