New support launched to manage school complaints

Many schools have experienced a significant increase in the workload generated by the volume and complexity of complaints they receive, particularly from parents. Increasing demands on staff can leave them with little time to deal with complaints efficiently and effectively. 

With budgets tighter than ever, recruitment challenges and ongoing industrial action further impacting capacity, there is a risk of an influx of complaints at a time when capacity is already severely depleted. 

That’s why we’ve put together a support pack to enable academies and trusts to handle complaints as efficiently as possible, whilst ensuring that meritorious complaints are given the appropriate time and attention. 

A comprehensive range of resources

Our new Complaints Management Support Pack is a comprehensive range of resources that includes a template complaints procedure and policy, with a suite of editable letters and supporting resources to manage your end-to-end complaints process. 

The pack’s supporting materials have been prepared by our award-winning legal experts to give you confidence that you’re:

• implementing policy and processes that are up to date and legally compliant 
• following best practice and consistent in the way you handle complaints
• saving time and resource, getting this right from the outset.

Our model complaints procedure meets the legal requirements for academy complaints procedures and the template letters will help you ensure you are adhering to the procedure to help avoid challenge down the line.

Getting it right first time, every time

We’re often called upon to resolve issues when the damage is already done which can be time consuming and costly. The support pack helps to avoid these scenarios, pre-empting and mitigating the risks and pitfalls of mishandling complaints and where possible, avoiding unnecessary escalation.   

The Complaints Management Support Pack has been designed for senior leaders, clerks and governing boards, based on their feedback and our shared, extensive experience of handling complaints and resolving disputes. 

Find out what’s included and order your support pack

What our clients say

“The pack provides excellent guidance. This is great reference material to refresh minds on procedures. It also ensures consistent responses across the Trust.”  - Clare Ridehalgh, Deputy Trust Lead, Cornwall Education Learning Trust (CELT).