Each school is responsible for resolving its own complaints. If you are unhappy about something that has happened at Hampstead Parochial School, you have the right to make us aware of your concerns.
This page is designed to give you a brief overview of our complaints procedure. A full copy of the procedure can be obtained from the school office or on our policies page and this will explain the procedures that the school follows in more detail.
Whilst there may be exceptions and/or variations, the general process is as follows and if you are not sure how or who to contact at any stage, please contact the school office by dropping in or calling 020 7435 4135.
Stage 1: Talk to the teacher concerned
Most concerns and complaints can be sorted out quickly by speaking with your child’s class teacher. You may need an appointment which can be done via the school office, but class teachers are always available at the beginning and the end of each day. All staff will make every effort to resolve your problem informally, make sure that they understand what you feel went wrong, explain their own actions to you and ask what you would like the school to do to put things right.
Whilst we may not come round to your point of view in every case, it will help both you and us to understand both sides of the issue in question. It may also help to prevent a similar problem arising again.
Stage 2: Complaint to the Headteacher
If you are dissatisfied with the teacher’s response you can make a complaint to the head teacher or in his absence a member of the Senior Leadership Team. You should always try to talk to the headteacher first but if you wish to make a formal complaint, this should be made in writing. Please contact the school office if you need assistance with this.
The Headteacher may ask to meet you to discuss the problem and if you would like, you can take a friend or someone else with you to the meeting. The Headteacher will arrange an investigation of the complaint and any members of staff or pupils involved may be interviewed. You will then receive a written response to your complaint.
If your complaint is about an action or decision of the Headteacher, then you should refer it to the Chair of School Governors (see below).
Stage 3: Contact the Chair of Governors
The problem will normally be resolved by this stage, but if you are still not satisfied you may wish to contact the Chair of School Governors to ask for a review or referral of your complaint to a School Governors’ Complaints Panel.
You can email the Chair of Governors via the clerk using the following email address: [email protected]
Your complaint may then be heard by a group of three governors who have no previous knowledge of the problem and so will be able to give it a fresh and impartial assessment.
You will be invited to attend and speak to the panel at a meeting which the Headteacher will also attend. The school’s Complaints Procedure explains how these meetings operate in more detail.
Further Action
Complaints about school problems are almost always settled internally but in exceptional cases it may be possible to refer the problem to an outside body once the three stage process listed above is completed such as the Secretary of State for Education.
Other Complaints
Some education matters have their own complaints or appeals procedures such as curriculum and admissions.
If your complaint is about something which the local authority’s Children, Schools & Families department is responsible (such as, Special Educational Needs appeals or Education Welfare) you should contact their complaints unit for advice instead.
