New Meaning Training

Learner and Parent/Carer Complaint Policy

Responsible Manager People Manager
Original Publish Date OCTOBER 2022
Last Review Date OCTOBER 2023
Next Scheduled Review Date OCTOBER 2024
Policy available Share-Point. Website.
Authorised by Operations Director

 

1.  Introduction

  • At New Meaning Training (NMT) we are committed to providing high-quality education and fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. We recognise that there may be times when learner or their parents/carers have concerns or complaints. This policy outlines the procedure for raising and resolving such issues promptly, fairly, and transparently. Our goal is to address complaints effectively, ensuring that all voices are heard and that appropriate actions are taken to enhance our educational services.

2. Scope

  • This policy applies to all learners and their parents/carers within NMT. It encompasses concerns related to any aspect of the educational experience.

3. Raising a concern or complaint Stage 1 – Informal Resolution 

  • It is important that NMT knows of a concern or complaint at the earliest opportunity. In the first instance it is usually the learner’s tutor who can best deal with the problem, although there may be situations where a senior employee or the Area Manager would need to discuss the matter (Senior Managemeny if the complaint is about the Area Manager). Experience shows that nearly all concerns raised by learners and parents/carers can be dealt with quickly and efficiently at this informal stage.
  • If you are uncertain about who you should contact, please seek advice from NMT central office based in High Wycombe. Contact details can be found on our website: newmeaning.co.uk/bucks-herts
  • Before using this procedure, the complainant must have tried to resolve the issue informally and acted reasonably. The Chair of the board may, at their discretion and acting reasonably, refuse to pursue a complaint if this precondition is not met. If the issue is not resolved informally, the complaint can be escalated to the formal stage.

4. Stage 2 – Formal Resolution: Investigation by a member of the Senior Leadership Team 

  • The complainant must put the complaint in writing, addressed to the appropriate Area Manager of New Meaning Training location. The facts should be set out briefly and it should be stated what it is that the complainant considers should have been done, or where New Meaning Training have not met reasonable expectations.
  • The Area Manager’s contact details available from the Centre office newmeaning.co.uk/locations.
  • The complainant may choose to write the complaint either in hard copy, or in an email to the Area Manager including the following information:
  • Complainant’s full name
  • Learner’s full name and course/tutor group
  • Relationship to the Learner
  • Home address and the best contact telephone number(s)
  • Details of the complaint, including relevant dates and any conversations that have already taken place with NMT employees relating to the matter
  • What actions you feel might resolve the problem at this stage
  • Are you attaching any paperwork? If so, please give details
    • Note: To avoid misunderstanding, the date the complaint becomes ‘formal’ will be determined as the day on which the Area Manager received the written complaint (not including weekends and learner holidays).
    • The Area Manager will assign a member of the Senior Leadership Team to investigate the complaint, which may include the offer of a meeting with the complainant. The investigator will speak to others involved. Whenever reasonably possible, any meeting with the complainant will take place within 15 education days of the written complaint being received.
    • Note: An ‘education day’ is a day the centre is open and learners are in attendance.
    • The investigator will put their findings in writing and will indicate what, if any, steps should be taken to resolve the matter. Whenever reasonably possible, this will be done within 15 education days of any meeting with the complainant. If no meeting is arranged it will be within 15 education days of the written complaint being received.
    • Where the complainant remains dissatisfied, they may request the complaint is dealt with at Stage 3. Any such request must be set out in writing, stating where the complainant remains dissatisfied and lodged within 10 education days of the complainant receiving the findings in writing.
    • Any complaint relating to the Area Manager or a member of teaching staff, must be raised in the first instance to NMTs People Manager who will, if an informal resolution cannot be reached, investigate the complaint.

5. Stage 3 – Appeal if complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome:

  • Where the complainant remains dissatisfied, they may request the complaint is dealt with by NMTs Operations Director, Board member or another Senior Manager. Any such request must be set out in writing, stating where the complainant remains dissatisfied, what remedies are being sought and be lodged within 10 education days of the complainant receiving the findings in writing.

6.  Serial or Persistent Complainants 

  • If at any level a complainant attempts to reopen an issue or a closely related issue that has already been dealt with under this complaints procedure, the Operations Derector may write to the complainant, explaining that the procedure has been exhausted and the matter closed, and that continued correspondence on the same matter is vexatious and that the training centre will not respond to any further correspondence on this issue or a closely related issue.

7.  Record Keeping 

  • A written record will be kept of all complaints that were resolved at the formal stage of the complaint’s procedure. Records will contain details of whether the complaint was resolved at stage 2, stage 3 or whether it proceeded. The action taken by the training centre because of a complaint (regardless of whether they are upheld) will also be recorded.

 

8.  Confidentiality 

  • 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.

9. Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) 

  • You may contact the ESFA if you are not happy with how your complaint was handled under these procedures, using this online form: ESFA Schools Complaints Form.
  • If a complaint is received by the ESFA they will check whether the complaint has been dealt with properly. They will consider complaints about schools/trusts that fall into any of the following three areas:
  • where there is undue delay, or NMT did not comply with its own complaints procedure when considering a complaint
  • where a NMT has failed to comply with any other legal obligation
    • The ESFA will not overturn a decision about a complaint. However, if they find an education setting did not deal with a complaint properly they will request the complaint is looked at again. If NMTs complaints procedure does not meet the Regulations, they will ask that they to put this right. They may seek to enforce the decision under the terms of the funding agreement on behalf of the Secretary of State, if appropriate.

10.           Equality Impact Statement

New Meaning Training have a duty to consider the impact of changes on groups with Protected Characteristics (race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership).

What are the overall aims of the change? Why are you proposing it? The aim of this policy is to provide a framework to ensure that the guidelines are in place to support all stakeholders.
Given the aims of your proposal, what issues does your data/information highlight? Everybody is included within this policy, and all groups are given equability regarding their needs and provisions.
How could the proposed change affect positively/negatively on groups with protected characteristics? This has a positive impact on all groups with protected characteristics, as they are ensured equal treatment and provision based on their needs. Risk assessments may be carried out to ensure that this is the case and provisions maybe altered to accommodate specific needs.
What actions will you take to mitigate any negative impact? No negative impact to having this policy.
Is there any potential negative impact justified considering wider benefits of the proposal? No negative impact to having this policy.
Recording final decision. This policy requires CEO approval.
Has the policy taken into consideration the requirements of GDPR regulations?

Are there any actions that need addressing, e.g. data sharing agreement; have data consent and data retention timescales been considered?

 GDPR regulations have been considered and actions comply with data protection requirements.

 

11.           Policy Agreement

Visit the link below and confirm you have read, understood and agree to adhere to this policy:

https://forms.office.com/e/cHK3hyWGTE

Should you experience any issues accessing the agreement, please contact Learning Services.