School complaints

We take any complaint very seriously and schools are required to have procedures in place for dealing with them.

Any concerns you have about your child’s education can normally be settled by speaking to the headteacher, class teacher or other member of staff.

Making a formal complaint

If you have a complaint about a school, you must make your complaint directly to the school. Contact details for all our schools is available using our Find a School facility.

We recommend that you ask the school for a copy of their Complaints Policy so that you can understand exactly how they will handle your complaint.

The governing bodies of all maintained schools in Wales, including nursery schools, must establish procedures for dealing with complaints from parents, pupils, members of staff, governors, members of the community and others.

The Welsh Government recommends that school governing bodies establish a three stage approach to resolving complaints as follows: -

• Stage 1 – Informal stage where the complaint can be raised and resolved. A complaint will not usually move to stage 2 until it has first been considered under stage 1
• Stage 2 – Formal stage
• Stage 3 – The matter is referred to the Complaints Committee of the Governing Body

The schools complaints procedure should include more specific details about each of these stages.

Further Information

For further information about school complaints process please contact the school. Alternatively contact the complaints officer who will be happy to advise you.

Other Learning complaints

There are other statutory processes for complaints and appeals relating to the curriculum, religious worship, admissions, Special Educational Needs (SEN), exclusions, staff grievance, staff disciplinary and teacher capability. Guidance on these topics is available from www.learning.wales.gov.uk. School complaints procedures do not replace these procedures.