Stage 1 – Informal Resolution

It is hoped that most concerns will be resolved quickly and informally.

If parents have a complaint, they should normally contact their son/daughter’s Form teacher/Key Practitioner. In many cases, the matter will be resolved straightaway by this means to the parents’ satisfaction. If the Form teacher/Key Practitioner cannot resolve the matter alone it may be necessary for him/her to consult the Deputy Head / Assistant Deputy Head.

Complaints made directly to the Deputy Head / Assistant Deputy Head will usually be referred to the relevant Form teacher/Key Practitioner unless Deputy Head / Assistant Deputy Head deems it appropriate for him/her to deal with the matter personally.

The Form teacher/Key Practitioner will make a written record of all concerns and complaints and the date on which they were received. Should the matter not be resolved within 7 working term time days or in the event that the Form teacher/Key Practitioner and the parent fail to reach a satisfactory resolution then parents will be advised to proceed with their complaint in accordance with Stage 2 of this Complaints Procedure.

If, however, the complaint is against the Headmistress, parents should make their complaint directly to the Chair of Directors whose contact details are available from the School Office on request.

Stage 2 – Formal Resolution

If the complaint cannot be resolved on an informal basis then the parents should put their complaint in writing to the Headmistress on a Stage 2 Complaints Form

The Headmistress will decide, after considering the complaint, the appropriate course of action to take.

In most cases, the Headmistress will meet or speak to the parents concerned, within 7 working term days of receiving the complaint, to discuss the matter. If possible, a resolution will be reached at this stage.

It may be necessary for the Headmistress, or their nominee, to carry out further investigations.

The Headmistress will keep written records of all meetings and interviews held in relation to the complaint.

Once the Headmistress is satisfied that, so far as is practicable, all of the relevant facts have been established, a decision will be made, and parents will be informed of

this decision in writing. The Headmistress will also give reasons for her decision. In most cases, the Headmistress will make her decision and provide the parents with reasons within 15 working term time days of the complaint being put in writing.

• If the complaint is against the Headmistress, the complaint should be made to the Chair of Directors. The Chair of Directors or their nominee will call for a full report from the Headmistress and for all the relevant documents. The Chair of Directors or their nominee may also call for a briefing from members of staff, and will in most cases, speak to or meet with the parents to discuss the matter further. Once the Chair of Directors or their nominee is satisfied that, so far as is practicable, all of the relevant facts have been established, the parents will be informed of the decision in writing. The Chair of Directors or their nominee will give reasons for his/her decision.
• If parents are still not satisfied with the decision, they should proceed to Stage 3 of this procedure.

Stage 3 – Panel Hearing

• If parents seek to invoke Stage 3 (following a failure to reach an earlier resolution) they should do so in writing to the Chair of Directors, Mr G Birkett, within 5 days of receiving the decision at Stage 2, setting out their grounds of appeal. Any supporting evidence which the parents wish to rely on should also be provided with their grounds of appeal.
• The Chair of Directors, Mrs G Birkett who has been appointed by the Directors to call hearings of the Complaints Panel, will then refer the appeal to the Complaints Panel for consideration. The Panel will consist of three persons not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint and one of whom shall be independent of the management and running of the school. A different Director will be appointed to act as Chair of the Panel or the Complaints Panel may appoint one of the Panel members to act as the Chair of the Panel. The Chair of Directors, Mr G Birkett on behalf of the Panel, will then acknowledge the complaint within 5 working days and schedule a hearing to take place within 20 working days.
• If the Panel deems it necessary, it may require that further particulars of the complaint or any related matter be supplied in advance of the hearing or further investigation be carried out. Copies of such particulars shall be supplied to all parties not later than 5 working days prior to the hearing.
• The parents may attend the hearing and be accompanied to the hearing by one other person if they wish. The Headmistress shall also be entitled to be accompanied to the hearing by one other person if they wish. This may be a relative, teacher or friend. Legal representation will not normally be appropriate. The Panel will decide whether it would be helpful for witnesses to attend.
• The manner in which the hearing is conducted shall be at the discretion of the Panel.
• If possible, the Panel will resolve the parents’ complaint without the need for further investigation. Where further investigation is required, the Panel will decide how it should be carried out.
• After due consideration of all facts, they consider relevant, the Panel will make findings as to whether or not the Stage 2 decision was a reasonable one and accordingly decide whether to: Dismiss the complaint(s) in whole or in part;
  Uphold the complaint(s) in whole or in part; and
  may make recommendations.
• The Panel will write to the parents informing them of its decision and the reasons for it, within 5 working days of the hearing (although additional time may be required if it is necessary to carry out further investigations following the hearing). The decision of the Panel will be final. A copy of the Panel’s findings and recommendations (if any) will be sent by electronic mail or otherwise given to the parents, and, where relevant, the person complained about as well as the Chair of Directors and the Headmistress. A copy of the Panel’s findings and recommendations (if any) will also be available for inspection on the School premises by the Chair of Directors and the Headmistress.

