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Curriculum and collective worship complaints
Introduction
The arrangements for considering complaints about the curriculum
or collective worship in schools apply to all schools maintained by
Medway Council (apart from nursery classes). Copies of an
explanatory leaflet are available in schools, libraries and at the
address at the foot of this page.
The arrangements apply to any complaint that is covered by
Section 10
of the Education Act 1996. They apply to cases where
parents or guardians believe that the council, as the Local
Authority (LA) or a school governing body is not:
- complying with the law on the school curriculum – including
providing the
national curriculum;
- offering only approved qualifications or syllabuses to five to
16-year-olds;
- complying with the law on religious education and collective
worship;
- providing required information.
The arrangements also cover complaints about:
- exemptions of pupils from all or part of the national
curriculum;
- the operation of charging policies in relation to the
curriculum;
- the setting up of a council to advise on religious education or
collective worship.
A more detailed list of the types of complaints which are
covered is set out in a circular
of guidance from the Department for Education. Copies can be
obtained from the address below.
The arrangements do not cover:
- complaints about the actions of individual teachers or head
teachers;
- issues which are not included in the list referred to above –
such as school discipline, admissions or statements of special
educational need.
The school or the council can advise people on what to do if
they have a complaint or want to make an appeal about any of these
matters.
The council, governing bodies and the Diocesan education bodies
are committed to:
- dealing with all complaints as quickly as possible;
- identifying complaints which are urgent and giving them
priority;
- considering all complaints fully and fairly;
- keeping the person complaining fully informed of progress
during and at the end of each stage of the arrangements.
Monitoring complaints
Schools will keep a record of any formal complaints made to
their governing bodies that fall within the terms of the
arrangements described here. If there are any such complaints,
schools will be asked to report to their governing bodies once a
year and annual reports will also be made to the council's cabinet.
Reports to governing bodies and the cabinet will include a summary
of the number of complaints dealt with, the time taken to deal with
them and their outcomes.
If you need help
If you are in any doubt about the arrangements described here or
if you have made a complaint and want to know what stage it has
reached, please contact Medway Council using the information
provided at the foot of this page.
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