Schools, early years and childcare

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. (www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1996/1996056.htm) 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 (http://curriculum.qca.org.uk);
• 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 Children, Schools and Families (www.dfes.gov.uk/index.shtml). 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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