Complaints Policy

In the design of this policy reference has been made to DCSF guidance (DCSF Standard 7) also to Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guidance. HOHS prides itself on the mutually supportive atmosphere that exists between school and home. However, if a cause for complaint arises, the school has the following procedure to enable complaints to be addressed:

Stage 1 - Informal Resolution

The school hopes that complaints can be resolved quickly and informally. If parents wish to complain about something that has happened in the normal course of the school day, they are asked to contact their child's form teacher to discuss the matter.

Many problems can be sorted out in this way. The form teacher may find it helpful to consult other colleagues such as heads of department or faculty to resolve the matter.

If parents feel that the matter is best dealt with by the senior management of the school, they can contact Dr McCann, Senior Teacher, for pastoral issues; Mrs Davies, Deputy Head, for academic or curricular concerns; Mrs Mortimer, Head of Juniors, for children in the junior or pre-prep sections of the school. A written record will be made of all complaints received.

Parents will be contacted as soon as possible - by telephone, e-mail or letter - with a response to their complaint. If the matter needs further enquiry that will take longer than seven days, parents will be informed of this and a response forwarded as soon as possible.

If a satisfactory resolution is not reached, parents will be advised to proceed to stage 2 of this Procedure.

Stage 2 - Formal Resolution

If the complaint cannot be resolved on an informal basis, parents may put their complaint to the Headmaster in writing who will review the matter and decide the appropriate course of action to take. He may ask parents to attend an interview. He will deliver his response in writing, normally within seven days of receiving a letter of complaint, giving reasons for his decision.

He will keep written records of all meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint for at least three years.

If parents are still not satisfied with the response of the Headmaster, or the Headmaster himself is the subject of the complaint, they should proceed to Stage 3 of this procedure.

Stage 3 - Panel Hearing

The matter will be referred to the Chair of Governors, who will convene the Complaints Panel. The Panel will consist of three members not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint, one of whom shall be independent of the management and running of the school.

The Panel will schedule a hearing to take place as soon as is practicable and normally within fourteen days.

The parents may be accompanied at the hearing by one other person. Legal representation is not normally appropriate.

The Panel will consider all the facts and after due deliberation reach a decision which will be communicated to all interested parties in writing within seven days of the hearing, stating reasons for the decision.

Correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept in the school complaints file and confidential, except where the Secretary of State or a body conducting an inspection under section 163 of the 2002 Act requests access to them. The file is reviewed by the Headmaster or Senior Members of staff periodically.

The decision of the Panel will be final.

Contacting other Agencies

For pupils in EYFS (Lower Prep) parents can refer the complaint to Ofsted, Royal Exchange Buildings, St Anne's Square, Manchester, M2 7LA Tel: 0300 123 4234 and/or ISI, CAP House, 9-12 Long Lane, London, EC1A 9HA Tel: 020 7600 0100

Boarders and their parents can contact Ofsted (address as above or by visiting www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/070090) regarding any complaint concerning their welfare.

Updated Aug 2010. SC.

Download a PDF of our Complaints Policy.