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Handling persistent or aggressive complaints

Read about best practice for dealing with persistent or aggressive complaints. Find out how to use your complaints procedure to close a complaint and stop responding.

Last reviewed on 29 October 2024
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 10176
Contents
  1. When is a complaint considered serial or persistent?
  2. Close serial or persistent complaints, and stop responding
  3. Manage aggressive behaviour separately
  4. Support pupils who may be affected by persistent complaints
  5. Don't allow group complaints

When is a complaint considered serial or persistent?

Once your school has followed all the stages of its complaints procedure, the chair of governors can tell the complainant that the matter is closed.

If the complainant tries to re-open the same issue, this can be classed as a persistent or ‘serial’ complaint. This classification makes it easier for you to justify closing a complaint, and to stop responding to it.

Read more about this in the DfE's guidance for maintained schools and academies.

Read on for advice on how to deal with a serial or persistent complaint. 

Close serial or persistent complaints, and stop responding

You should only take this decision when:

You shouldn't stop responding