You must have a complaints procedure
Academies must have a complaints procedure that:
- Is in writing
- Is made available to parents/carers (you should publish it online)
- Sets out clear timescales for the management of a complaint
- Covers how you'll handle complaints from parents/carers and pupils at your school – you're not required to follow a procedure for complaints from people who aren't parents/carers of attending pupils, but you're still expected to respond respectfully
This is set out in the best practice complaints guidance from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
You must also publish how you'll handle complaints from parents/carers of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) about the support their child receives in school, as part of your SEN information report.
Download our model complaints procedure – there's also a checklist that you can download further down this