All complaints will be handled seriously, sensitively and within clear and reasonable timescales.

It is in everyone’s interest to resolve a complaint as speedily as possible: the school’s target is to complete the first two stages of the procedure within 20 working days. Stage 3, the Appeal Panel Hearing, will be completed within a further 20 working days.

Please note that, for the purposes of this procedure, working days refers to weekdays (Monday to Friday) during term time, excluding bank holidays. This means that during School holidays it may take longer to resolve a complaint although the school will do what is reasonably practicable to avoid undue delay. It may also take longer to resolve a complaint during periods of significant disruption to School life or as a consequence of unavoidable staff absence, however deviation from the normal timescale for resolving a complaint during term time will only be permitted on an exceptional basis, and the school will take all reasonable steps to limit any such delay.

Where repeated attempts are made by a parent to raise the same complaint after it has been considered at all three stages, this may be regarded by the school as vexatious and outside the scope of this procedure.

Following resolution of a complaint, the School will keep a written record of all formal complaints, whether they are resolved at the Stage 1 (informal stage), the formal stage (Stage 2) or proceed to a Panel hearing (Stage 3) and any action taken by the School as a result of the complaint (regardless of whether the complaint is upheld).

The school processes data in accordance with its Privacy Notice. When dealing with complaints the school (including any Panel member appointed under the Stage 3 process) may process a range of information, which is likely to include the following:

• Date when the issue was raised
• Name of parent
• Name of pupil
• Description of the issue
• Records of all the investigations (if appropriate)
• Witness statements (if appropriate)
• Name and contact details of member (s) of staff handling the issue at each stage
• Copies of all correspondence on the issue (including emails and records of phone conversations)
• Notes/minutes of the hearing, and
• The Panel’s written decision

This may include ‘special category personal data’ (as further detailed in the School’s Privacy Notice, but potentially including, for instance, information relating to physical or mental health) where this is necessary owing to the nature of the complaint. This data will be processed in accordance with the School’s Data Protection Policy.

The school will keep records of formal complaints and Complaints Panel hearings, as required by regulation. It will do so in accordance with its Privacy Notice and Data Protection Policy.

Correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints will be kept confidential except where the Secretary of State or a body conducting an inspection under section 109 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 requests access to them.

For the academic year 2024-2025 the school received 3 formal (Stage 2) complaints and 0 formal (Stage 3) complaints.

Parents of EYFS children should follow the three stages of this Complaints Procedure. If parents remain dissatisfied and their complaint is about the school’s fulfilment of the EYFS requirements, then parents may take their complaint to the ISI or Ofsted. Parents will be notified by ISI or Ofsted of the outcome of the investigation into their complaint within 28 days of the complaint being received.

Newbridge Preparatory School will provide ISI/Ofsted, on request, with a written record of all complaints made during any specified period, and the action which was taken as a result of each complaint. The record of any such complaints will be kept in accordance with its Privacy Notice.

Parents may complain directly to Ofsted or to ISI if they believe the provider is not meeting the EYFS requirements. Schools must make available details of how to contact Ofsted and/ or the ISI:

Ofsted can be contacted on 0300 123 1231 or by email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD

ISI can be contacted on 020 7600 0100 or by email: concerns@isi.net

ISI, CAP House, 9-12 Long Lane, London EC1A 9HA

Other Contacts:

Mrs N Burrows-Berry – The Headmistress
Newbridge Preparatory School
51 Newbridge Crescent
Wolverhampton
WV6 0LH
01902 751088

Mr G Birkett – Chair of Directors
C/O Newbridge Preparatory School
51 Newbridge Crescent
Wolverhampton
WV6 0LH
01902 751088

27/09/2021 – SAF
20/09/2022 – Reviewed SAF
13/11/2023 – Revised SAF
10/09/2024 – Revised NBB
23/07/25 – Reviewed and Updated NBB