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Complaints Procedure

ICHS Complaints Procedure

Inveralmond Community High School: Complaints Procedure

Definitions

Concern: a concern is when you are not happy, feel worried about, or need more information about something. For example, it might be that you are concerned that your child has told you something happened in a class which they are not happy about. In this case you should raise a concern so that the school can look into this, feed back to you, and resolve the concern. 

Complaint: a complaint occurs when something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with our services. For example, if you have a concern about something and have already notified and worked with the school to address this. It might be that the concern continues or reoccurs, in which case you may raise it again as a concern or you might feel that the service given has dropped below expected standards, in which case you wish to make a complaint. 

Step One: What to do if you have a concern

The fastest way to resolve a concern is to speak directly with the member of staff best placed to help. Most concerns and issues can be resolved very quickly through conversation. 

Pastoral Team (Head of House)
For concerns relating to:

  • Pupil welfare
  • Wellbeing
  • Child protection
  • Pastoral support
  • Family concerns

Your child's Head of House or Family Link Worker will work with staff, pupils and families to find a solution.

If you contact the school by telephone, your call will be triaged to your child's Head of House in the first instance. They will co-ordinate a response or pass it to the most appropriate person. This means that the person who knows your child and the family best, is always aware of what is going on for each young person. 

Curriculum Team (Faculty Heads)
For concerns relating to:

  • Individual subjects
  • Class issues
  • Teaching and learning
  • Qualifications and assessment

The Head of Faculty will investigate and work with teachers and learners to address concerns. The Head of Faculty will liaise with your child's Head of House so that they are aware of the concern. If the concern involves more than one area of the curriculum, the Head of House will pick up the concern and co-ordinate the response. 

Additional Support Needs Team
For concerns relating to:

  • Additional Support Needs (ASN)
  • Targeted support
  • Learning support arrangements

The Head of Targeted Support will work with young people, families, and staff to resolve concerns. The Head of Targeted Support will liaise with your child's Head of House so that they are aware of the concern. If the concern is about more than just Additional Support Needs, the Head of House will pick up the concern and co-ordinate the response.

Stage 1: Formal Complaint

If your concern remains unresolved, you can submit a formal complaint.

Ways to contact the school to make a complaint

To record the complaint, we will need the information below at the first point of contact:

  • The name of the young person
  • Your name and relationship to the young person (we can only correspond with adults who are on our system)
  • The year they are in, and preferably their house (Arran, Skye, Tiree).
  • Details about the complaint: what, where, who, when

In line with the 'child friendly complaints procedure' we need to know whether the complaint is: 

a) Child making complaint by themselves? 
b) Child has asked adult to complain on their behalf? 
c) Adult making a complaint about issues affecting the child? This enables us to record who owns the complaint. Regardless of who owns the complaint, we are required to discuss the complaint and outcome with the young person. 

What Happens Next?

  • Complaint passed to the most appropriate manager who will get in touch to confirm the details of the complaint and ask for any additional information not provided in the initial communication
  • They will carry out an investigation to allow for a response to each of the points in the complaint
  • Outcome communicated and recorded through the school complaints system

Stage 1 Complaint Response Time: Within 5 working days (you will be informed if additional time is required)

Stage 2: Formal Complaint

If you have already raised a Stage 1 complaint but remain dissatisfied. You may raise a stage 2 complaint. In raising a Stage 2 Complaint, Customer Services will work directly with the school to respond. 

You can escalate the complaint to West Lothian Customer Services: https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/complaints (opens new window)

Please include your Stage 1 response where possible.

What Happens Next?

  • Independent review of your complaint
  • Further investigation where required
  • Outcome issued


Stage 2 Response Time: Within 20 working days (You will be informed if additional time is required)

For More Information

West Lothian Council Complaints Information: https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/complaints (opens new window)

Inveralmond Community High School Contact:
wlinveralmond-chs@westlothian.org.uk (opens new window)
01506 280700

All formal complaints are handled in Inveralmond in line with the West Lothian Complaints Policy: West Lothian Complaints Policy (opens new window)

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