## 1. Introduction

Our vision is rooted in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14: ‘Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.’ To this end, and in order to create a positive learning environment, this complaints procedure has been designed to provide parents with the information needed to appropriately challenge school if something is going wrong.

## 2. Compliance

This policy is set out in line with the DfE Good Practice Guidance on Complaints Procedures

## 3. General Principles

This procedure is intended to allow parents, or any other individual, to raise a concern or complaint relating to the school, or the services that it provides. To enable a proper investigation, concerns or complaints should be brought to the attention of the school as soon as possible. In general, any matter raised more than three months after the event, will not be considered. An anonymous concern or complaint will not be investigated under this procedure unless there are exceptional circumstances.

## 4. Scope of this complaints procedure

This complaints procedure covers any complaints about the school, except for those covered by alternative statutory processes, including the following:

Exceptions	Who to contact
• to schools • to schools Statutory assessments of Special • Educational Needs School re-organisation proposals •	Concerns about admissions, statutory assessments of Special Educational Needs, or school re-organisation proposals should be raised with Herefordshire Council or (for Kimbolton re- organisation proposals) the Diocese of Hereford Education Department, if all appeals processes within the redundancy policy have been exhausted.
• likely to require a Child • likely to require a Child Protection Investigation	Complaints about child protection matters that cannot be dealt with within school may be raised with the Local Authority Designated Officer, whose contact details are available in the Child Protection & Safeguarding Suite.
• of children from school • of children from school	Further information about raising concerns about exclusion can be found at: www.gov.uk/school-discipline- exclusions/exclusions.
• •	We have an internal whistleblowing procedure for all our employees, including temporary staff and contractors. The Secretary of State for Education is the prescribed person for matters relating to education for whistleblowers in education who do not want to raise matters direct with their employer. Referrals can be made at: www.education.gov.uk/contactus. Volunteer staff who have concerns about our school should complain through the school’s complaints procedure. You may also be able to complain direct to the LA or the Department for Education (see link above), depending on the substance of your complaint.
• grievances • grievances	Complaints from staff will be dealt with under the school’s internal grievance procedures.
• conduct • conduct	Complaints about staff will be dealt with under the school’s internal disciplinary procedures, if appropriate. Complainants will not be informed of any disciplinary action taken against a staff member as a result of a complaint. However, the complainant will be notified that the matter is being addressed.