Complaints

In March 2019 the Department for Education issued non-statutory guidance, Best Practice Advice for School Complaints Procedures 2019 (for maintained schools, maintained nursery schools and local authorities).

The advice is designed to help governing bodies understand their obligations and duties in relation to Section 29 of the Education Act 2002.

As a result of this guidance, the Local Authority has revised its model procedure for handling school complaints (DOCX, 46.1 KB) in order to aid governing bodies in revising their school’s complaints policy and procedure.

More information on handling complaints is available on the Kent County Council website. This includes advice for parents, carers and other members of the public who may wish to raise a complaint in relation to a school or maintained nursery.

In addition to the revised Model Procedure School Complaints Procedure, the Local Authority has produced guidance for schools, nurseries and settings to help them when dealing with complaints or issues raised by parents/carers on social networking sites:

• Dealing with complaints against schools and settings made by parents or carers on social networking sites (PDF, 538.0 KB) - (PDF) September 2017
• Dealing with complaints against schools and settings made by parents or carers on social networking sites (DOCX, 636.2 KB) - (Word) September 2017

Training is available for governing bodies and information on this can be found here

Schools may be able to purchase mediation services to help deal with an entrenched complaint or difficult issue. Please speak to your Area Education Officer who will be able to advise you on your options.

For local authority maintained schools, if complainants are dissatisfied with the governor's response, they have the right to take their complaints to the Secretary of State for Education:

The Secretary of State
Department for Education
School Complaints Unit
2nd Floor
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD

They can also access the online form

If complainants are unhappy with an academy’s response to their complaint, they can write to:

Ministerial and Public Communications Division
Department for Education
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD

Or use the online form

Full details about the role of the EFA can be found on the Department for Education (DfE) website