Complaints
We encourage good communication between parents and the school, which models to our students how adults can interact with one another in a constructive and respectful way. On rare occasions, we may disagree with each other. Often this can be as a result of miscommunication on either or both sides.
When you feel something isn't right, we urge you to talk to us so that we can try and resolve this. The majority of issues can usually be resolved informally through a chat with the class teacher, but if not, there are further steps you can take through the Escalation Process.
Our expectations for both parents/carers and staff involved in this process are detailed at the end of this page, along with a PDF document showing the process as a flowchart.
Escalation Process
1. Class Teacher
Your child’s class teacher spends the most time with them and knows them best. They are the person you should always speak to first if you have concerns around:
- Attainment
- Progress
- Home Learning
- The Curriculum
- Transition between year groups
- Daily provision for pupils with SEND
- Behaviour
- Friendships & Peers
- Any situation that has happened in class or the playground that you or your child are unhappy about.
Please book an appointment to speak to them via the school office, admin@oakfield.academy or 023 8086 2530.
After raising your concern with the Class Teacher, please give them a reasonable amount of time to investigate and implement any changes before escalating further.
2. Senior Teacher
Contact the Senior Teacher, who will investigate further. For Year R-2 (KS1), this is Mrs Leach, and for Year 3-6 (KS2), it is Mr Cooke. You can book an appointment to speak to them via the school office; please don't approach them at the start or end of the school day while they are with their class.
If the class teacher at Step 1 is also a senior teacher, you can skip to step 3.
3. Assistant Headteacher
If you are unhappy with the outcome following your conversation with Mrs Leach / Mr Cooke, you can escalate the matter to the Assistant Headteacher, Mrs Homewood, at jhomewood@oakfield.academy or via a message through the office.
You will receive an acknowledgement within 3 working days, and a final response within 10 working days from receipt.
4. Formal Complaint
If you feel that the final response from the Assistant Headteacher is unsatisfactory, you can submit a formal complaint to us. The complaint form is accessible through this link: Complaint form.
The full complaints process and timescales are outlined below.
Please note that if you submit a complaint without going through steps 1-3 first, your complaint will be rejected.
Why can't I just speak to the Headteacher?
From experience, we know the vast majority of issues are easily dealt with by the class teacher, since your child will spend the majority of their time at school with them. They should always be your first point of contact if you have any concerns about your child.
Miss Bray will only get involved with concerns once they have been through our Escalation Process and have progressed to the Formal Complaint stage (although she will have been kept informed of any previous investigations). This ensures that there is a route of escalation available and that she has a suitably impartial view if she has to conduct an investigation as part of the complaint process.
The Formal Complaints Process and Timescales
After following the full Escalation Process, please submit your complaint in writing via this form: Complaints Form.
What happens next?
1. Acknowledgement - Following receipt of your written complaint via the Complaint form on our website, we will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days, indicating the action that is being taken and likely timescales.
2. Investigation - We may ask to meet with you to discuss the complaint, or conduct a thorough investigation first.
We will ask you what steps you feel might resolve the issue, if you haven’t confirmed this in the Complaint form.
3. Response - You will receive a written response via email or letter from the Headteacher with their decision and the reasons for it within 10 working days of receipt of the complaint.
4. Further escalation - If you are dissatisfied with the decision, you can raise a Stage 3 complaint with the Chair of Governors. The process is outlined in The Gateway Trust’s Complaints Procedure Policy, available on our website on the Policies page.
Expectations for all concerns and complaints
Our aim is always to resolve any issues or concerns that parents or carers may have as quickly and efficiently as possible. In order for us to do so, and to safeguard the wellbeing of our staff, it is important that parents and carers comply with the following standards when contacting the school.
- Treat all those involved in the complaint with respect. Don’t approach staff when they’re not at work, or contact them on their personal social media accounts.
- Explain the complaint to us in full as early as possible, and work with us to resolve it by responding promptly to requests for information or meetings, or in agreeing details of the complaint.
- Represent your own views, not those of other parents or their children.
- Refrain from publicising the details of your complaint on social media or WhatsApp groups, and respect confidentiality.
- Make an appointment to speak to staff members via the office, and don’t approach them before school when they are preparing to teach.
- Follow our Escalation Process - don’t try to skip steps, or threaten us with governors, The Gateway Trust, Department of Education, or Ofsted. Complaints received without going through all steps of the Escalation Process first will be rejected.
In return, we will:
- Deal with concerns about safety and child protection immediately.
- Treat your complaint seriously and consider it in a comprehensive, open, transparent and fair manner.
- Treat you with courtesy and respect, in the same way we ask of you.
- Ask you what steps you feel would put things right.
- Identify and investigate each ground for complaint and conduct sensitive and thorough interviewing of all parties involved. Records and other relevant information will also be carefully considered.
- Keep you updated at each stage of the procedure and respond within the set timescales.
- Fully explain the reasons for our decision to uphold or dismiss the complaint.
Any concerns and complaints received which do not comply with our expectations will be returned back to parents until the communications meet the expectations outlined above. Parents and carers who breach the expectations will be subject to restricted access to staff.
Aggressive behaviour towards staff or other parents/carers is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. It could result in a permanent ban from the school site and/or Police involvement.
